AP
Today Princeton Professor Cornel West has been getting a lot of attention for his criticisms of Barack Obama:
I think my dear brother Barack Obama has a certain fear of free black men … When he meets an independent black brother, it is frightening. And that’s true for a white brother. When you get a white brother who meets a free, independent black man, they got to be mature to really embrace fully what the brother is saying to them.
[He's] a black mascot of Wall Street oligarchs and a black puppet of corporate plutocrats. And now he has become head of the American killing machine and is proud of it.
If it turns out in the end that we have a crypto-fascist movement and the only thing standing between us and fascism is Barack Obama, then we have to put our foot on the brake.
Tonight, Professor West is on the Ed Show to explain those remarks.
Leave a Comment:
This is too funny! Princeton Professor Cornel West is a prominent member of the Democratic Socialists of America, and admired "the sincere black militancy of Malcolm X, the defiant rage of the Black Panther Party and the livid black theology of James Cone." Cornel West is just irritated at the fact that Obama has not quickly moved far enough to the LEFT to transform our Republic into a true "Socialist" state; just as Michael Moore is disappointed in Obama. They know his days as President are numbered as we approach 2012, and the radicals believe they need to strike NOW, or forever miss their opportunity for a socialist 'paradise' in America. He's an educated guy, I won't take that away from him; but realize he's a no good radical that would change and transformation our Republic into a marxist socialist government while destroying our Constitution. He's support Black Liberation Theology and is a friend of Rev. Jeremiah Wright. West has called the U.S. a "racist patriarchal" nation where "white supremacy" continues to define everyday life. He is another "race pimp", except he's a more intelligent version of Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. Frankly, I would take his anger as a compliment. If only he was more patient, Obama is working to transform our Republic into a welfare nanny state....just not as fast as he wants it to happen. LMAO!!! He's saying Obama is not "black enough".
Several things. First, do you seriously believe that white supremacy is not alive and well? Did you segregation is coming back in a few school districts, including New York City's? Secondly, in what way is Obama a socialist? He didn't take over the auto industry, he wrote them a blank check. Ditto the banking industry. That's not socialism, that's being a corporate stooge. The national minimum wage has not increased during his presidency. The healthcare industry is as privatized (& overpriced) as it was before. He's lowered taxes for 95% of Americans. He has fired government employees. He signed a free trade agreement with South Korea. He has not regulated the financial industry. So where exactly does the socialism come in? And by the way, if he's a socialist, why would he attack Moammar Gadhafi, an Islamic Socialist? I have news for you, this country is a plutocratic nightmare, thanks in part to Obama. If you really think the GOP is any better, you have a really bad memory. If you think most Dems are any better, you're mistaken.
White Supremacy and the Black Panther Movement = two exteme sides on the same idiotic coin. Obama proved he supports socialism when he forced Obamacare on all citizens; forcing them to purchase a 'government' product for doing nothing except being an American. He pursues social justice to 'spread the wealth', which is basically stealing from 1/2 the population to 'give' it to the other 1/2 for nothing in return. He extended the "Bush Era Tax Cuts" after much pressure, so don't give him too much credit. He passed it under duress, and it helped the economy. His millions in failed tax payer stimulus - far exceeding TARP - was another measure of gaining government control and influence over industry and the financial system to an extent never seen before in our history. He would have made FDR and Woodrow Wilson proud in a socialist way. If he wasn't a socialist he would support the only democracy in the Middle East - Israel. Instead, he has made that relationship the worse its been in decades, while instigating unrest in the Middle East with no follow on support to create a democracy, which is allowing the Muslim Brotherhood to gain political strength and power in Egypt and elsewhere. A marxist socialist also believes "big government" is preferred over small and limited government for the people, which goes against our Constitution; similar to the European style governments we see today. Socialists are also Globalists, which is why you have Progressives like Bill Clinton signing NAFTA into law, supporting GATT and the WTO, just as Obama supports so-called "free trade", which leads to more American jobs being exported overseas. You don't think he and the FED are influencing the financial industry? Seriously? Goldmann Sachs and others that contributed to his campaign? Better think again.
