Cornel West calls Obama a ‘Republican in blackface’

[cali]

In a recent interview on Democracy Now!, ex-Princeton professor and frequent Obama critic Dr. Cornel West lashed out against the president as well as pundits Michael Eric Dyson, Melissa Harris-Perry and Rev. Al Sharpton.

West called Obama a “Rockefeller Republican in blackface” and said Dyson, Harris-Perry and Sharpton were all “for sale.”

<snip>

West has been criticized himself for the personal nature of many of his attacks on the president. He has questioned Obama’s racial authenticity on numerous occasions.

<snip>

In February West called Harris-Perry a “liar” and said that, ”[s]he’s become the momentary darling of liberals, but I pray for her because she’s in over her head. She’s a fake and a fraud. I was so surprised how treacherous the sister was.”

<snip>

http://thegrio.com/2012/11/12/cornel-west-calls-obama-a-republican-in-blackface/

[rocktivity]

1. Cornel West would trade places with Sharpton or Harris-Perry

in a split second...


rocktivity

[emulatorloo]

8. Nah, he seems to be carving out his own special niche

Lefty version of crazy Obama-hating Freeper.

[rocktivity]

22. Being Rush Limbaugh in blackface isn't a "special niche."

And he'd do it on MSNBC if they let him. He's not black, he's green (with jealousy).


rocktivity

[mfcorey1]

48. In a heart beat! Policy differences are understandable, but DR. West has always

tried to dissect others intentions. No one scorned him when he, as a supposed learned man, made a ridiculous rap video. In four years, if he feels he can do a better job, let him throw his hat in the ring. It would be laughable.

[NOLALady]

2. And West is an idiot

in Blackface.

[BlueCaliDem]

53. Thank you! eom

[elfin]

60. YES!

[young but wise]

3. Is he still bitter about the inauguration?

[demhottie]

41. Still angry he didn't get extra tickets

[JaneyVee]

4. Petty. He can't make an argument without being racially offensive.

He's entitled to his opinion but he's become slightly unhinged.

[hlthe2b]

54. That's how I feel... Sad that he can't express his counter arguments in a way befitting an

academic intellectual, instead of such a petty way. He does his own reputation considerable damage, whether he has valid arguments or not. I used to listen to him when he made appearances on shows like Bill Maher... Now, I find it difficult.

[grantcart]

5. From the confines of a tenured job at Princeton, ensconced among the privileged and no

longer accountable for anything he says in a job where he never has to worry about another paycheck,

Cornell West continues to throw hand grenades at others for not being risk takers.


Cornell West is the greatest hypocrite in Western Civilization.

[Puzzledtraveller]

39. BS, as if far left liberals are'nt sheltered by the same privilege.

[grantcart]

44. lol I don't see West actually running for office or putting his ass on the line for anything but

his own self promotion. Remember his primary criticism against Obama is that he is not a risk taker. This against the guy who turned down the 'golden ticket' of a Wall Street partnership or a clerkship on the Supreme Court to work on civil rights for minimal pay in Chicago from the guy who has the ultimate 'golden ticket' in academia, but go ahead and be a true believer if you like his kind of s$%t.

[young but wise]

78. Exactly.

I wish I could rec this post.

[bluestate10]

172. exactly. If Cornel West wants to help so much, why doesn't he give up his job

that brings him wealth and go work with poor people like President Obama chose to do? Why doesn't West run for elected office? West is a Poser in Black face.

[bayareamike]

192. Best post in the thread as far as I'm concerned. Well said. nt

[1StrongBlackMan]

55. I remember attending a Meet and Greet with Professor West, after a lecture on ...

African-American Student Achievement, where he specifically cited to the need for role-modeling.

I asked him a question that I'm certain got me kicked off his Xmas Card list and, probably, barred from any and all of his private events.

I asked:

Professer West ... When academics seek the definitive word on Mormonism/Mormon thought, they contact BYU; when they seek the definitive word on American Catholicism/Catholic thought, they contact Holy Cross, Notre Dame or Catholic University; the definitive word on American Judiaism/Jewish thought, they contact Brandeis ... So why is it appropriate that when people seek the definitive word on the African-American experience/African-American thought, they contact Princeton, rather than Howard or any of the other HBCUs.

The glare he gave me could have stopped a clock ... and shortly thereafter, I found myself ushered to the outer lobby.

[MicaelS]

95. Congratulations, that was a real smackdown.

Did he say anything at all?

[1StrongBlackMan]

102. Only with his ...

eyes and tightening jaw.

I got the message clearly.

[Iris]

154. He actually went back to Union Theological Seminary in NYC in 2011

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/17/nyregion/cornel-west-returning-to-union-theological-seminary.html


He's a professor emeritus at Princeton. I don't know if that title involves a paycheck or a pension or if it is just honorary.

[1StrongBlackMan]

157. My "discussion" with the good professor ...

was back in 2004.

But that said, UTS is not Princeton (where he was at the time); but then, though the "birthplace of Black Liberation Theology", it still is not a HBCU, any one of which coulod/would benefit greatly by his, or Dyson's name.

[Iris]

158. I see.

I was actually responding to the post that you were responding to because, as I said, I'm not sure he continues to be paid by Princeton.

But I do understand everything you are saying.

[bluedigger]

164. Usually it's more of an honorific, with privileges.

Everyone that retires from academia gets a pension, or whatever retirement plan is offered, but a professor emeritus is granted access to the facilities of the institution for life, and many of the privileges of a still working employee. This means they can park in the faculty lots, maintain an office, use the phones and faxes, etc., if they wish. More or less.

[bluestate10]

173. You're lucky West didn't have his trigger finger on a Drone.

He is thin skinned enough to have taken you out.

