Wyclef Running for President of Haiti
Wednesday, July 28, 2010 at 1:00PM
Recording artist and activist Wyclef Jean is considering a run for President of Haiti. Which is somewhat exciting. Yet kind of terrifying. If you were Haitian would you back Wyclef? You wouldn't if you were one of his former Fugees bandmates. He hasn't even made the run official, yet he's already lost the "Pras" vote.
From Page Six:
Wyclef Jean will formally announce his bid for the presidency of earthquake-shattered Haiti within two weeks, sources tell us. The former Fugees star, 37, who's an ambassador under the current Haitian government, is ready to put his music career on hold to run for his homeland's top job. But the move will put him in conflict with former Fugees bandmate Pras (Prakazrel Samuel Michel), a Brooklyn native who campaigned for more relief after the deadly January earthquake, who's backing another candidate.
I, obviously, am not Haitian. I went to a fundraiser for Haiti once where all the nice people asked me if I was Haitian. (I do spell Danielle in the traditional French way!) But my knowledge of Haitian politics is limited to a basic knowledge of "Oh my God, that sounds awful." I know about the revolution, its leaders and of France essentially charging them a bill for lost land and labor after wards and how the world refused to do business with the newly freed colony out of not wanting to encourage that "wake up and kill your masters" sort of thing.
And I know about the various warlords the U.S. government has backed in Haiti off and on. (The U.S. has a history of counter-productive, half-assed meddling in Haiti.) And I know that the country is very poor, often marred by political unrest, that they're saddled with debt and the leadership is a bit of a crap shoot and has been for a very, very long time. Even at the fundraiser I attended, where a past president of Haiti was a guest, the evening was marked by the fact that half of the folks in the room were offended that the man had even been invited, charging that he was a crook.
That said, I don't know how I feel about this whole Wyclef Jean running for President of Haiti situation. It isn't that this is a "bad" idea, per se. After all, I lived in California for five years and we elected a former Austrian body builder and star of "Twins," Arnold Schwarzenegger governor. Former U.S. President Roland Reagan was a TV pitchman who played cowboys in movies. Why can't Wyclef run for President of Haiti? Yeah, he can be really annoying, but he created "The Carnival!" Whenever I get sick of him I try to remember that, play one of the 15 versions of "Gone Til November" I own and the urge to murder him passes. The only thing that makes this unsettling is that Haiti has serious issues and needs strong, preferably not corrupt, leadership and Wyclef's record on corruption, both the kind involving morality and money, is a touch checkered. This doesn't mean that he can't still be a good leader. Many great leaders are flawed. But, this isn't some record company that needs a bit of a change up in CEOs. This is a country, ravaged by civil unrest, crime, natural disaster, poverty, disease and decades of neglect.
I would hope that he's serious, yet to do this, to run for President of Haiti, I would assume he is very serious. It would be irresponsible get everyone's hopes up only to go out as a hip hop flavored version of those who came before.
Reader Comments (14)
If the election is fair and he runs he will win. Although Wyclef does not have the experience needed and probably won’t be able to get anything accomplished.
Go, I support it. He cares about Haiti, it is obvious. He is not there for a payday or an ego trip, he loves his home.
Please God No!!! As a haitian, this is not what Haiti needs. Wy would just be a distraction and we need serious men and women helping rebuilt Haiti. Superstars have short attention span.
If Jesse Ventura, Fred Thompson, Sonny Bono, Al Franken, Clint Eastwood and other folks can do it, so can Wyclef. Don't quit your day job, son.
hahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, then again why not, Haiti is already destroyed as it is, let even a has been musician take a crack @ it.
@ Magalie
I agree Wyclef shouldn't run for president. I love him and think he loves Haiti and has done much for Haiti, but no. I don't think him being a superstar is a problem, but just him. I think one of the guys from Carimi would be better. For(for non Haitians: Carimi is a well known Kompas group.)
1) Wasn't no "half-assed"-ness in the U.S's involvement in Haiti. Twas deliberate and malicious over the last 200 years. A good book: Paul Farmer's "The Uses of Haiti".
2) It's one thing to care about your country. Quite another to successfully navigate corruption and implement programming and reorganize a country and gather international support and build consensus amongst the elite that expect to live and be treated in certain ways and....
Unless he's trying to take a bunch of pages from Jean-Bertrand Aristide, I say "pass". Shoot... either way, I just say no. I agree with Magalie: He is not what Haiti needs in the position of President.
Good post.
I respect Wyclef's love for Haiti, but I love Haiti too. It doesn't automatically make me a qualified president. Who knows, maybe he'd make a great one, go down in history even. The people of Haiti can't really afford such gambles. The country needs someone strong and experienced to get the job done. And a tough job it will be for years to come. I think Wylcef is in a great position to help the country, but not run it. With his celebrity status he is easily able to run fundraisers, donate money and keep everyone aware of what's going on there. That's what he should do (or continue to do).
Would you trust someone who has never seen a vehicle to fix your car brakes?
No! GOD, JUST NO! Just because an ENTERTAINER has love and passion for his country, does not automatically mean that he has the political savvy and wherewithal to take on the top leadership position in Haiti. He is very popular in Haiti, to be sure, but fame and popularity are not (or should not) be qualifications for running an entire country. As an example Angelina Jolie is big on noble causes and is very famous and popular, but were she to run for President, she would have to bring a whole lot more to the table before I would even consider entertaining the idea of giving her a chance to win my vote. I hope the Haitian people would be of the same mindset should Mr. Jean decide to run for president of that country.
He lost the Lauren Hill vote too...
I'd vote for the Wyclef who produced "The Score," but not the Wyclef who produced The Ecleftic.
@Wenzel Dashington: +1
@ Jaddadalos
I totally understand what your saying. I meant "half-assed" as in the US has gone back and forth between neglect, ignorance and outright manipulation when it comes to it's history of involvement in Haiti. On one hand our government has been overly involved and on another we act like we have no responsibility what-so-ever regarding what happens there. It's like our government could never decide if they wanted to take over the island and rule it like they fantasized about Cuba or if they wished the sea would open up and swallow the peninsula whole.
Another deluded entertainter with no idea about their limitations or indeed about their capabilities. He should stick to record making and self promotion.
Not sure what my opinion is on this subject. Since I'm not Haitian or know any one from Haiti I really don't think I have enough background information to say much.
But I will say this...some how Arnold was able to become Governor of California, so it won't be the first time. And Ronald Reagan was an actor first too...
This is one election I'm very interested seeing the outcome to...probably just what Haitians don't want...