Summary
It was interesting, because the [Barack Obama] surrogates had to be OK'd by the national headquarters in Chicago. And they said "no" to most of the black folks who were suggested. Yet when my name came up to speak in Ohio, they said "yes," according to one black brother who was on staff there. He was surprised, after all the stuff he'd heard me saying. When he asked why I'd been approved, they told him, "We really believe, that, deep down, brother West really loves Obama. He just speaks his mind. And when he speaks his mind, he actually brings more people."
Well, for one, I think he's already made a move towards substance in terms of his stimulus packages. He's putting a focus on the financial Katrina and the 2 million distressed homeowners. He's dispersing funds direcdy to them. Plus, he's planning public spending on job creation. And those same people need health care independent of their employment, because they're going under. I'm glad that he's letting us know that that is the first order of business. This is crucial, because everyday people on the ground level aren't benefiting at all from Treasury Secretary [Henry] Paulson's recapitalization of the banks.Not at all. It's just right-wing jargon [that] suggests that somehow we've never wanted to be responsible. And those folks who haven't been responsible should have been. They didn't need to wait for Obama to win. The greatest critic in terms of black responsibility has always been the black community itself. So I think we've always had black responsibility, (ine election doesn't make a difference in that regard.See the full content of this document
Extract
Dr. West Weighs In
Born in Tulsa, Okla., on June 2, 953, Cornel Ronald West is one of America's most gifted and provocative public intellectuals. The Princeton University professor is the author of "Race Matters," a classic work credited by many with changing the course of the country's dialogue about justice and equality along the color line. A cultural icon, he has received the American Book Award, as well as more than 20 honorary degrees.
The always talkative West recently spoke to the Banner about his new book, "Hope on a Tightrope," weighing in on everything from President-elect Barack Obama and the economy to affirmati...See the full content of this document
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