[BenzoDia]

6. Pretty disgusting language coming from this Mr. West. Maybe him and Allen West are related.

[Indianademocrat91]

7. This is just stupid.

Is this not just the reverse racism which then allows Freepers and their ilk to claim that they aren't racists, since we say it too? What is the point in saying this? Degrading popular black figures in order to make news for yourself, just another attention needing nobody. Setting himself up for a spot as a Fixed News contributor??

[bigdarryl]

9. This motherfucker has been hatten on Obama for awhile now

[AlexSatan]

142. I wonder if he has tried to scarf him down too!

He'd better not lay a glove on him!!

[still_one]

10. Fuck cornel west. What an an arrogant bastard. West is as racist as the tea party bullshit. Who

appointed him to determine who is "liberal" or "black" enough to pass his test?

He didn't win any election

He is just a blow hard who is as irrelevant as romney

[Whisp]

11. and this is supposed to be a respected intellectual?

are you kidding me?

he's an idiot child.

[ProSense]

23. Sounds like he was hoping for an Obama loss

and is now pissed off.

"Republican in blackface."

What a fucking asshole!

[goclark]

156. He WAS respected in our AA community

No more

[PoliticalBiker]

12. He's Probably Just Pissed...

... that he isn't asked to be a guest on msnbc anymore.

He needs to grow a brain (Moran... lol) and realize if your only responses have racial overtones, pretty soon you'll be preaching to only yourself.

[Solomon]

43. What he needs to do is get a fucking shave and a

haircut. Juvenile asshole. He needs to grow the fuck up.

[bluestate10]

174. Nah! West thinks the Black Panther look makes him a more authentic Black Man. nt

[GoCubsGo]

13. He's starting to sound more like Allen West these days.

Sad. Can't wait until his buddy, Tavis, piles on, too.

[quinnox]

14. He is entitled to his opinion

I know he can be colorful at times, but he is a solid progressive I believe. And that is more than can be said for Mr. Obama, here is hoping the president can change and push more liberal and progressive policies in a second term.

[JaneyVee]

15. Yeah but he's not such a good solid progressive.

He most times can be a liability for progressive causes. It's about winning hearts and minds, not driving a wedge. He has a National platform to recruit progressives and sometimes his rhetoric scares them away. That's an embarrassing statement to make bringing up 'blackface'.

[cali]

16. oh, please. he's a racist. you wanna laud a racist. have at it.

[quinnox]

17. that is insulting to Mr. West

who is an African-American, just like Obama. I think I have read in the past he resents and accuses Obama in that he has not done enough for the black community, and other prominent blacks also agree with him, like the Travis guy I believe.

[cali]

21. pffft. No, that's accurate.

he is consistent in his use of hideously racist language and accusing the President of not being black. It's flat out racist and it couldn't be fucking clearer.

He's a vile little man. Great intellectual he is not. And by the way that other blacks agree with him is no more an endorsement for his disgusting racist dog shit than that other whites agree with David Duke.

Duh.

[quinnox]

25. that is your opinion

and just like Professor West, you are entitled to it. I don't happen to agree with your opinion, and think you are way off base.

[cali]

26. I find it quite disturbing that you defend this kind of racist language.

[quinnox]

30. Since West is black

and a known and respected leader of the black community, I think it is a totally different situation, than for instance, if a white man had said it. I give Dr. West leeway because of this in his admittedly colorful use of language.

[ProSense]

37. "I think it is a totally different situation, than for instance, if a white man had said it"

No, it's the same racist assholery, but it's no wonder you can't recognize that.

[cali]

50. he excoriates the President for not being black enough.

And your defense of his racist dog shit says a lot. Not only that but your condescension toward people of color is distasteful. And you seem clueless that you're doing it.

[JustAnotherGen]

106. [phone]

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

88. I'm not surprised

The poster will defend anyone who takes a shot at the President while still being seen as maintaining his "liberal cred".

[emulatorloo]

138. You hit the nail on the head.

[ProSense]

27. Bullshit!

He's attacking Perry and Sharpton for supporting the President.

President Obama is not responsible for the decades of inequality and oppression suffered by the black community.

In fact, the President's policies have done more for blacks than at any other time in the last 50 years.

This is why record number of blacks turned out to support the President in Georgia.

Screw West!

[quinnox]

32. it is no surprise to see this response

from you. Might as well say the Sun is going to rise this morning, it is clockwork. Doesn't need to be said.

[ProSense]

34. Whatever. West is an ass, and you can continue to defend assholery. n/t

[appacom]

181. Agree completely. Cornel West is an elitist who cannot understand why Sharpton

gets invited regularly to the white house and he doesn't. Sharpton has deep connections in poor communities where West has none. West can sneer at Sharpton's sometimes questionable grammar and lack of Harvard sophistication all he wants, but it doesn't changethe fact that he has no connection with grassroots organizing networks that stretch throughout this country. Its his sense of entitlement that leads him to presume he speaks for anyone other than the "niggerati" as Zora Neal Hurston called that particularly odious segment of Black America.

[satxdem]

38. well

I am African American like Obama and West, and actually isn't insulting to call Cornell what he is. My community refers to him as an Uncle Tom, he only comes on tv to trash Obama and Morning Joe and other right wing shows only let him on to trash Obama. If he really is progressive, why sell a book to us instead of telling people how to lift people out of poverty for free. He is a poverty hustler. Along with his friend Tavis.

[quinnox]

45. I don't doubt there are some in the black community who are decidedly not fans of West

thanks for your perspective.

[ancianita]

91. That poverty hustler line has been used against many who agitate in good faith.

Not everything or everyone who makes a buck dissenting in the black community or from it is unworthy of getting paid.

