Cornel West: Obama is "Black Mascot of Wall Street Oligarchs & a Black Puppet ..."

[Rakhmetov]

This Princeton professor who is a leftist and campaigned on behalf of Obama is now like many of the president's erstwhile admirers: frustrated, depressed, feeling ashamed of being hoodwinked, and feeling guilty over letting the country's most vulnerable citizens down by supporting Obama.

“I have to take some responsibility,” he admits of his support for Obama as we sit in his book-lined office. “I could have been reading into it more than was there.”

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/the_obama_deception_why_cornel_west_went_ballistic _20110516/#

[progressive_lefty]

Foolish comments, and he will regret them. It seems like everyone wants Obama to use his magic wand. Obama's far from perfect, but in my opinion Fox News and Corporate America are the real perpetrators of the situation the US finds itself in.

[∞]

Not bad Mr. West, not bad at all. I used have some dislike for him because of his opinions on Marx's advocacy for atheism.

[RadioRaheem84]

Foolish comments, and he will regret them. It seems like everyone wants Obama to use his magic wand. Obama's far from perfect, but in my opinion Fox News and Corporate America are the real perpetrators of the situation the US finds itself in.

Say what? While he was campaigning with his faux populist rhetoric, he was already saying he was a New Democrat, a center-right organization that peddles Clintonian dogma. He was also already pointing out that Larry Summers and Tim Geitner as his economic gurus. I knew from the start that Obama was going to bring change from Bush back to Clinton.

Get over it. West is right on the money. Obama is as much at fault for the system as Fox News. He is a puppet of Corporate America.

The only foolish one here is you.

[Jose Gracchus]

Obama's the main disciplinarian of the working-classes, since he purports to support their interests more than Republicans. Therefore it is for him to frame what the working-class's acceptable losses are. The Republicans are just another device, they help keep Obama to the right. People need to stop looking at liberal democracy as very free-wheeling and open to pressure, and more like the degenerated and corrupt husk that it is. I don't think it has very much progressive content anymore.

[FreeFocus]

I always thought Cornel West was very foolish for coming out and throwing his support behind Obama during his campaign. The fact that he expected anything in the first place is very disappointing. His years of political observation should have yielded a wiser conclusion.

[Spawn of Stalin]

Foolish comments, and he will regret them. It seems like everyone wants Obama to use his magic wand. Obama's far from perfect, but in my opinion Fox News and Corporate America are the real perpetrators of the situation the US finds itself in.
Obama gets elected on a progressive ticket, days after assuming office sends dozens of drones into Pakistani villages, killing women and children. He crushes any hope of closing Guantanamo concentration camp and getting a nationalised healthcare service, and wins a Peace Prize . Fast forward to today, life in the US still sucks for working people (no offence Americans, you know I'm right), and the US is still in Iraq, still in Afghanistan, even deeper in Pakistan than Bush could've ever dreamed of, oh and bombing Libya too!

And you blame some right wing news channel?! You've got some thinking to do.

[GPDP]

Obama gets elected on a progressive ticket, days after assuming office sends dozens of drones into Pakistani villages, killing women and children. He crushes any hope of closing Guantanamo concentration camp and getting a nationalised healthcare service, and wins a Peace Prize . Fast forward to today, life in the US still sucks for working people (no offence Americans, you know I'm right), and the US is still in Iraq, still in Afghanistan, even deeper in Pakistan than Bush could've ever dreamed of, oh and bombing Libya too!

And you blame some right wing news channel?! You've got some thinking to do.

But you see, Obama wanted to end all of that, or at least make some reforms to ameliorate the situation! It's just those mean, nasty Republicans and teabaggers don't let him.

Trust me, I totally know the guy and his TRUE intentions, even though I've never so much as seen him in person.

[tachosomoza]

All who believed that electing Obama and the Dems in 2008 would bring about some new golden age are seeing the truth now. The only way to make things better for the people is to take direct action to overturn the current 2 party hegemony.

[Sir Comradical]

Let's graffiti his office door with: "I TOLD YOU SO! ☭☭☭"

[manic expression]

Part of me strongly suspects that Cornel West speaks the way he does in order to appear smarter than he is. Then again, maybe he was on the Obama bandwagon simply because it was good publicity at the time. Probably both.

