Marianne Williamson, a self-help author, activist and religious advisor, introduced Saturday that she is a candidate for the US presidency in 2024, 4 years after an earlier run for the workplace drew little assist.
Now 70, the iconoclastic author has turn into the primary Democrat to formally enter the 2024 race — even earlier than President Joe Biden — calling on her fellow People to reject cynicism and “conduct our battle on the excessive aircraft of dignity and self-discipline.”
Different Democrats have held off saying their candidacies pending a choice from Biden, who at 80 has mentioned he has “the intention” to run once more however has but to formally enter the race.
In her televised announcement, Williamson summarized her candidate positions, denouncing mass incarceration, financial inequity and racial injustice and calling for “an emergency-level transition from a unclean financial system to a clear financial system.”
“Authorities of the folks by the folks and for the folks is perishing,” she mentioned, referring to an Abraham Lincoln quote. “This authorities is now a authorities of the firms by the firms and for the firms.”
After her 1992 ebook “A Return to Love” grew to become a best-seller, Williamson was a frequent visitor of talk-show celebrity Oprah Winfrey, providing recommendation on private growth whereas elevating her personal profile.
Then 4 years in the past, the unconventional Williamson took on Biden and a few 20 different Democratic candidates for the presidency.
Throughout televised debates, she drew consideration together with her denunciations of the “darkish psychic drive” that she mentioned Donald Trump represented.
She repeated that sentiment Saturday, with an added warning. “I am so glad that President Trump didn’t win the final election. Meaning we did not go over the cliff. However I will inform you one thing, we’re nonetheless six inches away from it.”
Earlier than her first run, Williamson vowed that as president she would set up a federal Division of Peace, push for reparations for slavery and “harness love for political functions.”
However Williamson — at one level among the many most Googled Democratic candidates — by no means managed to rise above low single digits in opinion polls.
She lastly dropped out of the race and endorsed Senator Bernie Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist.
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