[satxdem]

110. I wouldn't use it against anyone dissenting

In the black community. But let's be honest, if we are really concerned about poverty, which has been a problem for decades, we shouldn't charge people for the secret to get out. Just tell people for free. I think it matters enough that it shouldn't cost. Reminds me of Romney, won't tell you what I plan to do until you elect me. If you care about the country tell us for free. That's my point. When he keeps attacking Obama's blackness it makes it hard to believe he is agitating in good faith. Talk about Obama's policies instead of his background.

[LTR]

132. Supposedly, Cornel and Tavis are now hosting a radio show together

All that narcissism must completely suck all the air out of the room.

[MadBadger]

58. Who is travis?

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

90. I think he means TAVIS Smiley

[quinnox]

93. yes, correct

That is who I meant. I know he has been on the side and saying the same things that West has in the past.

[MicaelS]

98. Attitude like yours is the real problem for Democrats.

The Left's biggest enemy is not the Right. The Left's biggest enemy is itself. We're too often a circular firing squad.

No matter what some leader on the Left does, we can be assured someone else on the Left is going to cry "He / she hasn't done ENOUGH!" Then proceed to rip apart said leadership.

[1StrongBlackMan]

109. Professor West is ...

an unrestrained egoist, maybe, but not a racist.

[cali]

127. His crap that President Obama isn't black enough, strikes me as racist.

[1StrongBlackMan]

128. As 1StrongBlackMan ...

I can attest to a fact and belief that the comment by a Black man about a Black man, is ill-advised (because it sparks these type of discussions), imprudent (because it smacks of disrespect) and flat out stupid (because it takes on a clownish nature all its own); but it is not racist.

[morningfog]

185. How is Cornel West a racist?

[bluestate10]

175. Wests is a racist. He sees everything as Black people versus the "Others".

He has no sense of a broader society. He should go to a fucking teabagger convention, with the exception that he would be auguring the other side of the coin, he would fit right in.

[ProSense]

18. Posted this in response to another comment, and now dedicating it to West:

President Obama repealed DADT, rejected DOMA and stoodup for marriage equality, enacted Wall Street reform, strengthened Medicare and added benefits to the program, and also did this:

Obama Signs Children’s Health Insurance Bill

By ROBERT PEAR

WASHINGTON — The House gave final approval on Wednesday to a bill extending health insurance to millions of low-income children, and President Obama signed it this afternoon, in the first of what he hopes will be many steps to guarantee coverage for all Americans.

<...>

The roll call ended a two-year odyssey for the child health legislation, which President George W. Bush adamantly opposed on the ground it would lead to “government-run health care for every American.”

<...>

In a major change, the bill allows states to cover certain legal immigrants — namely, children under 21 and pregnant women — as well as citizens.

Until now, legal immigrants have generally been barred from Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program for five years after they enter the United States. States will now be able to cover those immigrants without the five-year delay.

- more -

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/05/us/politics/05health.html

16 million: number of Americans who become eligible for Medicaid under the health care law
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002531684

Health care reform is the law of the land: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021808119

This election feels different
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021769342

This is what FORWARD looks like!
http://sync.democraticunderground.com/10021794610

Suck it detractors. Seriously!

[Cha]

187. Thank You for all this Compilation, ProSense.. I can seriously put this

work to good use when needed to apply!

[JudyM]

19. This personal attack reflects horribly on his group, the Network of Spiritual Progressives.

I've respected the NSP's vision and values up till now - as one of its 3 founders, West's attack on Obama is a real turnoff for me re:that group. Sure they're more liberal than him, but there ought to be an attempt to work with him instead of slamming him for concessions that in his judgment he must make in order to get any progress with this Congress. This is just classless and anger-based. Makes me feel bad for Obama, between this and the FL guy killing himself and the woman running over her husband just because he won reelection.
http://spiritualprogressives.org/newsite/

Plus - a central tenet of the NSP's platform is caring compassion. West's characterization is coming from a far different place. Lerner ought to boot him for this hate speech.

[OneGrassRoot]

35. I really like NSP, too. I didn't realize he's a founder!

I've liked West when I've seen him or read what he's written, but it's been a while since I've done either.

This makes me really sad.

I agree with what you said here.

[JudyM]

130. Yeah, anyone can make a mistake, say something impetuously, but this is over the top ugly. nt

[OneGrassRoot]

133. And becoming habitual, not one or two rants. :( n/t

[treestar]

20. Maybe he should try actually being the POTUS for a while

But then he can't get elected dog-catcher.

Too easy to judge from the sidelines.

[Plaid Adder]

24. Geez. Stay classy, Dr. West!

You know, if you want to call Obama a Republican masquerading as a progressive, I don't necessarily agree but it's a legitimate argument. But there's no excuse for this bullshit about who's "really black" and who isn't.

yeesh,

The Plaid Adder

[BeyondGeography]

28. He's a tenured clown

[OldDem2012]

29. West is brought on TV to discredit liberals...and he hasn't caught on to that. nt.

[Cha]

191. Precisely and maybe he doesn't just care as long

as he gets on tv to hear his mouth yammering?

[riderinthestorm]

31. Ugh. A bitter, angry rant that permanently tarnishes whatever legacy he may have.

Reminds me of Helen Thomas and her rant about "the Jews".

[one_voice]

33. Cornell West is our version...

of a tea bagger. He wants his way and he wants it now. If he doesn't get it he says nasty shit like this.

Make no mistake, there will be those who will rush to his defense (right here on DU). Shaking their heads in unison as they talk about about West speaking truth to the power. He's a true progressive and anyone that disagrees is a nasty corporatist and 3rd wayer. They've become bullies; Obama bad and anyone that disagrees with that position MUST be a 3rd wayer a repub in sheeps clothing that's the only explanation. So calling the president racists names is fine with them as long as it's one of theirs doing it.

