Neil deGrasse Tyson, October 5, 1958 (New York, N.Y.) -
VP candidate for Independent (2012, 2016)
Running mate with nominee (2012, 2016): Kevin Duane West (b. 1974)
Popular vote (2012, 2016): ? (0.00%)
Electoral vote (2012, 2016): 0/538
The campaigns (2012, 2016):
Kevin West, a Texas transplant in [PNW trivia alert!!!] Klamath Falls, Oregon has made three runs for the White House and has another one pending, all of them as an Independent candidate.
West filed with the FEC on Feb. 12, 2012, Sept. 28, 2016, Mar. 23, 2017, and Mar. 3, 2021. It appears that in none of these election cycles was his name on any ballot nor was he registered as a write-in in any state.
Much of the online presence of West's electioneering has been wiped or is scattered so determining the identity of his running-mates is challenging. Although West indicated on Facebook he wanted the actor Morgan Freeman for Vice-President on July 18, 2012, he switched to the celebrated scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson by Sept. 4. On the next election West stated on Twitter Feb. 10, 2014, "I've chosen my Vice President for the 2016 Presidential Elections. Neil deGrasse Tyson," although a year later he said Tyson had been demoted to a short list, so I'm not sure what to make about that. A Facebook post on Oct. 29, 2020 demonstrated how to write-in "Kevin West/Tacos" on the ballot. I hope I live long enough to cover that last ticket but reporting on 2016 will probably take me the rest of my life at this rate.
West actually began his 2012 campaign before the 2008 election had taken place. As early as August 2008 his campaign website announced "Kevin West for President in 2012. I'm coming to help you America! Hold On!"
By the end of 2008 his message had been articulated--
Kevin West for President in 2012
I’m running for President in 2012 for the sole purpose of changing the world to use water for fuel. I see a lot of BS in politics because the politicians don’t do their own research. I haven’t seen a politician make the majority happy yet. And that is ridiculous when they lie to the majority to get in office.
We should already have damn near close to free electricity, free heat, free cold, free health care, free fuel for our vehicles, and education that is off the chart! What is the hold up fools?
I’m not a liar. And I will get in your face if you can’t make a rational decision from doing adequate research on the subject. Stupidity shouldn’t be voted in to politics, it should be chased out with a stick.
I'll be running as both Republican and Democrat because both parties speak of convergence. Here is the parties chance to prove they want to come together.
I will donate my Presidential salary to charity. I’ll update the nation on the progress and situations biweekly (or daily if the need arises). I’ll make sure the newest technology the government has is released to the public for production. I’ll stop the internal deterioration of the USA and repair our infrastructure to be 1000% better than it is now. Our education system is screwed up and should be replaced with structures familiar in universities and graduate schools. We must not let the children leave public school without having skills and high confidence levels to achieve goals using their skills. The kids aren't stupid so lets stop teaching them to be stupid. I don’t need a majority vote from Congress to make progress, all I have to do is make a phone call to get the job done right the first time. Congress is out of date and out of touch.
There will be no wars in the 4 years I am President. And I'll stop any war we are in. We don't have to be in a war to control the middle east. All we have to do is educate them. But we can't do that if we can't educate our selves.
There will be 1$ national health care, almost free electricity, free fuel for your water powered vehicles, no taxes for 4 years for anyone making less than 100,000$ a year. Taxing the poor doesn't help squat!
I’m not going to make a lot of political friends, but I promise to make the American public more happy than any other President. The whole economic situation will improve to a level never seen before. And the World will follow in the right direction as long as we can show the path is safe to travel.
And I can do all this and more in 4 years or less. America is ready for a positive change immediately, not something that is going to take 20 years (that is bs).
Time to follow a real leader…Kevin West for President in 2012
By 2011 he had developed a more visually interesting website, which seemed to remain unchanged until it vanished some time in mid-2016. Using the slogan "Technicians, not Politicians," West's message included--
I'm tired of being complacent and it feeling like a slap in the face every time I turn on the TV. America is not interested in the political crap, we just want the job done right the first time. And if you ask nice then you will ask twice. So here we are again asking to stop the war, give us free fuel, give us clean electricity, and to give us life saving technology of the kind that will save the world. Demand Your Freedom America!
