Cornel West’s Presidential Bid Draws Heated Response: ‘It Will Only Help Secure a Trump or DeSantis Presidency’
The philosopher and activist Cornel West launched a presidential bid Monday, saying he would be running as People’s Party candidate.
The announcement drew a mixed and heated reaction online.
Some are happy about it while others hate the idea and some are simply just confused by it all. The news that West would be running as a left-wing candidate in the 2024 presidential race sparked a slew of different reactions.
“This is huge news,” said one Twitter user. “I did not have Cornel West running for President on my bingo card.”
West made his announcement in a nearly three-minute video that he posted to his Twitter account, mentioning his determination to seek truth and justice if elected to serve in the Oval Office.
“I come from a tradition where I care about you,” West said in the clip. “I care about the quality of your life. I care about whether you have access to a job with a living wage. Decent housing. Women having control over their bodies. Health care for all. Deescalating the destruction of the planet. The destruction of American democracy.”
I am running for truth and justice as a presidential candidate for the People’s Party to reintroduce America to the best of itself – fighting to end poverty, mass incarceration, ending wars and ecological collapse, guaranteeing housing, health care, education and living wages for… pic.twitter.com/u3NYGUbG1S
— Cornel West (@CornelWest) June 5, 2023
The video captured 7.6 million views, 27.1 thousand likes and was retweeted nearly 6,000 times. And like anything posted online, it gained hundreds of reactions from social media users.
“Black folks and white liberals getting ready to drag Cornel West,” one Twitter user said.
Black folks and white liberals getting ready to drag Cornel West pic.twitter.com/Of98nVQLPM
— Gabrielle A. Perry, MPH (@GeauxGabrielle) June 5, 2023
This isn’t West’s first time at the rodeo when it comes to put his foot in for personal political endeavors. In 2020, West was one of the biggest supporters of U.S. Senator Bernie Sander’s run for presidency, even making a case for Sanders at a Bernie 2020 GOTV rally in Detroit.
However, some critics took issue with West’s announcement over his decision to run under the People’s Party, and others called out some of his past actions, including his previous negative remarks about former President Barack Obama. The People’s Party is run by a former Sanders campaign staffer, and the party says it stands as a “a major new independent party that will guarantee health care, housing, quality education, and peace to all.”
Nevertheless, West’s more than two decades worth of racial and social justice activism and his commitment to the progression of education and academia in the U.S. has long been praised. West previously served as a professor of emeritus at Princeton University and as professor of public philosophy at Harvard University.
Here are some of the reactions to West’s announcement.
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Cornel West’s announcement makes me hopeful for a few reasons: (1) he’s [maybe the only candidate in the field] genuinely grappling with what it means to be human, (2) he’s accurately diagnosed the problems we’re dealing with, (3) he’s a unifier, and (4) he’s a good liberal.
— Farahn Morgan (@FarahnMorgan) June 5, 2023
Whatever Cornel West's politics used to be, they're clearly not anymore.
He's more preoccupied with ensuring he stays in the pundit class than speaking to class and race struggle— Genie Lauren (@MoreAndAgain) June 5, 2023
I admire Cornel West greatly, but him running third party helps the Republicans.
It will only help secure a Trump or DeSantis presidency.— John Pavlovitz (@johnpavlovitz) June 5, 2023
Cornel West is Cornel Westing.
— Ernest Owens (@MrErnestOwens) June 5, 2023
Cornel West is running for president because having Trump back in the White House is good for his pockets. He's not serious, just greedy.
— Corey Richardson: @TheCoreyRichardson on Spoutible (@vexedinthecity) June 5, 2023
I love Cornel West. Just not to be president of the USA. Because, why as a leftist, do you want to assume the role of the leader of racial capitalism?
Something has to be a lie. Either the leftism is wrong, or you’re not a leftist afterall. Lol— Booker G. Washington (@TendentiousG) June 5, 2023
It will be interesting to see if Cornel West leans in heavily to reparations. This isn’t included in his launch tweet about what he’s running on but it’s early. His best bet is to lean into it heavily, elevate the issue+ try to chip away at Black voter support. Make some noise https://t.co/rwEDHh36TW
— Alan Holmes (@oh_HOLMES) June 5, 2023
Cornel West was the same one saying that support for reparations shouldn't be a precondition for getting the Black vote because Black Americans need to think about what will help "Black & Brown" people.
It's only a matter of time before he begins shoe shuffling again. https://t.co/pbz1N0AmHh pic.twitter.com/L5BIyHKJ7Z— In The Loop Radio (@_ZEROSYSTEM) June 5, 2023
cool slogan. Gotta love Cornel West, whether or not this is a good idea — which, who knows. I'd rather see him on TV than RFK jr. pic.twitter.com/B4L8USephm
— Sam Adler-Bell (@SamAdlerBell) June 5, 2023
The last time anyone heard from Cornel West, he was blasting Obama during his poverty bus tour w Tavis Smiley- just before the 2012 election.
During the Trump years, he was nowhere to be found.
Now he's launching a presidential bid to oppose Biden. pic.twitter.com/1nmqdNVY4g— Thomas Hamilton (@TDanger19) June 5, 2023
Cornel West For President
This will be the first and last time I vote.@CornelWest 2024
— “DRILL MUSIC IN ZION” Out Now! (@LupeFiasco) June 5, 2023