Let me be clear, it's NEVER ok to call anyone names like this. I wouldn't be ok with calling Herman Cain this. It's racist; and Cornell West should NOT be excused for saying this. Yes he's entitled to his opinion, and I'm entitled to call him a bitter nasty racist piece of shit.

[BlueCaliDem]

63. +1

I agree with everything you've stated in your post. Everything.

[winstars]

165. +1,000,000

[bongbong]

36. The only defense of West that I can offer

He labeled Obama a "Rockefeller republican", which in these days of Overton Window shifting means he is to the left of all current repig office holders & to the left of many Blue Dog Democrats.

[1StrongBlackMan]

40. Note to President Obama:

Will you PLEASEEEEE invite Cornell West to THIS Swearing In Ceremony and Whitehouse Ball, and possibly, a State Dinner or two?

Apparently, hurt feelings die hard deaths.

[satxdem]

46. lol.

Right! My mom and I say that each time we see him on tv spewing his Obama hates free black man, etc. garbage. Somebody please give that man a ticket.

[ancianita]

42. I'm going against the opinion trend here. Hear me out.

He SEEMS to have drunk too much of the Libertarian, anti-Fed, central bank opponents, minstrel-hating kkkool-aid. Also he seems to want to throw an opinion bomb that dirties Obama such that Obama can't ignore it, so that he might possibly get Obama to somewhat spend his 'forward' time trying to undo this dirtying smear, or branding.

BUT I've read everything he's ever written, have seen him in person at adult and teen forums, and prefer this take: he's very likely trying on the persona of the new Bad Guy firebrand to draw hatred away from Obama and toward other blacks who would run interference. It would create space for his governing, get him more respect and interaction with representatives from DC, take some of the heat off him from white supremacy cultures.

Having taught in and worked in one of Chicago's South Side black communities, and its professional teaching class, I know that American blacks are well aware of his tactics, and have used these tactics to distract (minstrel shows) and deflect (creating nuisance events). Seriously, I have studied, taught and KNOW that West is too aware of the great history of social tactics and minstrel debates in the black community to not know exactly what he is doing.

West might very well be way more aware of the dangerous circles through which Obama's going to have to navigate than the rest of us do, so relax. Times are getting very dangerous for Obama. This is calculated.

AND I will always give Cornel West, a man who's never afraid to admit his mistakes -- unlike Rove, Romney or the entire GOP -- the benefit of the doubt. I say watch and wait. This man is a team player on behalf of black progress, and is not an egotistical player.

[ProSense]

47. "He SEEMS to have drunk too much of the Libertarian, anti-Fed, central bank opponents...

...minstrel-hating kkkool-aid."

West has gone over the edge. He needs to get the fuck over what's bothering him. He's making a complete fool of himself.

[ancianita]

49. My claim is that he isn't who he seems. Can't you give him some credit for 'long game' tactics?

[BeyondGeography]

52. Obama has more long game in his pinky toe than Cornel will in 100 lifetimes

[ancianita]

62. They each know what the other is doing. I don't think the average white person does, though.

[BeyondGeography]

66. Oh spare me

And try to stop indulging spoiled children with your too cool for school bullshit.

[ancianita]

76. Wow. I take the devils' advocate for him for good reasons that give context to this 'event.'

You're with the popular kids. You project nothing but old too-cool-for-school self righteous outrage, yourself. If he wants to destroy his public image, it's still his to let go of. Try digging into the man's work before participating in the mass stomping.

[DoBotherMe]

74. I will

Dana ; )

[ancianita]

79. At least that makes two of us.

[MicaelS]

101. No, I can't.

You do not call someone on your side a name like this. Isn't that one of the worst insults that one African American can make against another? And you want to claim this is all some Machiavellian scheme?

Sorry, I do not buy this for one second.

[The Midway Rebel]

104. Thanks for adding some thought and depth of understanding to this thread.

It has enough vitriol and hate.

[Cha]

186. Yes, Cornel West has too much Vitriol and Hate coming out of his pores for

everybody. Imagine that upsetting people.

[johnlucas]

193. I'm of that mind as well. It explains Jesse's behavior in 2008

I really think they're playing Good Cop, Bad Cop allowing Obama to be Good Cop while they play Bad Cop.
I dig Cornel West & this is out of character from what I have heard from him.

When Jesse Jackson said he wanted to "cut his nuts off" back in 2008, that image didn't rhyme with his tears at Obama's inauguration.
I NEVER believed that Obama truly disassociated from Jeremiah Wright after being associated with him for so long.
And now we got Cornel West jumping on Obama in this way.

To me, when you look at the larger picture, they are working within this system that STILL has racism embedded in it to allow Whites to love Obama more.
By going against Obama publicly, they create distinction between the Black Movement of the past & Obama's current movement.

Why DID a kid from Hawaii want to go to Chicago of all places?
That is Jesse Jackson-land.
Why would he go to work on those Chicago streets?
Look at his background after that working as a lawyer for civil rights & community development, his background with Illinois' Project Vote which aimed at getting hundreds of thousands of unregistered Blacks to register to vote.

That's why I KNOW Obama is not a "Centrist".
He IS a Progressive but to me it seems he has found logistical blocks to running as a Progressive openly.
He has to work his way through this system to change it from the inside.
That was the whole purpose of running for political office & quickly climbing ranks.
There was only so much he could do on those streets, & only so much he could do as a lawyer.
He had to shape the laws to help others like him who still worked as community organizers & lawyers protecting civil rights & the poor.
He has to play The Game.

