The CEO of Dick’s Sporting Goods, Ed Stack, is quietly mulling a 2020 presidential bid, Politico reports.
A focus group in southern Wisconsin was apparently presented with political messaging highlighting Stack’s credentials while placing him as a third-party contender against the likes of Donald Trump and Joe Biden or, alternatively, Elizabeth Warren, according to a source who attended the gathering.
Part of the pitch for Stack was his corporate activism with respect to firearms in the wake of the mass killing at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
The billionaire businessman was “showing leadership,” per the displayed ads at the focus group, when he announced his empire would no longer sell modern sporting rifles or firearms to adults under the age of 21.
It’s not clear how his portrayal as an anti-2A crusader was received by attendees. But, the 64-year-old magnate was criticized for his lack of charisma.
“[Focus group members] mentioned that if Biden’s getting the criticism that he looked old, Ed Stack didn’t look young either,” the participant told Politico, adding that some felt Stack “didn’t have the charisma it would take to attract a coalition that you’d need to have a chance as a third-party candidate.”
Stack has not publicly said whether he intends to run for president. However, a source close to him seemed to pooh-pooh the idea.
“Mr. Stack enjoys running Dick’s Sporting Goods and has no plans to run for any elected office,” said the individual.
SEE ALSO: Dick’s CEO Admits to Destroying $5M Worth of Firearms, Lost $250M Due to Anti-Gun Stance
Recently, Stack has been promoting his new book, “It’s How We Play the Game: Build a Business. Take a Stand. Make a Difference,” which like the focus-group materials also aims to lionize him for his stance on guns.
“One of the things I asked the parents from Parkland as we were leaving was, ‘What is it that you would like me to do?’ They said, ‘We would like you to keep the conversation going,’” Stack said during a book tour stop in his hometown of Binghamton, NY.
“That was a big watershed moment and we need to keep this conversation going. Which is one of the reasons I wrote the book. It talks about all the things you did to build the business to be in a position to be able to make these kinds of differences. One of the reasons to write the book was the commitment to those families to keep it going,” he added.
While some may applaud Stack for his “leadership,” others — specifically his investors — may have a problem with it as Dick’s sales have lagged behind its competitors in the sporting goods and hunting markets, not to mention the fact that the company lost approximately $250 million in sales as a result of its new corporate policies.
But hey, at least he made David Hogg happy.
Thank you for standing up and taking action! 🙂 @Walmart @DICKS
— David Hogg text VOTE to 954-954 (@davidhogg111) March 1, 2018
He can pontificate all he wants until they have to close their doors he is an idiot.
Go for it. Everyone loves to watch a fool and his money part ways. The biggest benefit would be a split vote. Clown car starting to fill up again.
Wow, Eds found a new way to throw money away, not being satisfied with losing his companies money.
Democrats already have Repressive Gun Grabbers vying for nomination. To even be recognized he would have to appear more rabid than the rest. Who would that siphon votes from, Democrats or Republicans? Silly question, no gun hating Regressive is going to vote for Trump anyway and pulling Gun Control votes away from Democrats as a third party will only help President Trump. So go for it Dick, with blessings.
YES DEFINITELY this Dick should run! As a third party lib-idiot, he would certainly siphon lib-idiot votes away from the Dem candidate (whoever he/she/it turns out to be).
I sure hope this Dick also tries to suck up to the GLBTWhatever crowd, along with the open-borders s—t-heads while he’s at it.
I don’t believe many conservatives would vote for him, but for sure we should get the names of those few and ride them out of town on a rail.
And the parade of clowns continues , so hurting you companies bottom line isn’t enough for your dumbass , you would also like to shit on our constitution ?
I think your shareholders and our country would better off if you just suck started a shotgun.
The name of the place says it all. That is the only people who would buy anything from that store . That for sure is not the sportsman that I know.
YOU HAVE TO BE FORNICATING KIDDING!!!!!!!
I think Ed would be a perfect third party candidate. He would show both parties what happens when the central theme of a candidate is to bring common sense gun regulations to the debate and election. Run Ed, run.
This is a clear indication that these people know they have no candidate or worse than that, no issues to run on. I am wondering if the left is trying to get somebody like him to run so that Trump will get even less of the popular vote. Trump could still win the Electoral College but the percentage of the popular vote would be such that they would have even a greater chance of changing the US Constitution. They only need to get their foot in the door to begin making changes that will turn us into a European styled system.
Another irrelevant Alpha Hotel to muddy up the waters even further.
I think he should run, and I totally support him up to parting with my dollars, as I would love to see him waste his money! Nothing hurts a money-grubber more than spending his own money. He has no qualm about wasting his shareholders money though. 5 million worth of legal destroyed weapons sure must have made them happy!
Go ahead and let him run !! People like “DICK’S” is so out of touch with America, it can only be his money lost !!!
He ain’t got a cats chance in a dog pound !
If this sheeple thinks that he is running his business so well, as president, he’d really SUCK! Most shareholders would FIRE the idiot that lost 1/4 billion dollars in profits. Shareholders must also be anti-gun dumbasses! To all the Trump haters, you want to know what oppression is about,let the Demoncrats run the country.
Dick-less would have zero chance of being president. He can’t run a business correctly.
Agreed about his 0 chance of being elected president. The only thing even slightly interesting about this is that the “focus group” placed him as a possible third party candidate.
Apparently, even they know that running in this group of democrat clowns is a very bad idea.
I agree. Stack doesn’t get it either. These happenings are the result of mental health issues, yet we do nothing to advance our understanding! So, take the guns away…and that is not the answer. Mr.Stack, stay home, we don’t want you or your stores. I left Dicks a long, long time ago. Trump 2020 or NOTHING!!!
Love it!!! Please run in 2020 and seal the fate of your company!! It’s circling the drain right now and your failed presidential run would be its end.
I want to see him, on a debate stage, explain how he stopped selling “assault rifles” twice. Either he lied the first time or he was leveraging tragedies to pad his revenue. Either way, he’s trash.
Big deal. Stop giving this clown face time. He’s done.