Kanye West and the Power of the Black Vote

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Kanye West declared his candidacy for president. Then he was no longer running. Now Republican operatives are trying to get him on the ballot in Wisconsin. Yes, Republicans are trying to help Kanye run for President in hopes that he’ll steal enough votes from Biden, which could ultimately help Trump win the state.

It sounds crazy, but it’s true. What’s worse than the actual Republican plan to get Kanye on the ballot? Their belief that Black voters are dumb enough to fall for it. Because that’s really what this boils down to… the power of the Black vote. If Kanye is on the ballot, can Kanye, with the help of Republican strategists, convince enough African-Americans to vote for him instead of Biden? The answer should be no. And whether they think the answer is no as well, they’re desperate and willing to try anything.

If Black voters in Wisconsin, and the rest of the country for that matter, show up to vote for Biden like South Carolinians did in the primaries under James Clyburn’s leadership, then Trump will be a one-term president. Whether or not Black voters are convinced Biden deserves their vote is a worthy question and debate, but considering Kanye is not. Republicans might not admit it, but they fully understand the power of the Black vote, and this latest stunt with Kayne proves it.

Similar Read: Kanye West’s Political Party

Should Biden’s VP be a Black Woman?

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In an unenthusiastic race for president the light and fire for the Democratic side will come from the vice-presidential pick. Former Vice President, Joe Biden is the presumptive nominee after a long primary that hasn’t officially ended.  After the last round of primary races in March, Biden announced that he would pick a woman as his running mate. To no surprise women and many liberals were ecstatic at his announcement. 

That was over a month ago. 

Now as we approach June many are wondering whom Biden will pick. Several women have already made their intentions clear about their desire to run alongside Biden. California US Senator Kamala Harris, Massachusetts US Senator Elizabeth Warren and Minnesota US Senator Amy Klobaucar have all expressed interest after failed primary bids for president. There’s also Stacy Abrams, who ran a tight and unsuccessful bid to become the Democratic Governor of Georgia in 2018. 

While a woman as a vice presidential running mate would be historic, having a Black woman would be monumental. But does Biden owe it to the Black community to pick a black woman as his running mate? South Carolina Congressman James Clyburn doesn’t think so. Considering the Biden campaign’s win in South Carolina was a major turning point during the primary, especially because of Clyburn’s endorsement, it’s reasonable to think Biden might listen to his advice. But that advice hurts Black women and their chances to become VP, and deprives the Black community of actualizing a national Black candidate outside of former President Barack Obama.

Joe Biden should pick a woman of color and that woman of color should be a Black woman.

Black voters in America have been the driving force behind the Democratic party for decades. And Black women are the most consistent voting bloc of the Democratic party. But Biden shouldn’t pick a Black vice-presidential candidate because he owes it to loyal Black voters, but because it would signal that he values the Black vote beyond election day. It would signal he values Black voices in the policy realm and more importantly it sets up his pick to run for president in the future.

Similar Read: The Demise of Kamala Harris – the Good, the Bad, and What’s Next