(Robert Jonathan, Headline USA) Cornel West condemned the Democrat Party as, in effect, being irretrievably broken for selling out purported progressivism to corporations and the military-industrial complex.
West, the far-left former Harvard and Princeton professor, is running for president in 2024 for the Green Party.
During a 20-minute interview, West weighed in on election-strategy-related comments made by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, the millionaire so-called independent who votes in lockstep with the Democrat agenda in Congress.
Sanders recently vocalized on NBC that the progressive community needs to unite behind Joe Biden’s reelection to prevent, without a hint of irony or self-awareness, “authoritarian” and “dangerous” Donald Trump from winning a second term.
In response, Cornel West, who backed Sanders for president in 2016, sharply criticized Democrats for being too cozy with “Wall Street and war” instead of representing the interests of low- and middle-income Americans.
In this context, the author, philosopher and academic activist nonetheless maintained that he still “loves Brother Bernie,” but there’s a bigger picture beyond mere lip service.
“So I think in many ways, Brother Bernie is making a plausible argument, but I think deep down in his heart, he knows that the Democratic Party has no fundamental intention of speaking to the needs of poor people and working people.”
His takedown continued: “They are dominated by their corporate wing, they’re dominated by the militarists when it comes to foreign policy, and that he and AOC and the others are going to be, in a certain sense, window dressing at worst, and at best, people to appeal to every four years.”
West added that “But the Democratic Party is beyond redemption at this point, when it comes to seriously speaking to the needs of poor and working people.”
Given the various uncertainties in play, he also expressed some doubt as to whether Joe Biden or Trump will, in the end, actually become the nominees of their respective parties.
The professor originally intended to be the standard-bearer for the fledgling People’s Party, but switched to the Green Party apparently because of more established ballot access.
The Greens will officially select the party’s presidential nominee at their national convention on a date yet to be determined. There are currently eight candidates, but obviously Prof. West, 70, is the most high-profile, if not charismatic, among them.
West advocates various radical policies for which the populist right could never abide, but there is common ground in the opposition to both endless war and crony capitalism.
Reports are increasing in the media that the Democrat establishment — including the go-along-to-get along progressive cohort — has grown concerned that West could be a spoiler in the upcoming presidential contest such that his third-party bid could help elect Trump.
West should probably anticipate some negative coverage from his former fans in the pro-Biden corporate media, and it seems it’s already happening.
The Daily Beast, for example, claims that West — a tax-the-rich advocate — allegedly owes approximately $500,000 in federal taxes.
For decades, Dems have referred to Cornel West only in the most reverent terms: "one of history's most accomplished black scholars."
Then he challenges Dems and they send out their paid propaganda boys to spew every old trope: Tax Cheat. Deadbeat Dad.
What's next? Drug Dealer? https://t.co/ega2ISVgAu
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) August 29, 2023
West responded to the news outlet by email that “I have asked my accountant to respond to these charges some of which are not true.”
The accountant apparently has yet to respond.
In a flashback to 2016, some Democrat operatives believe that Jill Stein’s Green Party candidacy helped elect Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton.
This time around, Stein is serving as West’s interim campaign manager.
Biden is also facing a primary challenge from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a lifelong liberal who has taken a populist approach on some key issues including free speech and health autonomy.
Earlier this month, when asked on the Breakfast Club radio show about his potential disruption to Biden’s reelection, Cornel West quipped that “It’s a beautiful thing. That’s what it means to be a servant of the people…what it means to be a threat is you calling into question an order that’s predicated on too much suffering of precious everyday people.”
Cornell West’s powerful response to being asked how he feels about the Dems calling him a “threat” to a Biden victory🔥 pic.twitter.com/MGww0KmX9m
— HOT SPOT (@HotSpotHotSpot) August 9, 2023
Although he is obviously no fan of the GOP, Trump, or the “corporate duopoly,” back in 2013, West characterized Barack Obama as a “war criminal” for authorizing drone strikes in the Middle East.
