Hey, remember when Kanye West said he would run for president in 2020 at the VMAs, and everyone hoped he would forget that was a thing he said? No such luck. In the Vanity Fair interview read round the world, West confirmed he will run for president in 2020 and throw his hat into the political arena. I cannot say for sure that this is Donald Trump's fault, but this is definitely Donald Trump's fault. West is yet another celebrity who believes being the President of the United States of America is a job you can just decide to do. I'll give West this: his intentions are probably good. He believes he can be an awesome president because he has a kind of self confidence that truly is awe-inspiring, but West's quotes prove he's not president material. At least not right now.
I could dig back through West's past and find numerous quotes that illustrate why West in the White House would be a disaster, but his Vanity Fair interview with journalist Dirk Standen is a goldmine of outrageous soundbites. First of all, you need to understand that West talks about running for President and the power of sweatshirts in the same interview. In fact, the interview was supposed to be about his clothing line Yeezy, but it spiraled down a weird rabbit hole of bizarre political ideas, West espousing his own greatness, and a really in-depth discussion of sneakers.
The bottom line is, these quotes from West's Vanity Fair interview prove West is not a serious candidate.
1. "When I Run For President, I’d Prefer Not To Run Against Someone. I Would Be Like 'I Want To Work With You.'"
But that is not how it works. Also, since when did West get so big on sharing titles? I'm sure Taylor Swift would have loved it if he had developed this philosophy years ago. Now he's all, "let's all be President?" Well, sure, that makes perfect political sense. I guess America can just change the rules of democracy for West. Instead of voting, everyone who decides to run can win, just like a kindergarten talent show.
2. "As Soon As I Heard [Ben] Carson Speak, I Tried For Three Weeks To Get On The Phone With Him. I Was Like This Is The Most Brilliant Guy."
Carson has gone on record saying that he believes a Muslim should not be President. Carson, who is a renowned neurosurgeon, also once said he believed Charles Darwin "came up with" the theory of evolution because the devil made him do it. Don't even get me started on Carson's views on women's health issues. All things considered, I would love to know when Carson said something so brilliant that West decided he just had to talk to him.
3. "'Wait A Second, We Would Really Be Into That, Because Actually If You Think About It, He’s Extremely Thoughtful. Every Time He’s Ever Gotten In Trouble, He Was Really Jumping In Front Of A Bullet For Someone Else. He’s Probably The Most Honest Celebrity That We Have.'"
Just so I'm clear, that quote is West talking about himself in the third person. This is what he imagines people said when he announced his 2020 bid. He's not quoting anyone in particular, this is what he thinks people are thinking about right now. My favorite part is where he doesn't take responsibility for his own mistakes. That is an excellent quality for a President to have.
4. "I Hate Politics. I’m Not A Politician At All."
I understand that some people find the idea of a non-politician becoming President attractive, but you cannot hate the job you are signing up to do. The political system is intricate; there are layers to it, and multiple branches, and if a candidate has no respect for the political system, then how can they expect to ever get anything done if they are elected?
5. "I Think Sweatshirts Are The Way Of The Future."
Sweatshirts are the way of the future? I know the interview was technically about his fashion line, and West had to get back on point, but this bizarre statement doesn't even give me faith in his fashion design choices, and he's already in that business.
6. "A Lot Of Times I Feel Like Will Ferrell In The Movie Elf. You Know This Big Guy That Wants To [Join In] And His Hands Are A Little Bit Too Big... I Could Just Say Please Forgive Me If I Ever Step On Any Toes."
A President needs to make major decisions and take responsibility for those decisions. The United States does not need Buddy the Elf. It needs an actual politician. Also, West is five foot eight inches tall. He's not even an actual big man. Your analogy is broken, West!
7. "Wow, I’ve Got Five Years Before I Go And Run For Office And I’ve Got A Lot Of Research To Do, I’ve Got A Lot Of Growing Up To Do."
Even the smartest thing West says in the interview highlights just how unprepared he is for running for the highest political office in the land. As much as people like to say they hate politicians, these men and women have dedicated their lives to politics. They have worked their way up the ranks. They know how to get deals made, how to make the system work, and just how hard it is to actually bring about change. Five years is not enough time to learn how to do a job as important as being the president. West cannot do his due diligence anymore than Trump can. The fact that West thinks he can research his way into the job proves just how unprepared he is.
West is a great artist, but he is not a serious presidential candidate. His own words illustrate he has no idea what he is getting himself into. The best lesson West can learn from a campaign is that he cannot always get what he wants.
Images: Giphy (7)