He went from Illinois State Senator to Illinois U.S. Senator to President playing this Game.
Now that he's at the seat of power, he has to pull certain levers inside this machine to make it easier for all the community organizers & champions of the poor to do their work.
Causing the Republican Party to implode is one of those levers.

I got caught up in the details without referencing the big picture & that's why I got mad at Obama in 2010.
Just like posters here at getting mad at Cornel West for his comments.
When you look at what has happened & the big picture it all becomes clearer & you recognize what's going on.
That's how I got over my misdirected anger & got behind Obama for 2012.

Cornel West is not against Barack Obama & neither is Jesse Jackson & neither is Jeremiah Wright.
There are political realities in this country & these men know what's at stake.
It may LOOK like the old 'Crabs In A Barrel' routine but they're providing cover for Obama so that he can better pull those levers.

It's only intuition giving me this view so take it for what it is.
But I feel this is what is going on.
I never would have thought the Republican Party would be at death's door when Obama ran in 2008.
I knew they were weakened but I never thought that they could be gone.
But that's exactly what's happening here in 2012.
Obama's doing a Reagan In Reverse creating Obama Republicans just like Reagan created Reagan Democrats.

So in this 2nd term, I'm not gonna be so quick to go catatonic at the details. Not until I see how the big picture's going.
I'm just watching & observing right now. These are some smart people here.
I believe they know EXACTLY what they're doing.
John Lucas

[RandySF]

51. I guess no one's been paying attention to him lately.

He really isn't worthy of it.

[Blue_Tires]

56. Dr. West, I'm one of your longtime devoted admirers

and will continue to be, but you're not helping...

[ancianita]

57. Whether y'all are right or wrong, this is a win-win for Obama.

Y'all should understand more black history. You underestimate the black professional class' historical brain power in this current case. Please don't quickly adopt the white world's shallow understandings of internal black politics. West is not who he presents himself to be, and right now, he knows what he's doing. There's the similar tactic used in Republican circles -- the clowntard foil for the 'lead man' -- I'm sure you'll recall from this past election.

[ProSense]

61. Well,

Y'all should understand more black history. You underestimate the black professional class' historical brain power in this current case. Please don't quickly adopt the white world's shallow understandings of internal black politics. West is not who he presents himself to be, and right now, he knows what he's doing. There's the similar tactic used in Republican circles -- the clowntard foil for the 'lead man' -- I'm sure you'll recall from this past election.

...I'm black, and so are Perry and Sharpton, and I think West is full of shit!

[ancianita]

67. If what I've been exposed to is in your DNA, maybe you're right, but ...

I think you need to wait and see. I've watched good politics and racial politics for a long time and know how interference gets run. Have you read his books? You think they are not at the heart of who he is and how he operates? West is fully capable of the "full of shit" persona for the sake of clearing space for a brother. You might still be too quickly adopting the popular view here.

[Ikonoklast]

59. West will soon be irrelevant to any serious political discourse.

His emotional responses instead of critical thinking and factual discussion of the issues are the mark of a man without a rational argument.

[Paladin]

65. He's Irrelevent Already.

He's solidifying his status as an embarrassing sociopolitical pariah, at this point.

[Ikonoklast]

84. I actually like the guy, he's a very smart man and made some really important contributions

on the subject of race and inequality in our society.

Childish namecalling doesn't help, hell, we do it here, but this isn't anywhere near the halls of academia.

[CakeGrrl]

64. The usual carny barkers are back!

Their meal ticket target is in place for another 4 years.

You'd think they'd at least stop and be glad for America that Romney isn't in place.

[madrchsod]

68. i`d say obama is closer to ike

[datasuspect]

69. an ike/nixon hybrid

[Cha]

189. "Nixon"? Seriously? Which part of nixon?

Hate to break to you speculators who don't know anything about President Obama but he's only himself.

[datasuspect]

194. nixon was more liberal

in many ways.

[flamingdem]

71. West is disgusting

He needs to apologize for his jealous and nasty behavior.

[cali]

75. wtf? I don't know or care whether you are referring to West or the President

but I know you should get your ass back under whatever slimy bridge you crawled out from

[cash__whatiwant]

73. Ill bet he hoped he lost! remember this

[struggle4progress]

77. Another fuggin blowhard attention-seeker

[OKNancy]

80. No kidding and he will say it with the most overblown language possible

He will express himself with the most flowery language possible when a simple sentence would do just as well.

[OKNancy]

81. Here is a Nation article by Ms Perry on West

http://www.thenation.com/blog/160725/cornel-west-v-barack-obama

Paragraph #2
West begins with a bit of historical revision. West suggests that the president discarded him without provocation after he offered the Obama for America campaign his loyal service and prayers. But anyone with a casual knowledge of this rift knows it began during the Democratic primary, not after the election. It began, not with a puffed-up president but when Cornel West’s “dear brother” Tavis Smiley threw a public tantrum because Senator Obama refused to attend Smiley’s annual State of Black America. Smiley repeatedly suggested that his forum was the necessary black vetting space for the Democratic nominees. He needed to ask Obama and Clinton tough questions so that black America could get the answers it needed. But black America was doing a fine job making up its own mind in the primaries and didn’t need Smiley’s blessing to determine their own electoral preferences. Indeed, when Smiley got a chance to hold candidate Clinton “accountable” he spent more time fawning over her than probing about her symbolic or substantive policy stances that impacted black communities. Fiercely loyal to his friend, Professor West chose sides and began to undermine candidate Obama is small and large ways. Candidate Obama ceased calling West back because he was in the middle of a fierce campaign and West’s loyalties were, at best, divided. I suspect candidate Obama did not trust his “dear brother” to keep the campaign secrets and strategies. I also suspect he was not inaccurate in his hesitancy.

