WIKILEAKS publisher Julian Assange has confirmed his intention to run as a Senate candidate in the 2013 federal election and will announce the formation of a WikiLeaks political party early next year.
Nearly six months after he sought political asylum in Ecuador's London embassy, Mr Assange doesn't expect his circumstances to change soon.
Although he thinks it "inevitable" that the United States government will eventually drop its espionage investigation into WikiLeaks, he fears such an outcome may be "several years away".
In an interview with Fairfax Media, Mr Assange suggested the court martial of alleged WikiLeaks source, US Army Private Bradley Manning, now scheduled for March, would reveal "details … about how [US prosecutors] may have framed a case for conspiracy between … Manning and myself."
"Getting the US investigation dropped, that is our number-one priority," he said.
Mr Assange said plans to register an Australian WikiLeaks party were ''significantly advanced''. He indicated he would be a Senate candidate, and added that "a number of very worthy people admired by the Australian public" have indicated their availability to stand for election on a party ticket.
Mr Assange said he is able to fulfil the requirements to register as an overseas elector in either New South Wales or Victoria and that he will shortly take a "strategic decision" about which state he would be a Senate candidate for.
Mr Assange's biological father, John Shipton, has co-ordinated preparations for the formation of a WikiLeaks party, and a draft of the party's constitution has been subjected to legal review.
Registration of the party with the Australian Electoral Commission would require confirmation of 500 members who are listed on the electoral roll. Mr Assange hopes that WikiLeaks' internet presence, which includes a Twitter account with nearly 1.7 million followers and a Facebook page with more than 2.1 million "likes", and the formation of ''friends of WikiLeaks'' groups would mobilise Australian supporters.
He said a WikiLeaks party would advance WikiLeaks' objectives of promoting openness in government and politics, and it would combat growing intrusions on individual privacy.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political ... z2Esc8TCOx
President Assange!!!
President Assange!!!
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: President Assange!!!
A hell of a lot better than Mitch McConnell.
Reason is valuable only when it performs against the wordless physical background of the universe.
Re: President Assange!!!
Who?
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: President Assange!!!
The ringleader of the "anything that is good for Obama is bad for us, so we will vote against it, even if it is good for America" Republican obstructionists in the US Senate.
Reason is valuable only when it performs against the wordless physical background of the universe.
Re: President Assange!!!
Ah, I didn't know he was running for the Aussie senate. 
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: President Assange!!!
Wellll the title was a bit misleading since Australia doesn't actually have a president...
Sometimes it seems as though one has to cross the line just to figger out where it is
Re: President Assange!!!
True, a bit of "poetic license" on my part. 
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: President Assange!!!
Better Assange than McConnell in any country's Senate.
Reason is valuable only when it performs against the wordless physical background of the universe.
Re: President Assange!!!
He was trying to give me a coronary....Wellll the title was a bit misleading since Australia doesn't actually have a president...
True, a bit of "poetic license" on my part.