you don't know anything about socialism. literally. for one, by no means is democratic socialism radical. they seek to achieve social reforms through electoral politics, which is laudable, but i don't think it goes far enough. further, you seem to confuse marxism with stalinism. don't do that, it makes you look ignorant. marxist socialists are for small states and no exploitation. the ultimate goal is a stateless society i.e. a society where there is no distinction between the government and the governed. as in democracy. look into marx and lenin's descriptions of imperialism as the most advanced stage of capitalism. globalism and imperialism are synonymous. liberals!=socialists, "left" and "progressive" aren't quite the same thing. one exists, the other is a a brand, i'll leave it up to you to figure out which is which. in a marxist analysis, NAFTA destroyed the working population... of ALL the countries involved while benefiting whom? capital. the fed is a private cartel of... capitalists. YOU are not a capitalist. YOU do not own the means of production through which people you employ earn you a profit from your invested capital. you are an apologist for the corporate elite, and the worst part is that you don't realize it. next time you're standing in front of the federal reserve branch in your area with a bullhorn screaming "wake up!", pause for a moment and think about waking up yourself.
Goldman Sachs contributes to his campaign and HE controls THEM? He controls industry by writing them blank checks? Also the extension of the Bush tax cuts did not help the economy. In December 2010 (when they were renewed) was 9.1%. Presently, the unemployment rate is 9% (source: bls.gov.) FYI, I am a democratic socialist and dead set against globalization, as most people on the Left are. Obamacare is not a government product, it is private insurance you are required to buy. If you got your information from people besides Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh, you would know these things. By the way, writing in bold doesn't make you right or persuasive.
daug, and Greenneck: You are wasting your time trying to reason with mikey. He is a loyal follower of the beckerhead. He has been TOTALLY indoctrinated. You can tell this by his use of the beckerhead's talking points. "Socialist, Marxist, radicals, Obamacare, social justice, spread the wealth, globalists, and the FED", just to name a few.
This guy is a pure nut. And Ed is nut for having him on the show. west is not relevant in the black community, that is what his problem is.
ED invites Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Cornel West, Rev. Wright and whom ever else he can find within the black community that are far left 'race pimps' or 'racists' that often have zero credibility within the black community today. Lets see him invite Herman Cain or Allen West!
West is somewhat obscure. I don't think Ed knew who he was, but read about what he said about Obama somewhere. I first heard about West when he was accused of using someone else's scholarly material without giving credit. He was convicted of that charge by his University. I heard nothing more until about a year ago.
He supported Obama until Obama didn't return his every other week phone calls during the campaign, and failed to make sure he got tickets to the Inauguration, which was wrong, and embarrassing in front of West's mother.
This is personal, not political. West is petty. He thought he was going to be a big shot confident of the first black President. Now he is angry because he isn't.
West said he got angry at Obama when he didn't get tickets to the Inauguration and was embarrassed in front of his mother. West is very petty.
To Cornell West} Mr. West... I DO NOT expect the President of the US to come down to my job and tell my supervisor to relieve my stresses! (and EVERY other Black man in America) THE PRESIDENT DOES NOT RESIDE DOWN HERE IN THE WEEDS, you idiot!
Ed
Unfortunately Cornell West has completely "DUPED" you.
The Black community threw him and his riding buddy Tavis Smiley out during the 2008 elections.
It's surprising that you are not aware why Cornell West is so Angry with President Obama.
Cornell is Tavis Smiley's Best Friend, Tavis was thrown out by the Black Community during the 2008 elections because he disrespected the Black Community by insuaiting that they were basically said they were ignorant and could not make appropriate voting decisions simply because they were not backing their candidate at that time.
