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Cornel West Responds to Criticism Over Campaign Cash From Right-Wing Billionaire Harlan Crow (www.commondreams.org)

submitted 8 months ago by Zaktor@sopuli.xyz to c/politics@lemmy.world

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Harlan Crow (of the Clarence Thomas patronage scandals) donated the max individual donation ($3,300) to Cornel West's campaign, which invited obvious criticism.

Text of his response on Twitter:

As an independent candidate and a free Black man, I accept donations within the limits of no PACs or corporate interest groups that have strings attached. I am unbought and unbossed. Despite my deep political differences with brother Harlan Crow (who is an anti-Trump Republican), I’ve known him in a non-political setting for some years and I pray for his precious family. I find it hypocritical for those who highlight his $3300 donation to my campaign but can’t say a mumbling word about the PAC-driven billion dollars to support the genocidal attack in Gaza sponsored by their candidate! I’m fighting for Truth, Justice, and Love! Onward!

Frankly, the pleasant words make this look much worse than just saying "if some asshole wants to send me money, I'll keep it". Sounds like someone he wants to keep on the good side of, but y'know they're only political differences, not stuff that really matters.

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[-] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 79 points 8 months ago

Any article with a quote by Bernie should just be an article about his quote...

Asked about West's comments on CNN later that month, Sanders said that "where I disagree with my good friend of Cornel West is I think in these really, very difficult times, where there is a real question whether democracy is going to remain in the United States of America... I think we have got to bring the entire progressive community to defeat Trump or whoever the Republican nominee will be."

"Support Biden, but at the same time... demand that the Democratic Party, not just Biden, have the guts to take on corporate greed and the massive levels of income and wealth inequality that we see today," Sanders added, noting his own willingness to challenge the president and party with which he caucuses.

Biden is nowhere near the top of my list. But we have a two party system and I'll always pick Biden over a Republican

[-] PugJesus@kbin.social 57 points 8 months ago

Bernie is incredibly clear-sighted. God, we should have had him as president.

[-] Semi-Hemi-Demigod@kbin.social 25 points 8 months ago

Should have listened to the fucking bird

[-] PugJesus@kbin.social 14 points 8 months ago

I still have my Birdie Sanders sticker hanging around somewhere

[-] Semi-Hemi-Demigod@kbin.social 6 points 8 months ago

Mine’s still on my fridge

[-] JustZ@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

I occasionally wear a Birdie lapel pin. Unfortunately everyone thinks it's a Twitter bird.

[-] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 4 points 8 months ago

Wait…. Bernie is a Disney princess?

How could he loose?!

[-] Boddhisatva@lemmy.world 0 points 8 months ago

Compare and contrast with this video of what flying creatures prefer the company of Trump.

[-] Ghostalmedia@lemmy.world 30 points 8 months ago

Cornel, it’s not that we think he’s trying to influence you. That’s not why we’re calling attention to the donations.

We’re calling attention to the donations because the right thinks your campaign benefits Trump.

[-] michaelmrose@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago

He knows it will benefit Trump. He's a rich man n bad financial straights and he's risking everyone's future to make a few bucks for himself.

[-] halfempty@kbin.social 23 points 8 months ago

Crow obviously wants to promote Cornell West as a spoiler candidate against the Democrats.

[-] YoBuckStopsHere@lemmy.world 19 points 8 months ago

He polls even lower than the lowest Republican running for President.

[-] ripcord@kbin.social 7 points 8 months ago

I've never heard of him until today and he comes across as a real tool

[-] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 4 points 8 months ago

He's a very smart guy, which makes me wonder what the hell he's up to running for president.

[-] eran_morad@lemmy.world 3 points 8 months ago

He’s a useful idiot.

[-] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago

Yeah, but what is his reason? What is really behind this? What convinced him to do it? He can't think he has a chance.

[-] eran_morad@lemmy.world 5 points 8 months ago

Self righteousness and vanity.

[-] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago

I guess. I just thought he was smarter than that.

[-] just_another_person@lemmy.world 9 points 8 months ago

Money is money in this case. If the donor doesn't support your platform, don't take the fucking money. $3300 isn't even that much money these days. Fuck this guy.

[-] commie@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 8 months ago

money is money. I don't see why he shouldn't take it.

[-] deegeese@sopuli.xyz 7 points 8 months ago

The man is a useful idiot to those seeking to destroy democracy.

[-] jimmydoreisalefty@lemmus.org 3 points 8 months ago

RFK Jr. is polling in third place, only 3rd party person that is polling that high in a while.

Robert's super pacs are receiving wealthy backing and lobbyist support, same as the bloods/crips.

Either way good when people call out politicians instead of oinly defending them.

Cornel West started losing people when he got Peter Daou, as Campaign Manager, then when he left the Green Party (44+ states possible) to the independent party (29+ states possible).

[-] SatansMaggotyCumFart@lemmy.world 4 points 8 months ago

Just the take I’d expect from someone with jimmy dore is a lefty as their name.

[-] jimmydoreisalefty@lemmus.org -1 points 8 months ago

Well, Jimmy Dore is not the only one.

I think he just has a way of explaining things in a bruttal manner, which riles up some people.

No sugar coating.

He is suprisingly quite on RFK Jr. and what he said about Israel-Palestine.

Kim Iverson did call RFK Jr. out, which is good.

RFK Jr. was trying to seem as a antiwar person, but now we know better.

[-] SatansMaggotyCumFart@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago

Only gullible people were ever fooled by Robby.

He is not a serious man.

[-] jimmydoreisalefty@lemmus.org 1 points 8 months ago

Most people tend to give the benefit of the doubt, before calling them out.

Bernie Sanders was a hard one to find out.

Dr. Cornel West was called out when interviewed by Jimmy Dore, then West got Peter Daou as manager.

RFK Jr. was found out when Israel-Palestine talks were brought up.

AOC and the Justice Democrats are others that have been called out, as well.

[-] SatansMaggotyCumFart@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago

Only gullible people took Robby seriously.

[-] BarrierWithAshes@kbin.social 4 points 8 months ago

Shouldve stayed with the green party. Really hurt his chances imo.

[-] roguetrick@kbin.social 0 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

If you're threatened by West you're already preparing your arguments for losing. He will have zero appreciable impact on the results.

If you're mad at him existing because he forces your candidate to address things he's weak on, that's just a poor coping mechanism for having a weak candidate.

Edit: to be clear, I'm not a West supporter, but I strongly want social justice Christians to start waking up and participating in the political process and he is very useful for that

[-] Zaktor@sopuli.xyz 27 points 8 months ago

Harlan Crow certainly thinks West's campaign could impact the results, and not because he wants Biden to do better on social justice issues.

Plus there's just no world where praising Harlan Crow is compatible with strong and uncompromising moral leadership. West just seems like a dude that likes having powerful 'friends'.

this post was submitted on 19 Oct 2023

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