Whatever the case with West, it's nice that Obama supporters are finally coming to grips with reality. After slinging mud at the left from their corporate-funded campaign party, then trying to rationalize the exact same policies that they condemned only months prior when Bush was doing them...it's good that more and more are questioning Obama and the major capitalist parties. It'll have a radicalizing effect on many IMO.

[Terminator X]

Foolish comments, and he will regret them. It seems like everyone wants Obama to use his magic wand. Obama's far from perfect, but in my opinion Fox News and Corporate America are the real perpetrators of the situation the US finds itself in.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/226939_115012685251624_109158912503668_149391_6563 926_n.jpg

[Mather]

Foolish comments, and he will regret them. It seems like everyone wants Obama to use his magic wand. Obama's far from perfect, but in my opinion Fox News and Corporate America are the real perpetrators of the situation the US finds itself in.

Obama is as much part of the ruling class as Fox News and corporate America.

During the 2008 presidential election, Obama raised a lot of money from key sections of corporate America, such as the banking, legal, financial and media industries. Many of his key allies and cabinet members are openly and unashamedly reactionary (Timothy Geithner, Lawrence Summers, Robert Gates etc). Then there is the fact that policy wise, very little (if anything) has changed and it is in no way unreasonable to compare the Obama presidency to that of Bush.

[ZeroNowhere]

Foolish comments, and he will regret them. It seems like everyone wants Obama to use his magic wand. Obama's far from perfect, but in my opinion Fox News and Corporate America are the real perpetrators of the situation the US finds itself in.Fox News. Seriously?

[Reznov]

Not really surprising. More of the same shit, what fucking Leftists actually thought for a moment that anything was going to change when Obama got elected?

Because he has a darker skin tone than his predecessors and his bullshit slogan "Change"? For fucks sake people, come on!

[Mather]

Not really surprising. More of the same shit, what fucking Leftists actually thought for a moment that anything was going to change when Obama got elected?

Because he has a darker skin tone than his predecessors and his bullshit slogan "Change"? For fucks sake people, come on!

Obama: $532,946,511

McCain: $379,006,485

Thats how much each of them spent on their respective presidential campaigns in 2008.

So it seems that Obama's half a billion dollars has been well spent, considering how many people fell for his hyped up campaign.

[progressive_lefty]

Fox News. Seriously?

You don't believe the influence of Fox News as the most popular news network in America isn't heavily related to this situation in America? A Fox News network that is almost openly against democracy and in favor of extremely hardline military policies? It's been persuasively argued that American politics has changed extensively since it was formed in the 90s.

Pushing aside the fact that everyone obviously hates Obama on this thread, do people still comfortable with West referring to Obama like this: '"Black Mascot of Wall Street Oligarchs & a Black Puppet..." It sounds like Tea Party language to me. For argument's sake, let's take the opinion that Obama is a sell-out democrat, should it still be acceptable to refer to him like this?

I disagreed with West's comments, I didn't offer my full 2000% support for Obama. You can't assume that I agree with his positions on democratic uprisings in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. But I refuse to demonise him with the kind of language the Tea Party and its supporters use.

[reformnow88]

Obama is just being used to convince those on the left that all of the american imperialist policies are ok

[VeritablyV]

Obama is a puppet just like the rest, the cabinet is where you'll see the influences. You can't run for presidency without having a lot of money for your campaign. Money that is given through lobbying.

While West's use of Black seems a tad unnecessary, the Mascot and Puppet.. seem about right.

[RedSonRising]

I'd rather applaud the man for individually and publicly recognizing that Obama failed to apply even the smallest of measures to advance the accountability of the elite, participation in the democratic process, or the rights of the working class, rather than chauvinistically saying "Yo you maaad late."

Yes, it was silly to campaign for his election in the first place, but at least he did not do so with delusions of grandeur and is now using his status as a trusted symbol for social activism to now reverse the myth for those who will listen. This is a good thing people. We're leftists and it's the damn US of A, we'll take what we can get and keep on trying.

[ZeroNowhere]

Pushing aside the fact that everyone obviously hates Obama on this thread, do people still comfortable with West referring to Obama like this: '"Black Mascot of Wall Street Oligarchs & a Black Puppet..." It sounds like Tea Party language to me. For argument's sake, let's take the opinion that Obama is a sell-out democrat, should it still be acceptable to refer to him like this?Do you mean that he should have said 'mulatto'? I don't really have strong feelings either way on that issue.

