Cornel West Spars With Ed Schultz About Obama (VIDEO)

Ed Schultz sparred with Prof. Cornel West about President Obama after a day after the high-profile scholar and leading black intellectual gave a scathing interview condemning Obama's term in office.

On Monday, an interview with West appeared on the website Truthdig. In it, West called Obama "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."

Schultz did not agree with this critique, and on his Tuesday show, he asked West to explain what he meant. West had also said that Obama didn't have "backbone." Schultz mentioned the killing of Osama bin Laden and said, "what are you talking about?" West said he was referring to having "backbone for poor children, misabused workers, those unfairly incarcerated, those middle-class folks who are experiencing downward mobility."

"Is this personal?" Schultz asked, noting the intensity of West's critique. "Well, it’s personal only to the degree to which we’re talking about the system in place that is rigged at the moment against poor and working people and Obama is the president," West said.

Schultz said that Obama is facing record numbers of filibusters and a Republican-controlled House. "He has accomplished some big things, don't you think?" he said. "...If he didn't have the votes, what is he going to do?"

"But Ed, he missed the moment!" West said, saying that Obama could have focused on homeowners and poverty.

West also repeated his assertion from the interview that Obama "has a fear of free black men." Schultz asked him to explain this. West said he thinks "has a predilection much more toward upper middle class white brothers and Jewish brothers [and] a certain distance from free black men who will tell him the truth."

WATCH:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Comments

[The Lone Stranger]

02:36 AM on 05/30/2011

Obama found out where Bin Laden was hiding last August.

Five months later the Seals first began training for a possible mission.

Nine months after we found out where he was Obama sent in our guys who got the job done.

I can understand that it might take a few weeks to get Bin Laden, but our seals are trained professionals and this was not complex mission requiring th ebtter part of a year to pull off.

Is this evidence of a backbone?

[aliciab]

07:03 PM on 05/29/2011

dr. cornel west has NEVER lied on hobama!!!

he has actually been far too reticent and kind!!!...

http://aliciabanks.xanga.com/732761867/dr-cornel-west-is-my-hero---his-love-for-obama-is-not-blind/?page=6

[ksker]

04:01 AM on 05/25/2011

Maybe Mr. West was thinking back to a time when members of the Presidents staff referred to people in the Democratic Party as “retarded” or “on drugs”, as if it were a point in conversation with the President.

I found this much more offensive than any “colorful language”, Mr. West may have used.

By the way, I agree with many of his observations, if not necessarily the way he said it.

[Snarliechell]

10:47 PM on 05/24/2011

I do not think there is a bigger joke then Dr West his hair his teeth the way he talks come on/ m

[Joe Bagz]

11:33 AM on 05/26/2011

No offense meant, but by not addressing the topic and instead choosing to denigrate a highly educated articulate man on his appearance or speech you imply not only that you fail to understand what he said but prove that the bigger joke is not Dr. West, but you. Just my opinion.

[dgrown]

10:03 PM on 05/24/2011

Cornel West name-calling and blame was undeserved. Mr. West has the President confused with a civil rights leader or activist. The misery shared by poor and some middle class people cannot be blamed on the current presidency. If Mr West seeks change he should organize and do so but to name call serves no purpose and only encourages our youth to do the same among themselves. Mr West should take a sabbatical, buy a suit of color to lift his spirits and leave interviews to adults. ( Poor fella I hope he gets a ticket to the next Inaugural).

[Sharkcellar]

04:25 PM on 05/23/2011

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/why_prophets_like_cornel_west_make_liberal_sell-outs_attack_20110523/

[Sharkcellar]

11:56 AM on 05/23/2011

I'm down with West.

[Obamacratic1]

04:45 PM on 05/21/2011

Cornel West’s comments seemed petty and naive. Dr. West is way too intelligent not to know the potential affect his statements may have with respect to the black voting block in the 2012 presidential election. With Frank Luntz pushing Herman Cain on the republican side, it makes me wonder if there isn’t some collusion going on here somewhere…

[care4mypeeps]

10:25 PM on 05/21/2011

Obamacratic1 Your statement is very well taken. if there is a devious plot in the background it will come to the light.

I don't like conspiracy theories, and believe firmly that whats done in the dark will announce itself abruptly in the light of day.

I wish for our brother Cornell West the best, I have a lot of respect for him and will pray for his continued leadership.

We can nip a lot of this stuff in the bud by Educating our People to think for themselves and urging them to becoming more studious about how our Government works.

Conservative Talk Radio have ruined our Nation with their constant lies and Propaganda and a lot of our people are caught up in that mess.

