Is Kanye West really running for US president?
The Inquiry
BBC
4.6 • 1.7K Ratings
🗓️ 1 October 2020
⏱️ 24 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In July, billionaire musician Kanye West announces on Twitter that he’s standing as a candidate in November’s US presidential election. After a scramble to meet the registration deadlines, his name is on the ballot in fewer than 20 states. His manifesto is confusing, his motive unclear.
In the past, Kanye West has been a vocal supporter of president Donald Trump. And it seems his campaign is being run largely by those with close ties to the Republican party. The Democrats say his entry in the race as an independent third party candidate is a dirty trick by Republicans. Others claim it’s simply a publicity stunt to promote his new album. But, in battleground states, where every vote counts, could his celebrity status have a significant impact on the election result? How seriously should we take Kanye West’s run for president? Kavita Puri finds out from our expert witnesses, who include professors of African-American studies at US universities, a Washington-based politics reporter and a Democratic pollster and strategist.
(Kanye West at the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar Party, Beverly Hills, California. Photo: Rich Fury/Getty Images)
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is the inquiry on the BBC World Service with me, Kavita Puri. |
| 0:08.8 | Each week, one question, four expert witnesses, and an answer. |
| 0:14.4 | It's early evening on a hot August day in Wisconsin. |
| 0:23.2 | A well-dressed lawyer approaches the Election Commission. |
| 0:26.5 | She's walking fast. |
| 0:28.2 | Gathered journalists shout out questions. |
| 0:31.0 | How many signatures did you collect? they say. In the lawyer's left hand, |
| 0:36.4 | she has a bundle of papers. On it are signatures in support of a presidential candidate. |
| 0:46.5 | The candidate is a billionaire, but it's not Donald Trump. |
| 0:54.7 | This is an independent, a rapper, fashion mogul and entrepreneur. His name, Karnier West. His candidacy has raised eyebrows in an already tense presidential campaign. |
| 1:05.0 | Why? Because the Democrats say his entry in the race as a third party candidate is a dirty trick by Republicans. |
| 1:14.0 | And look closely at the lawyer delivering the signatures in Wisconsin. |
| 1:19.0 | Her name is Lane Ruland. |
| 1:21.0 | She is a Republican election lawyer who's also worked directly for Donald |
| 1:26.6 | Trump. |
| 1:29.5 | So what's going on the |
| 1:33.2 | is Karnier West a spoiler candidate or does he want to have America's top job? |
| 1:37.4 | This week on the inquiry we ask is Karnier West really running for presidents? Part 1, Master Creativity. I was at home preparing to DJ a party and heard the song. It was like, wow. |
| 2:09.3 | I'm gladly wish it all right now. |
| 2:12.3 | This is a keel. I gladly wish it all right now. |
| 2:14.0 | This is Akil Houston, associate professor of African American studies at a higher university. |
| 2:21.0 | So I do remember listening to it thinking wow this is refreshing this is a nice moment for hip-hop |
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