[ancianita]

86. Now this is good recent contextual interpretation of some Obama foils.

One guy's in the entertainment business and the other's in academia, cutting past some monolithic image of African America. Ms. Perry is a fair minded recorder of events here. I hope she continues to foreground more internal back and forth.

[bluestate10]

182. I like the below MHP smackdown of West.

"Furthermore, West’s sense of betrayal is clearly more personal than ideological. In Hedges’s article West claims that a true progressive would always put love of the people above concern with the elite and privileged. Then he complains, “I couldn’t get a ticket [to the inauguration] with my mother and my brother. I said this is very strange. We drive into the hotel and the guy who picks up my bags from the hotel has a ticket to the inauguration…. We had to watch the thing in the hotel.” Let me get this straight—the tenured, Princeton professor who collects five figures for public lectures was relegated to a hotel television while an anonymous hotel worker got tickets to the inauguration! What kind of crazy, mixed-up class politics are these? Wait a minute…"

[byeya]

82. Robert Reich, a month or two ago, also called Pres Obama a Rockefeller Republican.

[cali]

87. Professor West didn't call him a Rockefeller republican

and Professor Reich didn't say that the President is in "blackface". Rather large differences.

[byeya]

105. No not a large difference in the political and economic sense. Both Profs see the President

as a moderate to conservative politician and fully in tune with the corporate set up. West added the unneeded, and rather nasty, blackface comment.

If you think the blackface insult was the real message than I feel sorry for you.

[Cha]

188. I feel sorry for you.. if you don't see how Cornel West completely

obscured his message when he decided to get stupid in his attacks on President Obama and anyone really. . who he feels isn't toeing his line.

[kooljerk666]

115. yes he did...........

http://www.democracynow.org/2012/11/9/tavis_smiley_cornel_west_on_the

I’m glad there was not a right-wing takeover, but we end up with a Republican, a Rockefeller Republican in blackface, with Barack Obama, so that our struggle with regard to poverty intensifies.

[satxdem]

118. I know

Robert Reich is really progressive, but he did work for Clinton. Should he really be attacking Obama for not being far enough left? Clinton was no progressive to be honest, very conservative democrat. Progress takes time, I think we need to realize that. Half of the country is still crazy republicans, we aren't going to have our way completely. But I do understand the urge to show some fight. But Obama is no republican. Not defending Doma, ending DADT, stimulus, homeless prevention, climate change, lily ledbetter, healthcare reform etc. I know it's not enough but let's be real, would republicans do any of this? Not likely.

[stillcool]

83. I can understand that..

I don't know how you can accomplish anything if you refuse to engage with,.. for lack of a better word your enemy, but doing so pisses people off. Every day the same sentiment is expressed here. It is easy to sit back and criticize based not on reality, but on perception.

[bamacrat]

85. I just tweeted Bill Maher to have him on Real Time again...

Maher will call him out on this. I do like Dr. West as a guest on Real Time. He is a little over the top but there are many in the black community saying what he says. To insult Dr. West's intelligence is misguided. He is a brilliant scholar who talks out his ass at times.

[ancianita]

94. I can't wait to see his defense of all this namecalling. I'll bet Maher can't wait, either.

[bamacrat]

100. Yeah, I mean O should be called out when he drifts away from us.

And I agree with some of the criticism of him but some of it I feel is just an attempt to get their names in headlines.

[Tarheel_Dem]

119. When you say "Many", can you quantify it? I live and work in the "black community", because I'm....

black. I have never heard the kind of disrepectful bullshit leveled against this president in "the black community". Put a number on "many", or stop speaking for all of us.

[bamacrat]

122. Maxine Waters, Travis Smiley, Cornell West to name a few.

Not saying they are right or even justified but there are more than one.

[Tarheel_Dem]

124. You used the term "many". I was just hoping that term was being used judiciously. There's no.....

widespread disaffection in the black community as the results of last week's election proved. A "few" outspoken dopes, do not translate to "many". Just so you know.

[bamacrat]

126. You're right.

[dionysus]

160. you just made him mad!

[Tarheel_Dem]

162. Ugh! Dion, you know I've told you that image scares the hell outta me.

Shame on you.

[dionysus]

166. West/Manning 2016!!111!1

[Tarheel_Dem]

176. Okay, that did it!

[SidDithers]

89. Cornel West. The Donald Trump of the intellectual libertarian "elite"...nt

Sid

[hughee99]

92. Oddly enough, it sounds like West hates the president because he's black.

IMHO, If he were just another white politician, it would just be "par for the course" but it appears West (fairly or unfairly) expected something from Obama that he clearly didn't get.

[Poll_Blind]

96. "He was preeminently the white man’s President, entirely devoted to the welfare of white men."

A quote from Frederick Douglass, Oration in Memory of Abraham Lincoln

Both Frederick Douglass and Malcolm X would have said something similar, were they alive today. And that's not hyperbole, either. Read the oration from which that's excerpted, read the Autobiography of Malcolm X and listen to his post-Mecca writings and speeches.

It's because Douglass, Malcolm X and Cornell West all have one thing in common: They were black populists.

Mary Todd Lincoln understood this, as most of you apparently don't seem to, and recognized Douglass in return for his honesty in describing her late husband.

What Dr. West has said is, on inspection, no true calumny.

PB

[cali]

97. It is racist language and it's remarkable as well for its pettiness.

oh, and it is indeed calumny.

[The Link]

99. Sound analysis.

I also believe he is dead on about Michael Eric Dyson at least.

