Kanye West Holds Campaign Rally In South Carolina For His “Birthday Party” Presidential Candidacy

Bruce Haring
·2 min read

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UPDATE: No policy matters have been revealed yet from Kanye West’s South Carolina rally, but he’s making waves with comments on underground railroad hero Harriet Tubman.

Wearing a bulletproof vest and appearing in front of an American flag, West went into an off-the-cuff stream on Tubman. “Harriet Tubman never actually freed the slave, she just had the slaves go work for other white people,” he told the crowd.

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EARLIER: Rapper Kanye West is holding his first campaign event for his quixotic presidential campaign today in South Carolina.

The event will be held at the Exquis Event Center in North Charleston. No ticket? Don’t go, as it’s “for registered guests only.”

Exactly two weeks have elapsed since West first announced that he would run for president, including a few days where reports surfaced that he had decided not to run.

So far, he’s on the ballot in Oklahoma, and has a website, kanye2020.country. But no policy proposals for his “Birthday Party” have been put forth.

At today’s rally, attendees will be asked to sign a COVID-19 liability release form, socially distance, and wear a mask. West will also have a pre-rally press event.

South Carolina’s election rules set July 20 at noon for signatures to be filed as an independent presidential candidate. The state does not allow write-in candidates.

West got on the Oklahoma November ballot by paying a $35,000 fee. But he faces an uphill battle to get on the ballot in the states where the filing deadlines for candidates have not yet passed. The next deadline is Aug. 3.

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