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In reply to the discussion: Cornel West on the President [View all]ucrdem
(15,512 posts)210. He's free to complain but he's poorly informed. Specifically:
Most of his complaints are tired talking points taking Obama to task for ill-defined or false issues: "We ended up with a Wall Street presidency, a drone presidency, a national security presidency." Okay but what is he objecting to exactly? Others are pure demagoguery:
And we ended up with a brown-faced Clinton. Another opportunist. Another neoliberal opportunist. Its like, Oh, no, dont tell me that! I tell you this, because I got hit hard years ago, but everywhere I go now, its Brother West, I see what you were saying. Brother West, you were right. Your language was harsh and it was difficult to take, but you turned out to be absolutely right.
"Absolutely right" about what? And in the few places he gets down to brass tacks, he gets his facts wrong:
You go straight to the establishment and reassure them that youre not too radical, and try to convince them that you are very much one of them so you end up with a John Brennan, architect of torture. . . .
In fact, Brennan was not an "architect of torture," wasn't connected with that operation, and per Reuters went on record objecting to it.* So basically West is talking out of his ass.
.......................
*
But other former officials say Brennan was among agency officials who were uncomfortable with the use of physically coercive tactics, despite the legal opinions that supported their use. He expressed concern, according to these officials, that if details of the program became public, it would be CIA officers who would face criticism, rather than the politicians and lawyers who approved them.
"If John says he expressed reservations about some techniques, I believe him because he's an honest guy," said John McLaughlin, who was deputy CIA director at the time.
"Mr. Brennan had significant concerns and personal objections to many elements of the EIT (enhanced interrogation techniques) program while it was under way," a senior administration official said in response to Reuters' inquiries. "He voiced those objections privately with colleagues at the agency."
from: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/30/us-obama-nominations-brennan-idUSBRE90T07I20130130
"If John says he expressed reservations about some techniques, I believe him because he's an honest guy," said John McLaughlin, who was deputy CIA director at the time.
"Mr. Brennan had significant concerns and personal objections to many elements of the EIT (enhanced interrogation techniques) program while it was under way," a senior administration official said in response to Reuters' inquiries. "He voiced those objections privately with colleagues at the agency."
from: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/30/us-obama-nominations-brennan-idUSBRE90T07I20130130
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To put Toure in the same sentence as Beyonce and those others is quite an insult to him.
Liberal_Stalwart71
Aug 2014
#223
Cornel West thought that by tying his wagon to Obama's star, it would elevate him . . . .
Major Hogwash
Aug 2014
#64
Perhaps Dr. West felt he was owed a ticket, if not a full Inaugural Presentation as had Jay-Z and
WinkyDink
Aug 2014
#127
I agree. Same thing for believing in white privilege or supporting Eddie Snowden, too, IMHO.
AverageJoe90
Aug 2014
#191
I usually enjoy listening to Professor West but, I have to agree with your point here.
3rdwaydem
Aug 2014
#18
so you have no problem that West always makes references to the President's color when he critisizes
still_one
Aug 2014
#87
All Redirection - While Avoiding The OP Topic - Classic Logical Fallacy Debate Tactics
cantbeserious
Aug 2014
#148
I Am Not Pissed At Anyone - The Poster That Did Not Read The OP Is Pissed
cantbeserious
Aug 2014
#201
Those whom he feels have slighted him, done him a personal injury by not being properly obsequious.
Ikonoklast
Aug 2014
#230
You're not saying anything that hasn't been noted over and over and over again
Number23
Aug 2014
#180
I wouldn't be surprised at any reactions. Black people are no more monolithic than
ellenrr
Aug 2014
#119
"The torturers go free. The Wall Street executives go free. The war crimes in the Middle East,
tularetom
Aug 2014
#20
This part: "He posed as a progressive and turned out to be counterfeit."
Chathamization
Aug 2014
#30
Literally, you are correct, many people at the bottom of the food chain went to jail
tularetom
Aug 2014
#158
Numerous tortures went to jail. Numerous people on Wall Street went to jail.
NCTraveler
Aug 2014
#162
You are not supposed to call other DUers trolls or sock puppets without proof. nt
tblue37
Aug 2014
#205
Is he STILL pissed off about not getting special treatment at the inauguration?
MohRokTah
Aug 2014
#28
Right, I'm sure this public intellectual bases everything he says on what happened at the
ellenrr
Aug 2014
#88
Thank you, she~ "It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man
Cha
Aug 2014
#56
Yes, you were, Gen.. the President intiated My Brothers Keeper to help start a whole new generation
Cha
Aug 2014
#95
I did too, Gen~ A brilliant Initiative from the President to pass down through time for
Cha
Aug 2014
#111
Yes, the President has history actually helping people.. Black, White, and all shades and you
Cha
Aug 2014
#57
It's our Political board to interact, ucr.. and Everything is Politics now.. Air, Water, Food,
Cha
Aug 2014
#68
The hatefullness of Cornel's rhetoric matches that of quite a few of the head nodders
Number23
Aug 2014
#181
The jerk can't criticize the president without making a reference about the presidents race. To me
still_one
Aug 2014
#85
If Cornel West just criticized the President and his policies that would be understandable, but the
still_one
Aug 2014
#82
That actually is a different issue, his personality, which is subjective. When he was on Bill Maher
still_one
Aug 2014
#131
Oh, I've been seeing a lot of articles come up with his quotes since this OP.. and
Cha
Aug 2014
#133
I wish Obama had a decent congress that would not block everything good. eom
uppityperson
Aug 2014
#197
Funny how people criticized the dictatorial policies of bush and seek the same from Obama.
uppityperson
Aug 2014
#225