“If [Kanye] West were serious about this, he would have had to have started a long time ago [to get on the ballot]. … Some [states] allow payment of a filing fee, but most require petitions, which can involve thousands of signatures. That’s a lot of door to door and shopping center parking lots. He’d better get busy!"
– John Mark Hansen, political science professor at the University of Chicago
Election Updates
Joe Bidenposted a video on Independence Day that featured images from protests throughout U.S. history and references to the Black Lives Matter movement. Along with the video, Biden tweeted, “Our nation was founded on a simple idea: We're all created equal. We've never lived up to it — but we've never stopped trying. This Independence Day, let's not just celebrate those words, let's commit to finally fulfill them.”
Biden also made an appearance on Saturday at the ESSENCE Festival of Culture where he discussed his economic plans for the Black community.
On July 3, Bidenspoke at the National Education Association’s annual assembly via webcam. He said his administration would have “a teacher-oriented Department of Education.”
Donald Trump delivered a speech at Mount Rushmore on July 3, where he condemned what he called a “left-wing cultural revolution.” He said, “And yet, as we meet here tonight, there is a growing danger that threatens every blessing. Our ancestors fought so hard for, struggled, they bled, and the nation is witnessing a merciless campaign to wipe out the history, defame our heroes, erase our values and indoctrinate our children.”
Trump hosted a Fourth of July celebration in Washington, D.C., on Saturday. His speech on the White House’s South Lawn reprised the themes of his Mount Rushmore event.
Trump will hold an outdoor rally at Portsmouth International Airport in New Hampshire on July 11.
Rapper and entrepreneur Kanye Westtweeted on July 4 that he was running for president of the United States. As of Tuesday morning, West has not filed his candidacy with the Federal Election Commission.
FBI Director James Comey testified before the House Oversight Committee for more than four hours on his agency’s investigation into Hillary Clinton’s private email server use and the recommendation that no charges be brought against her.
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