[RedHal]

atleast West got off the Obamalaid faster than some former black radicals. Angela Davis voted for the first time in her life because of Obama, and even stated on a DN! interview that Obama won despite the money factor...

[KurtFF8]

If anything, we could view this as a positive development. West has always been a social democrat (self admitted) and his high profile criticism of Obama may be a good thing considering it's coming from a Leftist perspective.

Those who are so quick to dismiss West perhaps haven't read much of his works or seen many of his speeches. He recently gave quite a damn good speech at the Left forum where he even praised Huey Newton:
8a0PijdLC4g

[Spawn of Stalin]

Pushing aside the fact that everyone obviously hates Obama on this thread
Boo-hoo, everyone hates Obama. Who cares? Of course everyone hates Obama, the is, at present, the world's chief representative of imperialism.


do people still comfortable with West referring to Obama like this: '"Black Mascot of Wall Street Oligarchs & a Black Puppet..." It sounds like Tea Party language to me. For argument's sake, let's take the opinion that Obama is a sell-out democrat, should it still be acceptable to refer to him like this?
Really? You're seriously going to compare Cornell West with the Tea Party?

Obama is black
Obama is a puppet
Obama is a black puppet

Makes perfect sense to me.

[Mather]

You don't believe the influence of Fox News as the most popular news network in America isn't heavily related to this situation in America?

If by this you mean that Fox News plays it part in imposing ruling class ideology on society through the mass media, then yes Fox News will have effect on the tone of political discourse. The important point on this issue is that Fox News is not alone on this, what about CNN, ABC, MSNBC? All of the mass media in the USA is in the hands of the ruling class, so if we wish to counter this then our job is to develop our own working class media.


A Fox News network that is almost openly against democracy and in favor of extremely hardline military policies?

As distastful as Fox News is to watch (and I'll admit to that), it's only real difference with the other channels (CNN, ABC, MSNBC) is that of style and presentation. On all the central issues that are of great importance to the ruling class (war, US imperialism, economic policy and labour relations) all the news channels from Fox News to CNN will promote the same narrative, which is the ruling class narrative.

A good example would be the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Both Fox News and CNN were supportive of the war in terms of their coverage, taking government claims at face value and both employed censorship. Whilst Fox News may have been more shrill, openly chauvinistic and less 'professional' than CNN, in terms of substance both channels did exactly what was expected of them by the ruling class.


It's been persuasively argued that American politics has changed extensively since it was formed in the 90s.

By whom and on what basis?

Also, what do you mean by American politics being formed in the 1990s?


Pushing aside the fact that everyone obviously hates Obama on this thread,

The point is not even about whether people hate Obama or not, some do and some don't. The point is that Obama is as much a ruling class politician as any other, be they Republican or Democrat.


do people still comfortable with West referring to Obama like this: '"Black Mascot of Wall Street Oligarchs & a Black Puppet..." It sounds like Tea Party language to me.

What Cornel West meant was that the ruling class and political establishment got behind Obama in order to give the US capitalist system a more 'human face'. Obama was promoted as this great liberal reformer who was in touch with the concerns and needs of the people. It turns out that once in office, Obama seems to be much more comfortable with Wall St. than Main St.


For argument's sake, let's take the opinion that Obama is a sell-out democrat,

What is your actual opinion on this?


should it still be acceptable to refer to him like this?

Unlike the Tea Party who make such references out of racism, West is making the point that despite having an African American president, racial inequality and divisions still exist in the USA. Obama being president will have no real impact on the disproportionate number of African Americans who are in jail and on death row, who are unemployed, who still lack access to healthcare, who rely on food stamps, who are homeless etc...

With Obama in the White House, the ruling class try to portray a "post racial America", yet for the majority of African Americans life remains the same and will even get worse due to the economic crisis. This is the point West was making.


I disagreed with West's comments,

What about the rest of the article?

Minus the two labels West gives to Obama, the article contains many criticisms made by West in relation to the policies of the Obama administration. Do you disagree with West on this as well?


