Is Kanye West’s Bid for the Presidency Just a Publicity Stunt?
So, is Kanye West running for president or not? We still don't have a clear answer. | Image: AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill File
- In less than two weeks, Kanye West has entered, dropped out, and then reentered the presidential race.
- If this is a publicity stunt, what’s the point?
- Despite hiring campaign professionals, could Kanye West’s presidential aspirations be a ruse?
On the Fourth of July, Kanye West announced his run for president. Using the hashtag “2020Vision,” the rapper tweeted:
We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future. I am running for president of the United States!
Less than two weeks later, there have been conflicting statements about the status of West’s campaign. Even though campaign officials announced that Kanye was out of the running , it looks like he is just taking the time to get on the ballot .
West officially registered to appear on the ballot as a presidential candidate in the state of Oklahoma on July 15.
The situation is like an episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians straight out of a fever dream.
Kanye, What’s the Point?
Kanye’s actions have left more questions than answers. You might be wondering: What’s the point of it all?
The most obvious answer is evident in his recent Forbes interview .
West said he planned on running as a candidate for the never-before-heard of “Birthday Party” and relayed that he is pro-life, anti-Planned Parenthood, and an anti-vaxxer.
Kanye compared his policies to designing products for Louis Vuitton. Why create a handbag when you can run a country with the same principles, right? He said he planned to model his administration after the fictional country of Wakanda. Sounds totally rational!
The list of bombastic statements goes on. The interview reads like a paranoid manifesto. As for Kanye West’s reality star in-laws, a source told ET,
The family is supportive of Kanye’s plan to run for president but they don’t agree with his recent interview.
If I were Kim Kardashian, I, too, would be astounded by the comments Kanye made. I wouldn’t be surprised if the drama of it all might not be an accident. The overt sloppiness of his campaign very well be intentional.
The Kylie Factor
Back in May, Forbes stripped West’s sister-in-law Kylie Jenner of her youngest self-made billionaire title in a scathing article that accused her of lying about her finances .
Why would Kanye West do an exclusive interview about his highly-publicized campaign with a publication that has caused his family so much grief in recent months? He could have chosen any news organization, and yet Kanye chose Forbes.
Even though the article meant to lend legitimacy to West’s campaign, his comments had little to do with reality. Almost as if Kanye simply wanted a spotlight in which to bask, which sounds about right.
A Little Birdy Told Me
Kanye announced his campaign on Twitter, a platform where news travels fast. Users were voicing their opinions on his decision left and right. Whether or not Kanye’s intentions were honest, the story was a great way to get his name trending.
It does seem that West had professionals helping him achieve his political aspirations. A member of West’s campaign team, Steve Kramer, told New York Magazine’s Intelligencer that he had over 180 people working on getting Kanye on the ballot in Florida and South Carolina. That’s a lot of money and resources to be throwing around in the name of fame.
If I didn’t know how expensive campaigns were, I would almost consider it a good idea to fund a fabricated presidential bid just for some exposure.
Alas, running for president costs a lot of money, funds that would be more useful if given to a charity. If Kanye was looking to make a meaningful impact, he has missed the mark by a wide margin.
If Kanye had a goal in mind for this campaign, it’s been lost in translation. All Kanye has managed to do is pull focus away from the actual election and demonstrate how ineffective his rhetoric is.
I guess money is no object, considering that Kanye’s wife makes over half a million dollars for every sponsored Instagram post. Just make Kim advertise some haircare gummies, and you’ll make all that wasted money back in no time, Kanye!
Who knows if Kanye’s efforts will win him a presidential nomination. Nevertheless, Kanye is doing what he does best: maintaining his fame.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of CCN.com.