This all came about and it was in the news as a matter of fact Tavis Smiley was fired from the Tom Joyner Morning Show due to Back Lash from the Black Community.
Smiley hosted the State of Black America for years however, in many opinions produced no or little results.
It's my understanding that at that time Tavis Smiley and Cornell West backed Hillary Tavis even had President Clinton's Book on his website for promotion. Tavis and West Scolded the Entire Black Community because they would not abandon then Senator Obama and support Hillary.
Mr. Smiley invited then Senator Obama to speak, however, the invitation came after then Sen. Obama had accepted another engagement on the same date. Sen. Obama's calendar had been full for many months, therefore could not make the forum. These two Smiley and West thought that he should simply dismiss his confirmed schedule and attend Smiley's forum.
Since the Senator was locked into his engagement, these two according to many in the community have made it their mission to "Embrass now President Obama.
There was some information on Huffington Post during that time several comments made by some in the Black community about these events.
Tom Joyer received significant heat from the Black Community and Tavis Smiley who had been on his show for a number of years was asked to leave the show. Cornell West has been on a rampage against President Obama since 2008.
It's unfortunate and it's sad but it's the understanding of many that Cornell West has -0- Credibility within most of the Black Community.
Most important why is Cornell West teaching anyone children while screaming as he did on your last special and he conducted himself in an awful manner. I could not believe this guy was actually a College Professor.
This is the perfect opportunity for families to petition Princton University and ask for his removal. His conduct is so unbecoming of a College Professor responsible for departing k, should he continue this method of outreagous conduct.
Ed, why hou have fallen in this terrible FUED, it anyone's guess and its disrespectful and shameful. After hearing that Mr. West would be on the show tonight, Many have chosen to Turn You Off Tonight.
President Obama has never indulged in this ridiculous campaign by West and Smiley, he's a professional and has refused to indulge as a result West appears to continue to display almost hate against the President.
Our Country has too many serious problems that you have covered significantly well until tonight. We don't have time for some angry man who appear's to be looking to embrass the Black community and the President with his what one can only see as hate in every sentence and every display of anger that he continues to display every time hes give the microphone.
Unfortunately Mr. West venture appears to be all about hate from many prespectives and he continues to make a fool of himself with any media that will give him a microphone. So far you have been the only one willing to provide him with a platform. Ed this is the second time you have given him a mircophone and considering his conduct on your special it's mind boggling as to why you would even have this man on as a guest ever again.
Ed do what you do best look out for the American people don't get involved in Angry disputes from someone like Cornell West who unfortunately based on his conduct it's surprising that he has the honor of teaching our kids. If any college graduate conducted him/herself in this manner we would be so very dissapointed. And this display of anger is coming from the Adult responsible for teaching the students!
It's going to be interesting to see if Princton University will put a stop to what many preceive is his unbelieveable conduct in the media.
It's hard to believe that Princton University is not concerned about his conduct as they must surely have conduct standards for all professors.
Ed we need you covering the American people so many suffering, loss of homes, jobs, living in shelters, living in cars families living with relatives, we simply don't have time for some unhappy professor from a prestigeous University who's not suffering to take your time when it could best be used to serve those Americans who really need your voice and your help.
cornel west does not speak for me .. his comments are petty.. pres obama is th e pres of all the people even those that want to see him fail.. cornel thinks he's suppose to cater to aa only.. the jobs bill has been sitting in the senate..waiting for votes for passage. the public option even though he wanted it there were no votes to pass it so he had no choice but to go the other way. unless mr waet start saying something constructive he should not open hjs mouth
oh yeah? his comments are petty?:
“[T]he empire is in deep decline, the culture is in deep decay, the political system is broken, [. . .] nearly everyone is up for sale, you say all I have is the subversive memory of those who came before, personal integrity, trying to live a decent life, and a willingness to live and die for the love of folk who are catching hell. This means civil disobedience, going to jail, supporting progressive forums of social unrest if they in fact awaken the conscience, whatever conscience is left, of the nation. And that’s where I find myself now.
