Tonight, on the Campus club patio, the Pauper was lucky enough to have a discussion with the one and only "Tavo". To cover the story no other publication will even go near, we decided we needed to get to know the man behind the vision that has captivated so many Princeton students with his words. What we discovered was a true gentleman, a man loved by his peers and feared by his enemies for one reason: he's the shit. It didn't take long to discover that there's more to Octavio Carrasco than charisma, flair and verve. There's integrity, honesty, and compassion.

To begin the discussion, each party told the other what it hoped to achieve by having the interview. There is no tip-toeing around the truth when the Pauper gets together with a man like Octavio Carrasco; we are committed to journalistic integrity and likewise, Mr. Carraso, to honesty and openness. We told him that we hoped the interview would help his noble cause by getting his message out to the masses, but we also admitted that the interview might get us a few more hits. He told us that he wanted "as many people to get pissed off and say I don't have American values as possible." Hopefully we can achieve these ends.

Pauper: Let's get right into it, shall we? What is your favorite beer?

Octavio Carrasco: St. Ides malt liquor. In a 40 oz. You know, those big bottles?

Pauper: Uh, yeah, of course. We, um, drink them all the time... we're really hard core. We swear.

[awkward moment]

Anyways, tell us about the USG.

OC: The USG has no power. People don't care about it. Only 30% of students vote, and half of them are just voting for the candidates because they're their friends. The USG is bullshit. They do things like "Precept Reform".

Pauper: On one of your posters it says you've been into Cottage once, and only once. What was it like?

OC: It was horrible. Everybody looked at me like I was a fucking alien or something because I have long hair and don't wear the same clothes they do.

Pauper: Because your campaign is so unique, a lot of people are probably wondering if you actually want to win. Do you?

OC: Yeah, I want to win. I want to use the same system [the politicians] use, and fuck the system. I want to turn the system around on them and say 'Fuck you'. I have a platform, others have them too, but they don't do anything. I will go to the office of the president and demand what the students want, and if she refuses, I'll demand a real explanation. I'll publish her reasons everywhere. 

Everyone is saying that they want to do something, but they're just politicking. I'm not. This is me that you see here, I'm not giving you bullshit. And when I'm at the debates. Hey, Margot, isn't this what I'm always like?

Margot: Yes.

OC: The difference between me and say, Sonya Mirbagheri, is that she tries to say 'hi' to as many people as she can, every day, because she is a politician. I say hi to random people just to see how they react.

To be in the presence of Octavio is a unique feeling. The first thing one notices about him is his impressive height - a sign of true greatness. All our greatest presidents have been tall: William Henry Harrison, Millard Fillmore, Chester A. Arthur. And the most evil men in history have all been short: Napolean, Tom Cruise, Mini-me. Octavio has a soft side, too, underneath all that greatness. He admitted to crying after watching "Bowling for Columbine". In this private side of Carrasco's personality, we see the condition of the common man reflected. He is not aloof just because he has a higher purpose. Octavio actually cares about the common man. 

OC: If there's one thing you include in this interview, make sure you put down how I want to thank all my people. Without them this wouldn't be possible. Without them I wouldn't be able to have a rally in front of Frist or get people chanting my name. Sure, without me it wouldn't happen, but they make it happen.

Not everybody recognizes greatness when they see it, however. Both Carrasco and his supporters have been attacked and criticized by those who don't take his message seriously.

Pauper: Has anybody given you shit for running for president?

OC: Not for running. I've received a lot of emails about my American flag, though. One guy told me that I was disgracing the country and I was disgracing myself by wearing it around my neck. He said hundreds of thousands of Americans had died for it and that it wasn't a scarf. 

The Princeton Committee Against Terrorism gave me a lot of shit, too, for saying that they endorsed me. So at tonight's debate I made it clear that they didn't endorse me. I don't want their endorsement anyway.

One of Octavio's supporters: Somebody came up to me after the debate tonight and said I should be ashamed for supporting Octavio.

Pauper: It will be a dark day indeed if an American is ever forced to feel ashamed for what he or she believes in.

[moment of reflection]

Ok, last question. If you were elected, many Princeton girls would no doubt be interested in becoming your First Lady. What can we tell these hopefuls?

OC: Get a life, bitch. Octavio's already got plenty of fuckin' ho's!

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