Ta-Nehisi Coates, the celebrated author and correspondent for The Atlantic, said he plans to vote for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) in the 2016 presidential election despite their differing views on slavery reparations.
“Just because that’s who you are going to vote for, does not mean you then have to agree with everything they say,” Coates said in an interview with Democracy Now! that aired Wednesday. “Yes, I will be voting for Sen. Sanders.”
Coates said he wanted to separate his work as a journalist from his life as a private citizen, but added he didn’t “think much is accomplished by ducking the question.”
Coates criticized Sanders in January for his opposition to slavery reparations.
“The spectacle of a socialist candidate opposing reparations as ‘divisive’ (there are few political labels more divisive in the minds of Americans than socialist) is only rivaled by the implausibility of Sanders posing as a pragmatist,” he wrote.
In the Democracy Now! interview, Coates said his son influenced his choice.
“I expected more,” Coates said of the possibility of Sanders supporting reparations. “I’m thrilled to see an actual radical left-wing, uniquely left-wing option in the Democratic party.”
He elaborated on his decision on Twitter, saying he felt obligated to say who he planned to vote for because he makes “a career asking awkward questions.” It wasn’t an endorsement of Sanders, he added:
I answered. It seemed weird to not do so, given I make a career asking awkward questions.
— Ta-Nehisi Coates (@tanehisicoates) February 10, 2016
So yeah. This ain’t “feeling the Bern.” It’s just trying to be a decent citizen and as transparent as I can be.
— Ta-Nehisi Coates (@tanehisicoates) February 10, 2016
