Former presidential candidate Andrew Yang expressed his disappointment after finding out that he was not included in the official list of speakers for the Democratic National Convention next week.
The 45-year-old entrepreneur took to his Twitter on Tuesday to reveal the outcome.
I’ve got to be honest I kind of expected to speak.
— Andrew Yang🧢🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) August 11, 2020
“I’ve got to be honest I kind of expected to speak,” Yang said in one of his tweets. “Maybe I endorsed against one too many incumbents,” he said in another.
Maybe I endorsed against one too many incumbents. 😀
— Andrew Yang🧢🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) August 11, 2020
The official list, which was announced on Monday, mentions Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, according to The Hill. Former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton will also be present at the event, where Joe Biden will officially accept the party’s presidential nomination.
Former President Barrack Obama, Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden are also set to appear as keynote speakers for the first three nights of the convention, USA Today reported.
Many of his supporters voiced their opinion for not including Yang as a speaker in the convention.
“Asian Americans are the fastest increasing group in America, including in multiple swing states,” Rep. Ted Lieu said in a tweet. “The gross underrepresentation of Asian American speakers in the four days of the DNC Convention is tone deaf and a slap in the face.”
Dear @DNC: Asian Americans are the fastest increasing group in America, including in multiple swing states. The gross underrepresentation of Asian American speakers in the four days of the DNC Convention is tone deaf and a slap in the face. https://t.co/PkBRrVFUgO
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) August 11, 2020
Former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci called out the DNC for excluding Yang.
It’s @DNC malpractice that Andrew Yang is not speaking as part of the convention. https://t.co/a6nLAQKeLD
— Anthony Scaramucci (@Scaramucci) August 11, 2020
Although he is not a speaker at the convention, Yang would still have a part in the event. He will have a conversation with other Democratic candidates for the 2020 presidential election and will be “involved in the convention video package.”
Just talked to @AndrewYang about this tweet. He’ll be “involved in the convention video package,” but said the lack of a higher-profile speech “makes my job harder to appeal to the 42% of my supporters who said they weren’t going to vote for Joe.”https://t.co/jr21quTb90
— Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) August 11, 2020
Yang made headlines last year when he officially entered the 2020 presidential race. However, earlier this year, Yang suspended his presidential campaign and officially withdrew from the race. After his run, he joined CNN as a political commentator.
Feature Image via Gage Skidmore (CC BY-SA 2.0)