[ancianita]

103. Excellent perspective offered here, IMO.

[1StrongBlackMan]

107. This ...

1StrongBlackMan disagrees with your opinion on what post-mecca Malcolm X would have said regarding President Obama. And strongly disagree with Professor West's characterization of President Obama.

However, I agree that Frederick Douglass comment on Lincoln was/is spot on.

[geek tragedy]

113. Except black people couldn't vote for Lincoln, and played no role in getting him elected.

West is an attention-seeking clown.

[Whisp]

108. here's an 'intellectual in uglyface'

[hrmjustin]

111. Wow that is mean.

I guess west is on the %^&* list

[KamaAina]

112. Wow! I am really surprised to hear him throwing on Rev. Al like that

West has been mentoring him for years. He is widely credited with keeping Sharpton on the high road during his Senate run years ago.

[satxdem]

117. really

Shocking considering Rev. Al always fights the good fight. Trayvon Martin, voting rights, healthcare, all things in the fight for justice.

[HuckleB]

114. Cornel used to be awesome. He added much to the discussion.

Alas, something has gone awry, and he seems stuck in the Ivory Tower, instead of truly working for actual change.

[ancianita]

116. West is a devoted promoter of all things Fredrick Douglass. Among Douglass' most famous words

is his advice to a young man who asked what he might do to help the cause, to which Douglass answered,"Agitate! Agitate! Agitate!" This is exactly how I think West honors Douglass' legacy. Short of getting to BE Fredrick Douglass, I think he does what he thinks Douglass would do to help this president. His namecalling gets constant headlines away from Obama. He knows the namecalling he's going to reap in return.

[Octafish]

169. 'I Hope He Is a Progressive Lincoln, I Aspire to Be the Frederick Douglass to Put Pressure on Him.'

...Cornel West on the Election of Barack Obama, Nov. 19, 2008.

http://www.democracynow.org/2008/11/19/cornel_west_on_the_election_of

More:

http://www.democracynow.org/appearances/cornel_west

PS: Thank you,ancianita. The president has done much good in four years, yet he has not done all he could in the opinion of Dr. West -- an opinion I share.

[stevenleser]

120. He's still smarting over not getting invited to the White House as much as he thought he should in

the beginning of the first term.

Now he is working on tarnishing his own reputation and legacy.

[Tarheel_Dem]

121. Translation: "Waaahhh, black America now likes Obama more than me, Waaahhh".

[ellisonz]

123. I never had much respect for Cornel West as a public figure, I have even less now.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

125. Cornel West = Sean Hannity in Blackface

He's a cipher who can barely (just barely) get noticed on the internet. So like Alan West, he says the most outrageous shit he can think of so someone will pay attention.

[and-justice-for-all]

129. He is losing his fucking mind...nt

[Cha]

131. cornel is a promoter of all things cornel. Too bad for him..

he's such an ugly ignorant promoter.

[limpyhobbler]

134. Dr. West is right. nt

[SidDithers]

137. Oh FFS...

are you too calling Obama a "Republican in blackface"?

Sid

[limpyhobbler]

139. After listening to the whole interview in context, I agree with Dr. West.

Obama's policies are that of a Rockerfeller Republican.

CORNEL WEST: Well, one, I think that it’s morally obscene and spiritually profane to spend $6 billion on an election, $2 billion on a presidential election, and not have any serious discussion—poverty, trade unions being pushed against the wall dealing with stagnating and declining wages when profits are still up and the 1 percent are doing very well, no talk about drones dropping bombs on innocent people. So we end up with such a narrow, truncated political discourse, as the major problems—ecological catastrophe, climate change, global warming. So it’s very sad. I mean, I’m glad there was not a right-wing takeover, but we end up with a Republican, a Rockefeller Republican in blackface, with Barack Obama, so that our struggle with regard to poverty intensifies.

AMY GOODMAN: That’s a pretty rough assessment of President Obama.

CORNEL WEST: Oh, that’s what we have. That’s what we have. Richard Nixon is to the left of him on healthcare. Richard Nixon is to the left of him on guaranteed income. And the same policies in terms of imperial foreign policy is at work. And so, I was glad to see that Romney didn’t win. We pushed back a right-wing takeover. We’ve got a right-wing mentality: cut, cut, cut, austerity, austerity, austerity. Where is the serious talk about investment in jobs, fighting the privatizing of education, and the empowerment of trade unions? And so, our battle is just beginning. We have yet to take off the gloves. You know, we’ve been fighting intensely.

...

http://www.democracynow.org/2012/11/9/tavis_smiley_cornel_west_on_the

[SidDithers]

140. West's description wasn't "Rockefeller Republican", it was "Rockefeller Republican in blackface"...

Sid

[ProSense]

144. More bullshit!

"Richard Nixon is to the left of him on healthcare. Richard Nixon is to the left of him on guaranteed income. And the same policies in terms of imperial foreign policy is at work."

Nixon wanted to abort biracial babies: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/23/nixon-tapes-abortion-nece_n_219746.html

Obama's health care law is the biggest expansion of Medicaid since its inception. None of the health care laws offered up by Republicans since the 1980s attempted this because they hate Medicaid.

[RomneyLies]

135. Cornel West seems bitter to me n/t

[Bucky]

136. As if race was the only determant of personality characteristics.

Be careful about rolling out of bed, Professor West. Apparently you've started sleeping with somd dangerous people!

[ecstatic]

141. F that clown

He and Tavis are desperate for attention. It's sad that they chose to go down this road.

[bvar22]

143. I disagree with Cornell West.

President Obama is somewhat to The Right of the Rockefeller Republicans on Issues & Policy.

[ProSense]

145. Which means that as

despicable and wrongheaded as West is, there is someone even more wrong.

