Marianne Williamson To Run For President Of The United States
Best-selling author, entrepreneur and activist announces bid for Democratic Party Nomination in 2020
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Joined by tens of thousands of supporters, Marianne Williamson today announced her candidacy for the 2020 Democratic Party Nomination at the Saban Theater in Los Angeles.
"I want to engage voters in a more meaningful conversation about America," states Williamson. "About our history, about how each of us fit into it, and how to create a sustainable future. Our national challenges are deep, but our political conversation is shallow. My campaign is for people who want to dig deeper into the questions we face as a nation, and deeper into finding the answers."
Two months after launching an exploratory campaign to determine the viability of a presidential campaign, Williamson, who published a book on American's political system titled Healing the Soul of America in 1997 and re-issued the book in an updated edition last year, has already travelled to Iowa six times this year and spent early January visiting New Hampshire.
"All Americans know they have an important part to play in determining the conversation that will dominate our politics over the next two years, and they take it very seriously. I'm honored to be part of the process and feel very grateful that they're showing up to engage me in this conversation."
Williamson's run comes after a 35-year-career spent teaching universal spiritual values, non-profit activism and a commitment to social justice. She is an internationally acclaimed lecturer, and has been one of America's most well-known public voices for more than three decades. Seven of her twelve published books have been New York Times best sellers.
Today, she cites, "our economy as a veiled aristocracy, a crisis among America's children, systemic racism, and reframing national security," among the nation's greatest issues. "We need more than a better version of the same old same old. We need a fundamental disruption of a sociopathic economic order, and an alignment of our politics with our deepest democratic and human values."
In the 1980s, she founded the Los Angeles and Manhattan Centers for Living, which provided non-medical support services to people with AIDS and other life-challenging illnesses. In 1990, she founded Project Angel Food, a meal-delivery service to homebound people suffering from AIDS. She also co-founded The Peace Alliance, promoting legislation to establish a United States Department of Peace.
Marianne Williamson Statement on Suspending Presidential Campaign
I ran for president to help forge another direction for our country. I wanted to discuss things I felt needed to be discussed that otherwise were not. I feel that we have done that.
I stayed in the race to take advantage of every possible opportunity to share our message. With caucuses and primaries now about to begin, however, we will not be able to garner enough votes in the election to elevate our conversation any more than it is now. The primaries might be tightly contested among the top contenders, and I don’t want to get in the way of a progressive candidate winning any of them.
As of today, therefore, I’m suspending my campaign.
My deepest gratitude to those of you who supported my candidacy for all these months. The ideas we discussed are important, and I hope they’ll find seed in other ways and in other campaigns. From rescuing underserved, at risk and traumatized children; to proactively waging an agenda for peace and making humanity itself America’s greatest ally; to integrative health models within our health care system and incentivizing health; to reparations to achieve deeper reconciliation between races; to repudiating the corporate aristocracy; to the creation of a more mindful politics; to changing from an economic to a humanitarian bottom line; to initiating a season of moral repair—we brought issues to the fore that I hope contributed to the campaign season. I remain as committed to them going forward as I was on the day we began.
I learned many things about America during this campaign. I’m more convinced than ever that we’re a good and decent people, that democracy matters, and that what our country has always stood for is worth struggling for. I will continue in that struggle, and I know that you will too.
To our dedicated volunteers, generous contributors, and loyal staff who worked so hard—I will hold you in my heart forever. There are no words for how grateful I am for your kindness and generosity. May you be blessed on your journeys as you have so blessed mine.
To the remaining Democratic candidates, I wish you all my best on the road ahead. It was an honor being among you. Whichever one of you wins the nomination, I will be there with all my energy and in full support.
Finally, these are not times to despair; they are simply times to rise up. Things are changing swiftly and dramatically in this country, and I have faith that something is awakening among us. A politics of conscience is still yet possible. And yes….love will prevail.
With all my heart I thank you,
Marianne