Billionaire Concedes Defeat after a Dismal Showing in South Carolina.
With poor performances in earlier primaries, billionaire Tom Steyer rested his hopes on South Carolina, spending more than $20 million advertising in the State.
Stayer’s presidential nominee strategy was to bide his time until the primaries landed in a State with a significant Black voter block -South Carolina is more than a quarter Black- and then court Black voters.
In a now-viral video, Stayer and his wife Kat Taylor went as far as “dancing” on stage with hip hop artist juvenile to Back That Thank Up. In hindsight, he was literally dancing for his political life.
Though he spent millions in ads, advocating for Trump’s impeachment and over a $120 million more on his campaign, Stayer’s fate was sealed right before Christmas.
Holding a press conference at Allen University in South Carolina, Stayer responded to the growing chorus of cash reparations for descendants of Slavery. Speaking to both reporters and the audience he stated
“Look, I know there is a simple line which is -cut the check- And what I would say is this. I know we have to get there, and the way that we get there is also important.”
Truth and Reconciliation
Steyer proposed to hold Truth and Reconciliation tour, citing South Africa under Nelson Mandela and Bishop Desmond Tutu as a template. His reconciliation proposal deeply offended those in the Intelligent Black Society. Steyer’s reasoning for reconciliation offended the broader Black community even more, as he believed Americans living outside the South do not know and understand the legacy of Slavery.
For a billionaire and former hedge fund manager, to not offer a plausible tangible solution to mitigate Black poverty, decimated his credibility within the black community, especially with younger and more sophisticated Black voters.
Joe Biden relies on Generation Fail.
Instead, Joe Biden, with the help of Black baby boomers, crushed all other candidates as he relied on the laurels of his tenure in the Obama administration. Black Gen Xers and millennials were not impressed by Steyer’s reconciliation proposal or performing with ageing rap stars.
For the remaining candidates vying to be the next democratic nominee, it may be an exercise in futility. As the road to the white house runs through Black street, with a political toll in the way of economics tangibles and reparations.