Sean "P. Diddy" Combs announced his voter-registration/voter interest drive initiative, Citizen Change, earlier this week. The way to reach the 42 million voters between 18 and 30? The urgent, fatalistic and ultimately pithy: "Vote or Die!" (It also sounds like a video game.) The program is non-partisan, non-profit, and chock full of celebrity endorsers, with 50 Cent, Leonardo DiCaprio, Snoop Dogg, and Jay-Z and Ashton Kutcher on board. Vote or Die! shirts went on sale earlier this week, and Diddy Combs will be making appearance at both conventions - the Democratic National Convention on July 29 and the Republican National Convention on September 2.
Ta-Nehisi Coates' Village Voice article about Diddy's press conference is critical ("Combs's effort reached beyond celebrity media whoredom into political media whoredom" referring political strategist James "Serpenthad" Carville who is working with Diddy) but gives Diddy credit: "Arrogant he may be, but Combs is one hell of a showman." Newsday's Ellis Henican is dazzled by Combs, calling him what the election needs. Gothamist has to hand it to Diddy - he's out there, trying to do get young people interested in issues, whether he's running to help NYC city schools or seizing politics to remind people they do have a voice, so we can only wish him the best.
