The Story:
Among the many recent announcements of this or that prominent person’s campaign for President of the United States, perhaps the most surprising was that of Marianne Williamson, an author who has written and spoken on a wide range of spiritual issues, and who is perhaps best known for a ‘New Age’ classic, A RETURN TO LOVE.
Background:
A RETURN TO LOVE contains a famous passage that begins, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” The line is so resonant that it has often been misattributed to Nelson Mandela.
Williamson announced her campaign on January 28, 2019. She walked onto a stage before an admiring audience in Beverly Hills, California and declared that her campaign for President will be a way to “engage voters in a more meaningful conversation about America, about our history, about how each of us fit into it, and how to create a sustainable future.”
It is not entirely clear whether she also regards it as a way to become President.
The Thing to Know:
Although most observers consider it unlikely that the Williamson candidacy will have much of an impact on the more Old-Age-ish candidates and on the outcome, she is worth watching as a feather in the wind, since non-denominational spiritual gurus are becoming a more important part of the American political mix over time.
