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Actor Andy Griffith died this morning at his home in North Carolina, NBC News reports. He was 86.
Griffith may have been most famous for his roles in "The Andy Griffith Show" and "Matlock," but he also played a prominent role in politics.
Most recently, he starred in an ad promoting Medicare and touting the president's health-care law.
And that wasn't the first time Griffith's name came up with regard to politics. Democrats always dreamed of Sen. Griffith.
In fact, Griffith was so seriously considered to run for the Democratic nomination in 1990, that the polling outfit Mason-Dixon tested him against then-Sen. Jesse Helms (R).
Griffith led Helms by nine points, 48-39%, in that 1989 poll, a wider margin than former Gov. Jim Hunt (D), who had lost to Helms in a nasty 1984 race. Hunt led Helms in that poll 50-42%. (Hat tip to our friends at National Journal's Hotline.) (Former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt, who is black, wound up being the Democratic standard bearer. And race became a central issue. That was the election where Helms ran the "Hands" ad - below.)
"North Carolina has lost its favorite son," Democratic North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue said in a statement. "Andy Griffith graciously stepped into the living rooms of generations of Americans, always with the playful charm that made him the standard by which entertainers would be measured for decades. Throughout his career, he represented everything that was good about North Carolina: a small town boy and UNC graduate who took a light-hearted approach to some of the attributes he grew up with and turned them into a spectacularly successful career. And regardless of where that career took him, he always came back to North Carolina and spent his final years here. In an increasingly complicated world, we all yearn for the days of Mayberry. We all will miss Andy, and I will dearly miss my friend."
The Raleigh News and Observer wrote of Griffith in 2010: "Griffith has been a closer for Democrats, an unimpeachable saintly figure who fills his rare political spots with folksy charm and obvious references to his role as a small-town North Carolina sheriff."
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His only flaw was that he was supporting Democratic causes. Oh well, we all can't be perfect.
a good men is gone he wanted everyone to get new heath care for the poor . that why ill never vote for mitt romney . hes for the rich as far as i can see he sucks
I agree with all the republicans thanking him for all the entertainment, but those moral tales are why he aligned so heavily with Democratic causes, and I cannot believe the very few of my friends who are republican and think the GOP in Congress are doing anything other than lining the billionaires pockets, and pushing a closed-minded sharia type law upon the people. I thank GOD for men and women like ANDY GRIFFITH! God, I pray he's with you in heaven, and I and those I love will get to be with him praising You one day!
OMG! What Democratic F*ckhead decided that this needed to be written about him. Funny, most of my family lives in NC and they never knew he was a Democrat - so I'm guessing he wasn't as highly political as this article may want people to think. Obama and his goons are suffering in public opinion, so they want to say that good old Andy was on their side.
Maybe he wanted to get out of here before Obamacare came up again.
Good cracker!
RIP Andy, I still watch The Andy Griffith Show to this day on netflix. It's to bad we can't go back to those simpler times. When kids could walk to the river and go fishing with out a worry in the world. I'n those day's you didn't even kiss your best girl on the lips in person. Now you see guys kissing guys on the street and nobody gives it a second thought.
During an election year, why can't we produce a better headline about the life achievements of one of America's most endeared personalities than to play a sympathy card and associate him IN THE HEADLINE with a political party. Shame on you MSNBC.
Might i suggest a more appropriate headline? "Small Town America's Favorite Andy Griffith Dies at 86"
His political association with either bloated party is by far superceeded by his accomplishments as a representative of purity, patience and belief in the true American way in his portrayal of Mayberry's beloved sheriff.
As a country of the "Me Generation," John Q will soon enough forget about who's politically affiliation most accurately represents their wants, needs or beliefs. But you can be sure that they'll remember Andy Griffith and his wonderful portrayal of honest America in movies and television.
I loved Andy Griffith. I hate the Democrats for trying to spend our country into the ground. Andy and I will just have to agree to disagree.
All you AIR BRAINS that have been wiped of INTELLIGENCE and replaced with CAPITAL COMMUNISM IDEOLOGY, Have NO IDEA WHAT LIFE IS OR ABOUT. To you HONESTY and RESPECT are to GOOD. And it must be replaced with HATRED , GREED, All DEVILS BAD INFLUENCE. I truly am SORRY for you. ANDY GRIFFITH was the AMERICAN IMAGE THAT would make every AMERICAN PROUD !!!
ALL YOU RIGHT HATRED WINGERS ARE DUNG BAGS WITH FLIES !!!!
ANDY, Enlighten the RIGHT RADICAL WINGERS for the sake of MAN KIND now that You are with GOD and not the other way like the RADICAL RIGHT !!!!!
Peace will always be part of you ANDY !!!! We sensed and saw it in your SITCOMS !!!!
Other than his politics and support for Obama he was certainly a good man.
Andy was a friend of mine. Not that we were close mind you, but his TV persona was so right that I and my Grandchildren watched his TV series at every chance.
When Andy and Opie made a TV clip supporting this fraud Obama I stopped looking for his presentations.
Now he has a right to his opinion. But in my world he does not have the right to impose them on me.
Just as those many unsophisticated actors and actresses who 'sponsor' lavish fund raisers for any brand of politician do not have my support.
A wise man told me, 70 years ago, that there are some things one does not speak of when in public places such as barbershops (Floyd?) they are politics, sex, your wife’s cooking and your mother in laws nagging.
Godspeed Andy, Godspeed. You are missed.
Great actor and I thank him for his work.
I heard he was a cranky old man who hated fans that tried to talk to him.
He had a dirty car and dressed in wrinkled old clothes.
Since he was out of touch with regular fans, no wonder he was a rich Democrate.
RIP Andy Griffith. You'll be missed.
It's sad that even when remembering someone that nearly everyone liked that people can't show restraint from taking pot-shots at each other. There are tens of thousands of articles where they can easily do that but they can never leave it alone.