Its kind of strange to me that wyclef is running for any kind of presidency, mostly because of the lyrics he wrote that went "If I were president, I'd get elected on Friday, assassinated on Saturday, and buried on Sunday." So maybe this all really means he has a death wish.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6WiI-ON5pY

The idea of any person being elected into any position of political power based on namesake is just plain stupid. To answer your question, no. His raw desire will do nothing to help Haiti and being a celebrated musician will do little besides bring entertainment, which is not in the countries most crucial needs right now. I like Wyclef Jean, I think he is a talented musician, but that's all he is. He is not a super hero, he is not a political activist, and he is certainly not a leader.

So he donates to charity and was born in Haiti, big deal. He has a bagilion dollars that was made from playing guitar, if he wasn't donating to charity he would be a bad person. Most of his credentials are simply donations, you cannot buy a better Haiti, or at least Wyclef can't. Its very charming to be generous, but Haiti needs serious help. Haiti needs proactive ideas, not a large American bank account. So far, Wyclef has only shown the latter, when he comes up with a dead serious campaign that is not based on charity donations, maybe we can agree with his politics. Fame and large sums of money work well when running for Governor of California, but Wyclef is not gonna rebuild a devastated country.

He is a pseudo activist and this is simply part of the ploy.

I've never heard of Wyclef before but he can't be worse than past or current Haitian politicians. If he already has some money and a day job maybe he'd be less corrupt. You can always hire experts if you are not corrupt and mean well.

It's important to use a presidency to communicate to the people. The other answers indicated he is a singer or entertainer. We have had mixed results with singers and actors as governors of states here in the USA. They usually do communicate well, but their political orientation can be anything.

In the case of Haiti, there is nowhere to go but up. Good luck to him if he runs.

It might be a good thing for Haiti to have Wyclef as president. And the main reason is that he's not a career politician and is already rich on his own accord. The problem with corruption in many developing countries is the intentions of the politician seeking election. Many politicians enter politics to gain power, glory, and most importantly money so they squander the government's resources in stupid things.

The other key factor in corruption is exchange of favors. And that may be the most important factor in Wyclef running for president. Wyclef does not owe any favors to any politicians, businessmen, anything in Haiti. There is no reason for him to engage in clientelism (favoring certain people in exchange for favors in the past). By being an outsider that is self-funded he may very well be immune to corruption.

According to the World Bank some causes of corruption are:
• Politicians seek money to use for patronage. They may argue that to stop such payments could bring political instability and unrest.
• Politicians and officials who fear loss of office seek corrupt benefits as “insurance”, especially if they can expect no pension.
• Officials need extra money to maintain their standards of living if salaries have not been raised to match inflation, to meet commitments for housing, car, school fees, etc.
• Employees feel resentment over bad management or pay levels they think unfair. This may
make them feel justified in making false expense claims or taking bribes.
• Employees who refuse to participate in a corruption “racket” may be suspected and under
threat from their colleagues or superiors.
• Some seek status, not only for having more riches than their colleagues but because corrupt
officials may be admired by friends and family for their skills in outwitting authority.

Corruption is caused by seeking riches. If you're already rich what's the point? I say go for it. He can't be worse than the bottom of the barrel politicians they have now. And for those that say that artists can't make good politicians look at Ruben Blades. He has become a fairly successful politician in Panama even though he lost in the election for president he was Minister of Tourism and is still involved in public service. Don't approach this issue from an American perspective. Things are different in the third world.

I have not heard his name before, and now that I have can't figure out what he stands for, Is he gonna sing their troubles away?. The sad country does need some cheering up. So wassup, wassa Haitian rapper gonna do? Maybe a big international recording studio where musicians of the world can practice and record and pay a lot of money. Wass he gonna do wit dat mony then? Spread it around or git de Jet?

Wyclef Jean as president of Haiti might not be the greatest idea. He cares a great deal for his people that I will not deny. Being president of a country doesn't only involve love for you people at least i would hope. love can only take a country so far, and from what i see love and politics are on two different planes of existence. This could be a good thing but it might also be an incredibly horrible thing. I say we leave the politics to the politicians and let them screw the world. Wyclef Jean a great man good luck to him in his running for president, wost comes to worst this will boost his career.

Wyclef Jean Pondering Political Run as President of Haiti
According to The Associated Press, Wyclef Jean of the Fugees is considering running for President of his native Haiti. 'Clef has not decided whether to seek a five-year term as leader of the quake-ravaged nation, the musician's family said Monday. There have been rumors circulating for some time the Haitian-born entertainer might enter the 2010 presidential contest, ever since his 2007 appointment as ambassador-at-large for the Caribbean nation by President Rene Preval, who cannot seek re-election. This is indeed a case of a musician using his game and his creativity for good.

In a statement e-mailed to reporters, the family said, "Wyclef's commitment to his homeland and its youth is boundless, and he will remain its greatest supporter regardless of whether he is part of the government moving forward ... If and when a decision is made, media will be alerted immediately." The letter was signed "The Jean Family." A spokeswoman for the musician confirmed the message's authenticity. Jean, 37, was born on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince but left the country as a child only to grow up in New York City's borough of Brooklyn.

I think of Haiti as a brand new country. What was is now basically wiped off the map. The people have absolutely no system or order. Countries from around the world have helped but only enought to say that they have done so. I'm not downing anyone. I am just saying that the type of help that Haiti needs no one country can give. I think Wycliff deserves a chance. I would vote for him. He is obviously selfless to want to take on a country that was already filled with trash heeps that the poor were having to scavange from to live. Where was the acting president then. Look at Haite as a new place where all the greatest ideals from around the world could be tried, a place where power to the people would be real, a place where sex, creed, or color really would not matter. Why not Wycliff? It would be better for him to have no experience, It's not like those with a lot of it do well. Let me rephrase that, "they do well for themselves". The possibilities are endless. My vote is for Wycliff.

They answer is "No" as person has to be well school, and well committed to make a good president of their country.. I do not believe at this time he is ready for it.

He has more learning to do, although I do praise his efforts to help Haiti rebuild.. I do not necessarily support the idea of him running for president of anything.. and some of his singing moments.. Make me hide and plug my ears. :)

It would certainly get media attention and provide some income, why not!

Umph. I think that it is because he is your nephew. Nepotism is rife in Haiti. Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier became president-for-life of Haiti when he was 19 at the behest of his mother and a committee. The boy preferred that his older sister assume the reins of power, but it looks as if the Salic Law prevailed in a supposedly democratic republic.

And it may also mean that a non-Catholic would be sitting in the Presidential Palace. How does religion enter into it? At times, non-Catholics have been more pliable to control from the State Department (remember Guatemala in the 1980s as a worst case scenario). Catholicism is connected to Voudou, which has always been the African religion of rebellion and nonconformity, and also with liberation theology, which first propelled Aristide to political prominence.

So if I were you, I wouldn’t be so quick to be jumping on the Wyclef Jean-as-the-first-hip-hop-president-of-Haiti bandwagon. He needs to clean up as well as clarify what is in his backyard before he decides to run office. Otherwise, it’s just the same old shit.