“I have to take some responsibility"
hows that for a quotable? or do you want to bring up the tickets again, despite that being one of several slights to a man who was allowed at OBAMA'S table if he was MAKING IT, doing 65 rallies during the elections. Dr. West is credible, Obama is not:
“I was thinking maybe he has at least some progressive populist instincts that could become more manifest after the cautious policies of being a senator and working with [Sen. Joe] Lieberman as his mentor [. . .] But it became very clear when I looked at the neoliberal economic team. The first announcement of Summers and Geithner I went ballistic. I said, ‘Oh, my God, I have really been misled at a very deep level.’ And the same is true for Dennis Ross and the other neo-imperial elites. I said, ‘I have been thoroughly misled, all this populist language is just a facade. I was under the impression that he might bring in the voices of brother Jospeh Stiglitz and brother Paul Krugman. I figured, OK, given the structure of constraints of the capitalist democratic procedure that’s probably the best he could do. But at least he would have some voices concerned about working people, dealing with issues of jobs and downsizing and banks, some semblance of democratic accountability for Wall Street oligarchs and corporate plutocrats who are just running amuck. I was completely wrong.”
but yeah. you're right. petty. oh yeah, that last quote up top about fascism? how it's supposed to indicate that Dr. West was calling the president a fascist? that's not what he said. here, have a little context:
“Can you imagine if Barack Obama had taken office and deliberately educated and taught the American people about the nature of the financial catastrophe and what greed was really taking place? [ . . .]If he had told us what kind of mechanisms of accountability needed to be in place, if he had focused on homeowners rather than investment banks for bailouts and engaged in massive job creation he could have nipped in the bud the right-wing populism of the tea party folk. The tea party folk are right when they say the government is corrupt. It is corrupt. Big business and banks have taken over government and corrupted it in deep ways.
“We have got to attempt to tell the truth, and that truth is painful, [. . .]It is a truth that is against the thick lies of the mainstream. In telling that truth we become so maladjusted to the prevailing injustice that the Democratic Party, more and more, is not just milquetoast and spineless, as it was before, but thoroughly complicitous with some of the worst things in the American empire.
Right On! dmb
Ed Dr. West is correct. Most blacks do not wan't to hear the truth when it comes to President Obama. But Blacks must hold him accountable just as they would a white President. We can not sit up and give him a pass just because he is black. Conversation that I have with other black people. They want to defend him even when he is wrong. The problem with home forclosers could of been handle much better. I seen no help. He half way back the health plan. I have never heard him take a stand on QE2 and it is very hurtful on the poor trying to save. He always gives in to the right and not take a solid stand on anything,etc,etc. I may have to vote for him as the lesser of the 2 evils. I had hoped that I would not have to feel that way with the next election.
Cornell West was exactly right when he said that Obama missed the opportunity to coopt the Tea Party and help save American jobs and homes, due to a lack of courage.
And he is right to characterize Obama as a puppet of Wall Street - how much more evidence do we need on that point?
Finally, Ed, bringing on Melissa Harris Perry (whom I respect) to rebut West, rather than making your own points directly, was ill-considered on your part. It made you look weak. You're better than that.
June is absolutely on point with the background info about the nature of Dr. West's and Tavis Smiley's personal beef with Obama. They are being petty because they feel snubbed by the Prez. They continue to peddle their vague criticisms, but they do not speak for the "black community" as Tavis found out the hard way in '08. Funny how Tavis never disclosed the fact that he was in the tank for Clinton at the time.
However, I wouldn't chastise Ed for having him on the show because he and Tavis need to be shown for the book and cd selling hacks that they are. I've never seen West or Smiley in the hood or the rural communities with their sleeves rolled up as I have seen Obama and Sharpton do. I have never seen them stand with working people the way Ed has. Why? because they're too busy rubbing elbows with their celebrity pals and the so called "black intelligensia" to get their hands dirty. They would rather throw rocks from a safe distance and then hide their hands.
