Cornel West gives rousing introduction for Bernie Sanders at historically black college

[marble falls]

WATCH: Cornel West gives rousing introduction for Bernie Sanders at historically black college
Tom Boggioni

12 Sep 2015 at 15:05 ET
Cornel West introducing Bernie Sanders at Benedict College - screenshot



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Activist and academic Cornel West, who recently endorsed the upstart candidacy of Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT-I), put his boots on the ground for the progressive candidate by appearing with him at historically black Benedict College in South Carolina.

While Sanders has had his difficulties with Black Lives Matter activists, he has the full-throated support of West who calls him “Brother Bernie.”

“What I love about Brother Bernie is he’s a brother of integrity and honesty and decency,” said West, stating “He’s not just on the move. He’s going to win!”

Referring to polls showing Sanders surging, particularly among younger voters, West said, “Oh, if the election could be held right now, and only those who voted had to be 25 and younger, he’d be president at the moment.”

After his introduction, West sat with the students and led them in a standing ovation as Sanders mentioned the names of black Americans who have died at the hands of police officers.

Watch video of West’s introduction, uploaded to YouTube by Bernie 2016:

[Hortensis]

1. Great. Didn't watch the video, but will watch for an effect.

[NJCher]

19. watch it!

I'm a public speaking teacher and I had no idea Cornel West was such a dynamic speaker! I start a public speaking class this Wednesday, and I'll be showing this to my class, in addition to watching the Republican debate.

Watch his gestures. They're descriptive of what he's talking about. At one point he even hugs the podium!

His vocal inflection is just what we public speaking teachers tell our students to do: it varies, up, down, even to a near-whisper.

He totally had the audience captivated. The only thing that didn't quite come across was when he said the part about about how Bernie would be president now if under-25s were the voters. They may not have gotten it in the moment, but if they think about it, they will.

So do watch it, Hortensis. I think you will find it well worth your while.


Cher

and p.s. the kids onstage are all dressed up--you gotta' love 'em. They remind me of my own students.

[Hortensis]

20. Did--with new attention, NCCher. Wow. Now EXPECTING that effect. Thanks.

West has often been too hostile and negative to ping with me, in spite of also often speaking to truth, but his praise of Bernie was truly inspiring.

And, yes, those earnest kids are rather adorable, and inspiring in their way too. I'm guessing this group will vote!

[RoccoR5955]

23. And that's the Cornel West

many of us know and love.
He has always been very dynamic. I think he was either born, or spent a lot of time in NYC, because he talks so much with his hands! Either that, or he has some Italian blood. You know that we Italians speak with our hands. It gets the point over better.

Brother West also has that way of making remarks that make you think. I got the thing about the under 25s, and I am sure that the more observant ones in the audience will get it too.

I have seen him speak on many occasions, and there is no speaker like him.

[Hortensis]

24. This endorsement is actually rather exciting. I've been thinking almost anything

could happen, and it's hard not to believe that, no matter what happens this time around, good change is in the wind.

[haikugal]

26. Thank You fo saying it...

Love West...and he's ALWAYS been a dynamic speaker!

[marble falls]

3. I think there's a lot more than Bernie that care about the issues of concern for minorities.

[Bonobo]

4. Tell when Hillary has an opening speaker talk openly about a White Supremacist culture in America.nt

[RiverLover]

5. Thanks for posting. I had no idea blacks were this excited for Bernie for President!

Such a rousing intro. Cornel West speaks truth, just like Bernie.

[Catherina]

8. The crowd loved him

but there's still work to do to overcome the hateful smears from the establishment and its supporters. All that texting is signing up for campaign updates.

Cornel West is a great ally to have.

[sabrina 1]

32. You have to go outside of DU to find out what is really happening

re this campaign. Blacks have been forming support groups for Bernie since the beginning of his campaign.

Each of those groups has been growing in support all over Social Media.

The biggest challenge for Bernie is that many PEOPLE, not just AAs, still do not know who he is. But as we have witnessed in the states where he started out with approx 3% in the polls, he is now beating Hillary.

Some of the students at this event yesterday eg, stated that they 'did not know much about him until they heard him speak' and 'will now be going out to work for his campaign'.

The false meme you see here is just that.

AAs have been speaking for themselves since Bernie's campaign began and many are working to make sure other AAs learn about him because polls show that only one third of AAs actually even know who he is.

That is about to change, just as has everywhere else.

[dpatbrown]

6. doctor's orders.

Just what is needed for Sanders to start chipping away in the black community. I'm sure more of this will resonate.

[Le Taz Hot]

7. How in the HELL

are people offended by this man? Everything he said is the TRUTH. But he hurt some Obama fans' fee fees so everything he's ever done, ever said, everything he's ever going to do and everything he's ever going to say is now irrelevant because he hurt fee fees'. Now THAT is disgusting.

[Demeter]

10. You know what Jack Nicholson said in "A Few Good Men"

"You can't handle the truth!"

Some people can't. They are fully invested in a lie or a series of lies that hang together, sort of. To break through to the truth would be too painful and costly, in the immediate time.

Of course, truth has a way of winning the arguments, in the long run...

[AlbertCat]

15. They are fully invested in a lie or a series of lies that hang together, sort of.

Like a religion!

[Demeter]

16. That's one example

Political groups are another. Family self-history or corporate PR are a couple more.

Some medical theories that later get discredited also come to mind...

Some individuals in the human species have an infinite capacity for fooling themselves with lies they or others tell...

It all has to do with the quality of one's research and reason....