I didn't offer my full 2000% support for Obama. You can't assume that I agree with his positions on democratic uprisings in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. But I refuse to demonise him with the kind of language the Tea Party and its supporters use.

No one is assuming anything.

What are your views on Obama then?

[progressive_lefty]

Pushing aside the fact that everyone obviously hates Obama on this thread, do people still comfortable with West referring to Obama like this: '"Black Mascot of Wall Street Oligarchs & a Black Puppet..." It sounds like Tea Party language to me. For argument's sake, let's take the opinion that Obama is a sell-out democrat, should it still be acceptable to refer to him like this?
Unlike the Tea Party who make such references out of racism, West is making the point that despite having an African American president, racial inequality and divisions still exist in the USA. Obama being president will have no real impact on the disproportionate number of African Americans who are in jail and on death row, who are unemployed, who still lack access to healthcare, who rely on food stamps, who are homeless etc...

With Obama in the White House, the ruling class try to portray a "post racial America", yet for the majority of African Americans life remains the same and will even get worse due to the economic crisis. This is the point West was making.
I don't accept your justification for describing Obama as a 'Black Mascot' or 'Black Puppet'.

[Mather]

I don't accept your justification for describing Obama as a 'Black Mascot' or 'Black Puppet'.

That was not my "justification" for anything. I simply stated what West meant when he used those two terms because you don't seem to understand that.

Given the context in which West was speaking about Obama, there is no way on Earth you can compare his statements to that of the Tea Party.

You have also yet to answer all the other points I made and I'll put these two questions to you again:

Minus the two labels West gives to Obama, the article contains many criticisms made by West in relation to the policies of the Obama administration. Do you disagree with West on this as well?

What are your views on Obama then?

[apawllo]

He more or less says the same thing here:

jOgd8MK-m_Y

With the hope he had initially placed in Obama he's probably gotten more frustrated over time, which is understandable...

[RadioRaheem84]

I don't accept your justification for describing Obama as a 'Black Mascot' or 'Black Puppet'.

oh come off it. West is trying to say that Obama being black doesn't mean that he will challenge establishment politics. He is saying that instead he has just become the black face of neo-liberalism, capitalism, establishment, when before it was predominately a position filled by white men.

You know this is what he meant, so stop acting like you're offended.

How can you be a leftist and not see that Obama himself is to blame for much of the failed expectations? Did it ever occur to you that Obama was just a run of the mill opportunist politician? And you want to blame Fox News? Laughable.

[Blackscare]

Whatever happened to restricting liberals on this site? :confused:

[GPDP]

Whatever happened to restricting liberals on this site? :confused:

The last liberal that got restricted threw a self-important shitfist about internet tyranny and what not, so maybe the mods don't feel like dealing with that.

[∞]

Foolish comments, and he will regret them. It seems like everyone wants Obama to use his magic wand. Obama's far from perfect, but in my opinion Fox News and Corporate America are the real perpetrators of the situation the US finds itself in.


08S4poMGvwA

[x359594]

The last liberal that got restricted threw a self-important shitfist about internet tyranny and what not, so maybe the mods don't feel like dealing with that.

Also, maybe the few liberals here will learn something because otherwise they're only challenged from the Right, and that make them feel like they're part of the real Left. Here, they learn what the real Left actually believes.

[tachosomoza]

Also, maybe the few liberals here will learn something because otherwise they're only challenged from the Right, and that make them feel like they're part of the real Left. Here, they learn what the real Left actually believes.

Most of them know what the real Left believes, they just don't want to be stigmatized as a "stinking commie/socialist/anarchist/etc." Can you blame them?

[pluckedflowers]

Most of them know what the real Left believes, they just don't want to be stigmatized as a "stinking commie/socialist/anarchist/etc." Can you blame them?

I don't think this is true. I think most liberals are just as uninformed about the actual meaning of words like capitalism and communism as your average conservative. They are raised and indoctrinated with the same capitalist ideology as everyone else, and the very point of this ideology is for people to take the existing world as an absolute, inviolable given.

[CleverTitle]

I like Cornel West a lot. He speaks with a lot of experience and passion. I disagree with some of what he says, but damn if I don't respect the guy.

[Lunatic Concept]

Good article about the election by Mr Chomsky
http://www.zcommunications.org/elections-2008-and-obamas-vision-by-noam-chomsky