Big Ed, You have the audacity to claim that Newts a racist, and you embrace the likes of Cornell West. Has common sense always alluded you? I preferred the Big Ed Sullivan Show. At least there, the clowns were called clowns.
What a hypocrite!!!
ED looked like the FOOL that he is! I loved this show. Any educated person can highlight the 'small mind' ED has in politics once you get him off script. LOL!!! I enjoy seeing you all 'eat your own' as you attack West for coming out against Obama - your Messiah. I love the cowardly responses.... "I had to turn you off because I felt bad...." Oh the sweet tears of the far left Progressives as you realize "the Emperor has no clothes." Yes, please bring other intelligent people on your show so you can go 'toe to toe' and lose every time. You guys never want to admit when Obama is wrong. Never. Because then you would have to admit you might be wrong....and you call yourselves, "Liberals". LOL!!! Three cheers for Cornel West!!! Hip Hip Hooray! Hip Hip Hooray! Hip Hip Hooray!!! I love the way the mindless minions ask you to stay out of these controversial discussions and stick to your simple script of racism and class warfare. And to those that believe Obamacare is not a government product, it is private insurance you are required to buy. More BS. The fact the government can "force" you to buy insurance for doing nothing, violates the Constitution as we learned from the Federal Judge in Florida. The far left Progressives, aka Socialists, are going down in 2012!!
And three other federal judges said it does not violate the Constitution. Again, Obama is not on the far left. And he's going down, really? And just which one of the illustrious GOP field will beat him? The Texas libertarian the establishment of the party hates? The Mormon flip flopper who basically agrees with Obama on healthcare? The Most Boring Man in the World? Or will it be the Right's Bill Clinton to the power of 3? By the way, what are you even doing on on this page?
Mike-22030: you, like Cornell West, have a problem; hatred. Good luck with it for as the Bible states, "he who lives by the sword, dies by the sword".
I'm not a democrat and I don't have a problem with honest criticism of the President as I've done so on several occasions myself, but Melissa Harris is right about West's underlying motives. Ed did well to have her do the rebuttal since she does have more knowledge of the backstory than he has. It was a well done segment.
Princeton University, a place we dream of sending our children. Oh how far we've lowered the bar just temper our guilt and to demonstrate our equality. That this guy is teaching at Princeton University is a travesty to the tuition payment, or the scholarship for that matter. A perfect guest for the Big Ed show.
It has been well documented that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Enter Cornell West. Additionally, there is nothing worse than an educated fool. Perhaps West is not old enough to know there was a time when Black People were not permitted to attend Princeton University. Now that someone else has paved the road to entry there West assumes that he alone has made it possible. What an idiot. One can only pity those he supposedly teaches. Years ago my Dad worked at Princeton University as a houseman (Terrace Club, Washington Street). That was one of the extremely few ways A Black Man could enter the Princeton campus then.
HEY! Mr.West i like the things you do for the black race in America,but sometimes we must pull back and view with carefulness and see where the power is comming from,because you know and i know this how the leadership of america was to come about, and it's some part of the country that you have fear of certain black men to. If you say you do not you are lying to yourself. This is only the beginning there is one to come that is mix with indian,black,mexican,caucasian,and jewish. Let's not fool our self you remember the little kid that came around us because the whites did not want him around them.they his skin was dirty and when he came around us we accepted him,but we never gave him that much respect,but he hung in there faught with us and we as a race came to love him. What i like about him,he work trough two race of people being toss too and fro and he came out with one of the higest education walk on to be president and took a black sister with him.Oh! he could have took a caucasian sister with him.Remember some of our full bread black did not,and it is nothing wrong with the caucasian sister eather because now days they got that bump in the back or that trunk on them howevery you want to call it.So easy up off him he paid his dues.