[Hollingsworth]

21. I didn't like much of what West said in the derogatory way toward the President.

In my view, there was no need for him to say some of those terrible things.
But having said that, I do appreciate that he is working to help Bernie and give him great credit for that. Not everything has to be black and white, right and wrong, hate or love - there are a lot of mixes in between.

[oberliner]

9. Cornel West: Obama A ‘Republican In Blackface’

During an interview last week with Democracy Now, author and activist Cornel West offered harsh criticism of President Barack Obama, calling him a “Rockefeller Republican in blackface” and not someone who is actually looking out for the best interests of the impoverished. The prominent social critic also lashed out at black MSNBC personalities, accusing them of “selling their souls” in support of a president who has been anything but progressive.

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/cornel-west-obama-a-republican-in-blackface-black-msnbc-hosts-are-selling-their-souls/

Very disappointed that Bernie would want to align himself with this character.

[Fumesucker]

11. Do you disagree with Obama's own view of his position on the political spectrum?

[oberliner]

18. What about the "blackface" part?

That remark doesn't bother you at all?

[MrMickeysMom]

25. Obama's view then was packaged in a "fair", yet, "vague" way...

If one believes in supportive infrastructure and "helping" the young with education, then one must realize that the gross mal-distribution of wealth to the top 1/10th of 1% would need to help, which was (of course) never part of this explanation.

The Obama in the clip above is the same Obama Mr. Mickey's DAD recognized waaaay before Mr.Mickey's MOM ever did.

What was I thinking, anyway? I wanted Obama to be Bernie Sanders before I knew how to properly analyze what Obama meant, borne out by his never managing to address the disparity, or erosion of civil liberties, or further support of a perpetual war state.

Fool me once…..

[Hortensis]

28. MrMickeysMom, you ask too much! Far more than could be done.

You just can't reverse 40 years of destruction and marching backwards in 8, especially when much of the citizenry is determined to continue to pull backwards. That is beyond the power of any president.

Obama could have accomplished much more if the large majority who believe what he wanted to accomplish was good had voted in larger numbers in 2008 and in far larger numbers in 2012. The failure to achieve more of what we should have in these years is ours.

[MrMickeysMom]

30. I'll go one better than that...

Numbers in voting, voter turn-out is a reflection of whether anything really matters anymore.

We need (not my words, but they've become my words) a Democratic Revolution. We need to show up in large numbers at our congressional local office. We need press releases of what we demand congress do, and we need to fight to OVERTURN Citizens' United.

[Hortensis]

31. Agree totally with all (except that so much does matter tremendously, of course).

[Fuddnik]

12. I'd be disappointed if he didn't.

[NorthCarolina]

13. +1

Me too. I think it's more sour grapes than anything else.

[FairWinds]

14. Hey Mr. Oberlin -

I would ask you to consider the possibility that Cornel's
assessment of both Obama and MSNBC are correct.

(I live close to Oberlin myself . .)

[oberliner]

17. I don't consider President Obama to be a "Republican in blackface"

In fact, I find that characterization to be pretty offensive.

But to each his or her own.

Where do you live? Elyria?

[MrMickeysMom]

27. In order to consider what he is...

… you have to consider what it is to be a Republican OR a Democrat.

Depends on how long you've lived. You would have to go back and see some Senate and House debates, state of the union addresses and understand that Obama describes himself pretty well. He's a centrist when it comes to domestic policy. He kissed the ass of Wall Streeters. He never followed through on 9 years of detention without a trial for people never charged with a crime.

This is more a strong Republican ideology than "moderate" Republican a la Barry Goldwater, or Lincoln Chaffee days.

For. Sure.

[oberliner]

34. But what about the "blackface" part?

Isn't that kind of an offensive thing to say?

[Ron Green]

39. i understand why he said it.

The significance of Obama's blackness (not a descendant of slaves, as are most AAs in this country, but with an African father and white mother) is powerful and complex: it was the Moment of the first black president, a huge symbol for people of color but also a giveaway from the white establishment; a trade-off, if you will, for his reasonableness and willingness to play the game of transnational capitalism upon which this whole system is balanced.

And this is what Cornel West is talking about. Obama is black enough to satisfy (almost) everyone, but white enough to not upset the status quo. And he proved it with his policies: Health care for the big players, not for everyone; military action in the Middle East for the neocons; bailout for the banksters; drilling for the oil bidness; and so on.

West's language was harsh, but I think necessary. People paid attention to it. It had to be said.

[MrMickeysMom]

40. I agree with Ron Green's explanation above mine...

Outside of that, I'm a white woman, so see what people of color have to say about that in this thread.

Harsh words? Yeah…. pretty harsh.

Something that needed to be put forth? Yes…. Very much so. More than I could convincingly add, due to my whiteness on the subject.

[marble falls]

22. But you like the people that Hillary lines up with? CCA, Private prison lobby, banksters etc.

[HooptieWagon]

29. You may not like his rhetoric...

...but West is essentially correct. Obama has embraced many republican positions. Hillary is even a bit further right of Obama. Not the 'change' I'm looking for.

[oberliner]

33. I disagree

Though I can understand why Sanders would want his support.

[HooptieWagon]

35. If Sanders is running against corporate control of government...

...then criticism of a Corporatist President is fair game.

[oberliner]

37. "Blackface" seems a bit much though

Doesn't it?

[HooptieWagon]

38. From a black man, no.

I think Dr. West is entitled to choose his language.

[mhatrw]

41. From me. yes. From West, no.

He can call Obama whatever he wants.

[oberliner]

42. Why can he call Obama whatever he wants?

Do you really mean that?

[LWolf]

36. Worth watching again! nt