Kanye West's 2020 presidential ambitions send Twitter into 'New White House Plan' frenzy
Kanye West is going to let Donald Trump finish his 2016 run for president, but the rapper thinks he will have one of the best candidacies of all time. The media mogul and fashion designer announced his 2020 campaign during the MTV Video Music Awards.
West revealed his 2020 presidential bid at the end of a meandering, 10-minute-long acceptance speech for receiving the Video Vanguard Award at Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards.
Does he have your vote America? @kanyewest accepts the Video Vanguard award http://t.co/pyg3SBh8gq
— MTV (@MTV) August 31, 2015
“I don’t know what I’m going to lose after this. It don’t matter, though, ‘cause it ain’t about me. It’s about ideas, bro. New ideas, people with ideas. People who believe in truth,” he said.
“And yes, as you probably could have guessed by this moment, I have decided in 2020 to run for president,” West concluded, walking off the stage to a standing ovation.
Earlier in his speech, though, he had declared: "I'm not no politician.”
Kanye West is running for president in 2020 #Kanye2020#VMAshttp://t.co/rE4HhorY8Tpic.twitter.com/FKzsXXhcYc
— Independent US (@IndyUSA) August 31, 2015
West received the support of singer and actress Miley Cyrus, who said: “Trump, you had my vote. But now Kanye West for president!”
She was not the only one impressed by the rapper’s surprising announcement as social media erupted into memes and slogan ideas after his speech.
campaign slogan - it's time for kanye west to make america the kanye best #Kanye2020
— Dan Howell (@danisnotonfire) August 31, 2015
This is what 99% of my text conversations have looked like since last night. #Kanye2020pic.twitter.com/Q54jDf6n2f
— amazing fucking amy (@snozzberry) August 31, 2015
"La, la, la, la wait till I make this country right." #KanyeForPresident2020pic.twitter.com/oHST2ZV2ul
— austin vieceli (@TeaGeeOhDee) August 31, 2015
God, I love Reddit sometimes. #Kanye2020pic.twitter.com/I86TvDQJ1x
— Simon Taylor (@MrSimonTaylor) August 31, 2015
Just think #Kanye's daughter North West already has a gate named for her at the WH. #VMA#Kanye2020pic.twitter.com/F7Rf2ZpuwC
— Kelly O'Donnell (@KellyO) August 31, 2015
Think again #kanyewest2020https://t.co/lOxMeC5Nm2
— Yon Grand (@Troeei) August 31, 2015
Twitter handles dedicated to the rapper’s run for office have already been created.
Most Kanye Accounts...." This account tomorrow will be gone. But the followers I gained will remain." Not this one #KanyeForPresident2020
— KanyeForPresident (@ForTheKidsBro) August 31, 2015
RT for Kanye
FAV for Kanye
#KanyeWestForPresident2020pic.twitter.com/kRSHm9M9oL
— KanyeForPresident (@ye4prez) August 31, 2015
Some have gone so far as to predict West’s subsequent life in the White House.
What do I and America have in common? We're both the greatest of all time. Who better to lead? #Kanye2020#VoteForKanye
— President Kanye (@President_Kanye) August 31, 2015
West mentioned in earlier in his speech that he had smoked “something” before the awards ceremony to “to knock the edge off.”
Let’s get this grassroots campaign rolling. #KanyeForPresident#Kanye2020#VMAspic.twitter.com/QLTNynl1AZ
— American Dad (@AmericanDadTBS) August 31, 2015
Eugene Craig III, a Republican political operative based in Maryland, filed paperwork in support of West’s 2020 bid on Monday, the Hill newspaper reported.
"He would bring an interesting dialogue to the political debate," Craig told CNBC. "His stances on some of the pressing issues of the day would be welcome."