Peace and Love

[Obamacratic1]

11:43 PM on 05/21/2011

Care4mypeeps, I agree with you – I don’t like conspiracy theories either, but this one is not too far fetched. Splitting or suppressing the black vote could be part of an effective strategy for the republicans (and others who don’t want to see President Obama get a second term). Also, this is even further proof that President Obama is a wise man – looks like he was right to keep Dr. West at arms length. What do you say about a man who would put his personal grudge ahead of the greater good of the people he purports to advocate for?

[WujiUIBe]

03:23 AM on 05/21/2011

When beginning a conversation based upon bad assumptions...the conversation and any subsequent, theoretically informed action -- is bound to go further astray, adrift, afoul, and far afield of the true concern.

Message to the president, no -- not a black agenda, for we are all Americans; but an agenda to address the specific needs of Americans plagued by history – recent and ancient (relative) – and further plagued by individual choices of life expression in different historical eras of struggle and growth, promise and letdown, readiness and ill-preparedness, tyrannical treachery and persevering triumph – ludicrous litigation, laughable legislation, death-defying determination, insufficient and lackluster public education, clandestine and overt orchestration and manifestations of systemic and individual discrimination, abhorrent abominations...and all things being alive in an atmosphere and environment of life begot by heinous history, birthed by hopeful history, and therefore “always” – impacted by history. We are living history.

History is only glorious when it glorifies, seldom when it magnifies, debunks, demystifies, and decries, and reveals lie on top of lie. History is not in the book but in the heart. The Truth is not, but is often confused for some lady named Perception. The truth is never found in the company of that rascal, the repugnant and revolting Deception. Also, that claiming to be the loving truth comes bearing no weapons to try to beat others (you know, sisters and brothers) about the head. Lastly, the truth persists long after fantasy is dead.

[WujiUIBe]

03:42 AM on 05/21/2011

II
Mr. Kennedy squandered the opportunity. Mr. Johnson did not apply himself. Mr. Nixon did not work well with others. Mr. Ford was just passing through. Mr. Carter had not yet hit his stride. Mr. Reagan did not know what time it was. Mr Bush had better things to do. Mr. Clinton was distracted. Mr. Bush overreacted. What will Mr. Obama do concerning this issue of American people? For the root of this problem is rooted in the founding of this nation and we who believe that will not be convinced otherwise. The racist/revisionist has done a remarkable job of convincing folks otherwise (even presidents). But courageous lovers of all people never bow to haters, imitators, vacillators, eternal debaters, perpetrators, nor instigators ; especially where it concerns the hate that has killed generations (mentally, spiritually, and literally).

[WujiUIBe]

03:45 AM on 05/21/2011

III
The bad assumption was that a job and a seat in the next bathroom stall would fix a wound -- so deep, so identity injurious, so esteem ravaging, so psychology altering, so culture shocking, so knee buckling, so fear entrenching... The bad assumption was that assimilation (read imitation) was the cure for a ravaged soul. The bad assumption was new clothes without a shower would hide the fraudulent, fear-based funk. The bad assumption continues to plague (see my big shiny rims spin in front of the assisted living dwelling where not a book can be found on a shelf but I do have the latest gadget to waste my time and divert my mind and attention from the dreary reality of not living up to my potential), but there remains a higher justice and a deeper education to be realized. There remains an opportunity for Dr. America to step up and show that much hyped “exceptionalism”; to show that often touted greatness, where it concerns the plight, the strife, the rights, and the aggregate life (from cradle to grave and then some) of people struggling all over this land with the many different hues, yet wearing the same painful shoes and singing the same sad old blues of daily woe.......heavy burden, troubled life – always in tow, they seem unable to break free...to let it go.

[Results May Vary]

05:59 PM on 05/20/2011

Cornell West is one of the most intelligent people in the world. I used to love just listening to him talk. It seems like he was one of the people that, for whatever reason, Obama would be able to change any and every thing with a snap of his fingers on his first day in office. Someone as smart as Mr. West should be more aware of the difficulties one faces as president.

[papapj]

03:06 PM on 05/20/2011

What people forget so quickly is how Cornel campaigned doggedly for Barack. You may recall, back in 2007, Obama had this problem with Black people:

http://tinyurl.com/3g69lpm

They didn’t really buy his act. They liked Hillary, the tragic wife of America’s first White/Black president. It took a lot of endorsements from respected Black scholars, politicians and cultural figures to win Black people over to Obama’s side.

Cornel West was one of these people. He campaigned all over for Barack. Now he, like many feel’s somewhat betrayed.

http://tinyurl.com/6drk4u2

..And in HIS OWN words, this is why;

http://tinyurl.com/3tlsqo3

Maybe some of you who are quick to stone him, should get his side....

[Citizen-Jane]

03:47 PM on 05/20/2011

x 2

[TheBestPatriot]

06:32 PM on 05/20/2011

Quel choc! Two Clintonites are in agreement.

