Dr. West’s campaign: A Spoiler in the Making
Dr. Cornel West entered the 2024 race fully aware of the damage a third-party run could do. Ralph Nader spoiled Al Gore’s chances in 2000, and Jill Stein spoiled Hillary’s in 2016. But West naively believed he could attract voters who never touched a Democratic or Republican ballot. But this is the kind of wishful thinking that turns gadflies into skunks during presidential elections. Had he used his influence to push these non-voters toward the Democratic nominee, West would’ve wielded far more power.
RFK Jr. entered the race with the same awareness. But when Biden withdrew in July and endorsed Kamala Harris, RFK Jr. made the historically ironic move of suspending his campaign and endorsing Donald Trump. A move straight out of Machiavelli’s playbook.
Dr. West’s campaign: A betrayal of the Democratic Party and Black America
Biden’s withdrawal should’ve moved West to suspend his campaign and endorse Kamala. After all, she was poised to become the first Black female president. Instead, West doubled down on his spoiler campaign, betraying both the Democratic Party and his own race.
This betrayal isn’t just incomprehensible — it’s unforgivable. RFK Jr.’s treachery is maddening, but West’s reeks of delusional, self-aggrandizing narcissism, laced with spite from his unrequited fallout with Obama. It’s as if he’s channeling Clarence Thomas, who’s been hell-bent on punishing Black Americans ever since his humiliating confirmation hearings.
Sure enough, West is poised to do more political damage than Nader or Stein ever did. Incidentally Stein seems as compromised by Putin as Trump. And she’s already siphoning off disillusioned White women who preferred her over Hillary. Now, West is pulling Black men who, as Obama rightly suspected, are too sexist to vote for a woman — especially if she’s Black. But the irony of Hillary getting more Black male votes than Kamala is almost too self-abnegating for words.
But nothing exposes West’s vindictive, vainglorious campaign more than his progressive soulmate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, not just endorsing Kamala but hitting the campaign trail for her.
Dr. West’s campaign: Trump’s Trojan Horse
A second Trump presidency — with its Project 2025 agenda — poses a clear and present danger to civil rights, women’s reproductive rights, and US national security. That’s why Republicans are scrambling to secure his spot on as many state ballots as possible. But it’s also why the only honorable thing for West to do is emulate RFK Jr. by suspending his campaign. Then he should make a public show of endorsing Kamala — if only to stop Trump.
If he doesn’t, history will place West in the same rogues’ gallery as disillusioned Republicans who won’t endorse Kamala. They’d rather watch Trump turn American democracy into a Russian-style autocracy than vote for a Democrat — no matter how qualified.
