Sean Penn and Former Bandmate Opposing Wyclef Jean for President of Haiti

(Aug. 6) -- If you were running for president of anything, you would reasonably expect your uncles and anyone you had ever made a platinum record with to be on board. But for Haitian presidential candidate Wyclef Jean, that hasn't been the case.
Time for a round of "Who's Not Endorsing Wyclef Now!"

1. His Uncle, Raymond Joseph
As Raymond Joseph is running for president of Haiti himself, one can fairly presume he will not be endorsing his nephew's bid. No hard feelings there, probably, since Joseph declared his candidacy first. Also, he has not tried to antagonize Jean. Said Joseph of their dual candidacies in The Christian Science Monitor, "No, I wouldn't say running against [Jean], I would say running parallel." Nice as that sentiment is, circumstances may force a more confrontational stance: In Haitian politics, if nobody garners a majority of the votes, there's a second round of voting, with only the top two candidates on the ballot. If voters see Jean and Joseph and similar candidates, they will directly detract from each other's chances.

2. His Former Bandmate, Pras
The New York Daily News got one of Wyclef's former bandmates in the Fugees, Pras, to make his pick in the now much-watched race. And what do you know? "I endorse Michel Martell as the next president of Haiti because he is the most competent candidate for the job," Pras said.

Perhaps Pras is still upset over the breakup of the Fugees, which was likely the result of either acrimony or an affair (or both) between the group's other two members, Wyclef Jean and Lauryn Hill, whose own preference in the Haitian election is not known.

Still, if not entirely unexpected, given how things ended for the Fugees, it has to sting a little to have a former colleague shun him. It could be worse, though. Pras added that if former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide tried to return to Haiti, he "personally would try to assassinate him."

3. Actor/Camp Manager Sean Penn
Penn's criticism of Jean last night on CNN was more scathing than Pras' non-endorsement.

Penn on Jean's pre-election motorcade: "I want to see someone who's really, really willing to sacrifice for their country, and not just someone who I personally saw with a vulgar entourage of vehicles that demonstrated a wealth in Haiti that, in context, I felt was a very obscene demonstration."

Penn on the alleged corporate overlords supporting Jean's run: "I see in Wyclef Jean somebody who could well have been influenced by the promise of support of companies."

Penn, making it sure it's clear how he really feels about Jean's record in Haiti: "He, as an ambassador at large, has been virtually silent. For those of us in Haiti, he has been a non-presence. ... I haven't seen or heard anything of [Wyclef Jean] in these last six months that I've been in Haiti. I think he's an important voice. I hope he doesn't sacrifice that voice by taking the eye off the very devastating realities on the ground."

On CBS's "Morning Show" today, Jean responded to Penn's comments. "I just want Sean Penn to fully understand I am a Haitian, born in Haiti and I've been coming to my country ever since [I was] a child," he said. "He might just want to pick up the phone and meet, so he fully understands the man."

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