[SidDithers]

146. HEhehehe...

Best response in the thread.

Sid

[bvar22]

147. Oh, you most be talking about Rachel Maddow.

http://www.alternet.org/news/149700

[ProSense]

148. What a stupid comeback.

Rachel Maddow didn't make the idiotic comment in the OP.

[bvar22]

150. What a vapid, vacuous, and domatic response to my post!

Stupid too!
My, my.



[font color=firebrick][center]"There are forces within the Democratic Party who want us to sound like kinder, gentler Republicans.
I want a party that will STAND UP for Working Americans."
---Paul Wellstone [/font][/center]
[center][/font]
[font size=1]photo by bvar22
Shortly before Sen Wellstone was killed[/center][/font]

[Honeycombe8]

149. I guess there are extremist wackos on the left, too. nt

[zellie]

151. What a slug.

Grrrrr

[Douglas Carpenter]

152. I suppose he is right. But what is the alternative?

You could say the same thing about anyone else who could possibly be a viable Democratic contender for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States. And and when the alternative to the Democrats are the people who think like the evil lunatics who appear on Fox News, what is the choice? Realistically speaking - as diabolical as the current Democratic Party no doubt is - in the real- world -as opposed to how thing should be in the the should be world - what is the choice?

For the sake of the hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of children who will have nothing to eat if the Republicans win - For the sake of all the elderly people - hundreds of thousands or millions who will not be able to pay their heating bills if the Republicans win - For the sake of the hundreds of thousands of young people who will have to drop out of college if the Republicans win - For the sake of all the Muslims and other people whether in the Middle East or Afghanistan or Pakistan who will die at the hands of American military technical savagery even greater than the number who are currently dying under a Democratic administration - -for their sake - I will support the Democrats.

AS Bill Maher once said - vote Democratic - we are pathetic - but the other guys are nuts.

[arely staircase]

153. frequent (and obscure) obama critic

criticizes obama

stop the presses

[goclark]

155. Look in the mirror

and you will see YOU...
Shameful ...tell your buddy Tavis
to look too.

MsgoclarkOBAMA
African American

[Shankapotomus]

159. Instead of beating down each others successes

why can't we all accept that different liberals and democrats are going to have different successes and journeys and just pool all our different successes into a single image of who we are as the Left? You are never going to get absolute uniformity of motion and progress.

It's fine if you think you are a little ahead in understanding a situation than others, as it seems Mr. West does, but so is a parent compared to a child. But the parent doesn't tear down the child and say they are a fake.

Just because someone makes inroads in an area where you didn't, doesn't mean they were a "sell out" or a "fake".

[fujiyama]

161. And Cornell West had the judgment to appear in the third Matrix Movie

He's an arrogant self promoting narcissist making himself increasingly irrelevant every day.

[Hamlette]

163. Are he and Allen West related? So much the same . . . . idiots.

[dionysus]

167. whenever West says something stupid, it's christmas for DU's resident disgruntled former\non Dems...

[Octafish]

168. Break it down.

Rockefeller: Liberal guy who put social progress and public service ahead of personal prosperity as long as it didn't get in the way of the real wealth and power. Check.

Republican: Puts interests of the monied class ahead of the working people, keeps Wall Street ahead of Main Street, jails whistleblowers, forgives corporations, CEOs, warmongers, torturers, and traitors, and balances the budget at the expense of the New Deal and the Great Society. Check.

Blackface: A form of entertainment enjoyed by ignorant people that features white performers pretending to be a stereotyped African American. In the case of a politician, pretending to favor liberal and progressive policies in speeches, while actually pushing for their opposite in conference and signing them into law. Check.

PS: It saddens me that Dr. West has chosen this language only in that it brings up such hurtful reminders of how far we have to go as a society, as an administration, and as a democracy.

[Jamaal510]

170. You'd think that since Obama's a so-called "Rockefeller Republican",

Republicans would've embraced him with open arms! But no, they haven't. And I take it that he was sort of suggesting that all Republicans are white, since blackface refers to putting makeup on your face to make yourself look darker. Not exactly one of his most thought-out statements...if he disagrees with one of Obama's policies or the people of MSNBC, then fine. He should say specifically what it is that he thinks they could do differently or how they can do more outreach to the black community. But he ruins his credibility by lowering himself to these ad hominem remarks.

[bluestate10]

171. Cornel West is a joke. nt

[ProSense]

177. Not as funny as the people

who buy into this racist bullshit!

I mean, did anyone think Herman Cain wasn't racist when he said blacks are brainwashed to vote for Democrats. Sounds like Romney. Does it make it any less racist because Cain is black?

I find these comments appealing to people who do not understand racism, and the first words out of their mouths is: He's black!

Ugh!

[bayareamike]

178. "Obama isn't black enough"

is what I'm hearing from Dr. West.

I've appreciated his insights in the past but I don't think he understands that in Washington, D.C. -- and in a country that has a history of being anything BUT progressive -- change happens incrementally, not overnight. The President is fighting the good fight. I've believed that from day one and I still do today.

[Cha]

190. Exactly, bayareamike.. thank you! nm

[mzmolly]

179. What an

asshat.

[Walk away]

180. I think he is just terribly jealous of the President and that colors..

(excuse the pun) everything he has to say about him. He occasionally has a good point but his green eyed monster gets the better of him. It's a little like watching John McCain. Everything comes out bitter instead of smart and sharp.

[graham4anything]

183. All he does is call people names. What has he contributed in the last 5 years?

anyone against Obama is against democracy.

[FogerRox]

184. Majority of Dems today- would be Republicans in 1964.

A Rockefeller Republican............LOL

Is there an honest to goodness Democratic Socialist Liberal that would deny any of that.