We bailed out the Auto Industry, the Airline Industry, the Insurance Industry, the Housing and Banking Industry, and we have been fighting 3 wars for 30 years and now we have nothing left except bills. But Congress let the Technology Industry fail! We depend on technology to outgrow any industry and save the world with its hidden treasures and they let it fail. Thanks Congress!!
The Media refuses to focus on any other subject except what is on the other news channels. We can't get common sense reporting out of many of them. There is no real News anymore, just pretty reporters reading propaganda from a prompter.
The time for change was 30 years ago. It didn't happen. Are you ready to make the change or vote in another liar? Don't expect a Politician to change the situation. But a Technician will change a lot of things. I have told hundreds of Politicians to give us free fuel and free electricity, to implement new health care technology, to stop killing the poor and saving the rich...and they never respond. Now we live in an economic slave nation with no backup plan. America, I'm done with the liars in Washington... Please join me in putting a stop to the Politicians by voting for Kevin West for President.
It sickens me to see smart people go bad, bad people get rich, and hard working people get taxed more. I will stop the separation of commonsense and morals. It's not about religion because so many religions are good. It is about education. Education should cost less and be more with a lot more to gain. Technology and Education is going to save us, not politics.
I don't know why every U.S. Veteran doesn't get a free home? We have so many that are empty! It is a disgrace the way the government treats the vets and current military personnel. All while the war mongering politicians get big homes, great retirement, and a pat on the back!! I'm proud that you haven't lost your temper on them yet America.
All I ever here is bla bla bla from politicians because nothing ever gets done in Washington. So much cry baby B.S. politics going on it is robbing America of its precious time. I'm not a lawyer, I'm a red blooded American. So expect fairness and equality when I'm President. I'm going to be irate with the politicians by pointing out ignorance and confusion as their model for progress. We have overcome inequality, racism, poverty, and a lot of ignorance as a whole nation while battling the politicians to get their heads out of their asses. I say we push forward out of the imaginary political rut and make a regular guy a President. Someone who isn't impressed with sex, drugs, politics, or big oil money but would rather leave a permanent positive mark on the world using common sense and technology.
West had a special interest in the concept of using water for fuel and his current LinkedIn account lists him as "R&D Director for WaterforFuel.Com"-- however that website seems moribund and in 2011. It does have a "Kevin West for President" banner and the premise statement--
Hydrogen : Natural Fuel of the Universe
Life as we know it needs water. Water has 2.5 times more Hydrogen than gasoline or diesel. Water falls from the sky and comes out of the ground naturally. The Human body is 60% water and the Earth is 70% covered in water. When radio telescopes search for alien life they look for signs of water and start searching there first. Faraday wrote it requires 96Kj of electrical energy to split water into HHO with an increase of 286Kj of heat energy created when Hydrogen is recombined to make water. Gasoline and Diesel are around 90 Octane, but HHO is 130 Octane. Perfect for internal combustion engines, welding torches, Bar-B-Q grills, water purification, and energy generation as it is the only element that gives you more heat output than is needed in electrical input.
We invite you to extinguish your fuel costs, clean your engine, and help remove pollution from our air supply. Stand up and resist the bad economy and rising fuel costs. Use the Laws of Physics of water discovered by Faraday over 200 years ago. Freedom is waiting for you...
Any comment by Tyson on twice being West's VP, or indeed if he was even aware of it, has been elusive. However, on May 9, 2016, Tyson quipped on Twitter, "Candidate Endorsements matter if you'd rather have a famous person, an organization, or media entity do your thinking for you."
Election history: none
Other occupations: astrophysicist, author, lecturer, Director of the Hayden Planetarium at the Rose Center for Earth and Space, television host, Commission on the Future of the United States Aerospace Industry, President's Commission on Implementation of United States Space Exploration Policy, Planetary Society
Notes:
Kevin Duane West should not be confused, as the FEC has apparently done, with Kevin Anthony West of Pea Ridge, Ark., who ran for President under the Kevin for President Party in 2016.