Film at 11:00.

[ksun1]

05:35 PM on 05/20/2011

I live in a state where Hillary beat Barack in the primary. The union activists went all out for her; and they still have some influence with black voters. It had nothing to do with the state of her marriage, IMO; but more about black voters having been union members for generations and the "union label" still having a positive meaning for numerous black voters in a state that is continually hostile to unions. Unions have been prime avenues for the development of black leadership in this predominately-white state; and has historically helped many black voters here rise above minimum-wage employment.
I didn't vote for Hillary because I thought her to be too pro-war and I didn't like some of the obvious pandering she did with certain reactionary segments of the populace when she visited my area. That whole "is he black enough" issue isn't something I heard in my area--it had erupted in nearby Chicago over the years and had been pretty much dismissed as silliness by voters in my area.

When Barack became the party's nominee, the union activists worked as hard for him as they did for Hillary in the primary. I stood for hours in a long line at an early voting center; and not once did I hear a black voter question the effect of Barack growing up with white grandparents as an issue. And Michelle was a great campaign asset for him in my area.

[MarkInEugene]

02:35 PM on 05/20/2011

Wonderful exchange...very very interesting discussion! Cornel is always enlightening.

[dancingstu]

02:30 PM on 05/20/2011

""But Ed, he missed the moment!" West said, saying that Obama could have focused on homeowners and poverty."
 
No offense, Prof. West, but it's not "the moment" to focus on homeowners and poverty when we're in a recession.  The president needed to focus on creating jobs and reinvigorating the tax base so that there would be federal funds available at some point which could then be focused on homeowners and poverty.

[TheBestPatriot]

04:49 PM on 05/22/2011

Agreed.

Why doesn't Dr. West use his platform to empower poor people to get out and vote instead of attack Obama for not being black enough?

It's personal with him.

[dancingstu]

08:56 AM on 05/23/2011

"Why doesn't Dr. West use his platform to empower poor people to get out and vote instead of attack Obama for not being black enough?"
 
I don't know.  He might have, but I don't know enough about him to say whether he's helped to increase voter turnout in predominantly black communities.  All I know is that the focus on a politician's race is disappointing, regardless of where it's coming from.

[Sharkcellar]

12:03 PM on 05/23/2011

Whatever. Obama is the president and calling him on his hypocrisy is the best way to make it known that he isn't living up to his campaign rhetoric. It's Obama, not West, who has the bully pulpit of the POTUS, a fact that's seemingly been unapparent to Obama from the get go.

[Paul Burton43]

10:21 PM on 05/24/2011

Also dealing with homeowners and poverty would have better addressed the recession. The lack of an answer for the housing market threatens the feeble recovery currently underway and is the reason why the recovery is feeble. Housing would have driven half of the recovery.

Instead our government decided to give money to the rich via a variety of methods including quant easing (well over a trillion has been handed to the capital markets) via this approach. In addition numerous policy changes that created windfalls for corporations at the expense of folks that can't afford to invest in the capital markets. Healthcare reform has been and will be a continuous gold mine for healthcare, drug and insurance companies -- their stock prices are up by an average of 75% since the bill was passed. Their profits are up just as dramatically.

The facts are that the poor and former middle class are suffering immensely -- losing their homes at an accelerating rate, still unemployed and under employed.

Dr. West has simply called a spade a spade.

[dancingstu]

01:47 PM on 05/25/2011

Your comment as well as Prof. West's seems to be based on a false premise: that President Obama has done nothing for homeowners or the poor since he because President.  That's absolutely not true, and you know it.
 
You can criticize his strategies for dealing with the recession and trying to encourage job growth.  You can even criticize his strategies for addressing the foreclosure crises and poverty.  But let's not act as if by not focusing 100% of his attention on homeowners and the poor that he has neglected them completely.

[falsy]

02:03 PM on 05/20/2011

Is Ed so concerned with maintaining power that he's unwilling to accept the truth. Cornell West is speaking the truth. In the words of Stevie Wonder, "We are sick and tired of hearing your song, telling us how you are gonna change right from wrong, if you really wanna know our view, you haven't done nothing!"

[PC Contrarian]

01:58 PM on 05/20/2011

Obviously, West is a racist; otherwise, he wouldn't be criticizing Obama's "blackness".
Next thing, he'll be criticizing Obama as the food stamp president, instead of creating jobs.
As we all know, that's racist code.

[dancingstu]

02:31 PM on 05/20/2011

Actually, the fact that Prof. West felt the need to make an issue of Obama's race in his comments did indicate that there was a racist element to his critique.
 
OMG a black man can be racist?  Who knew?

[papapj]

04:43 PM on 05/20/2011

...You have no idea what racism is....

[TheBestPatriot]

06:33 PM on 05/20/2011

Spot on.