Cornel West on Pursuing Truth in Politics

Steve Adubato goes on-location to the 2019 NJEA Convention in Atlantic City to sit down with Cornel West, Professor, Philosopher, Author & Activist, to discuss President Obama as a leader, pursuing truth in politics and the importance of respectful discourse.

12/14/2019 #328

Excerpt:

"You know, recently I was joined by professor, author, philosopher, and activist, Doctor Cornel West, on location at the New Jersey Education Association Convention in Atlantic City. We discussed race relations in America, as well as the importance of civil discourse. We also, or he compared, President Obama and President Trump's leadership style. Let's take a look at this compelling conversation with Doctor Cornel West. Steve Adubato at the NJEA Convention. We are speaking to Doctor Cornel West. And we're gonna date ourselves because this interview will air after. We don't know what's going to happen, there's an impeachment inquiry going on, there will be a vote on it... Oh. ...seems to me. We'll date ourselves. But let me ask you this. What does in fact draw you...? And we don't know where Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren or anyone else is gonna be. What draws you to, dare I say, a Bernie Sanders? Oh, my main thing about brother Bernie is, is that he has a longevity of integrity. That he's a thermostat. He's not a thermometer. You know, most politicians are thermometers. They want to check and see what the polls are before they really utter their convictions. Hmm. Where the thermostat shapes the climate of opinion. It isn't just reflected. He's been a thermostat for 40 years, so that he says what he means, he means what he says. Most politicians don't do that. Is he too far...? Let me ask you this, is he, quote, "too far left" to be elected President of the United States in your view? I think that if we follow the polls and see what people are actually yearning for, which is security from domination, a wonderful phrase my brother Jeff Stout, again, security from domination, which is not just a matter of policy, they want to live a life of decency and dignity, and they want to get some distance from the insecurity, economic, political, and so forth. Now I've got disagreements with brother Bernie, I mean, you know, we debate all the time. Reasonable people disagree? Absolutely, see I'm a jazz man. Jazz man. I don't want unanimity, you know. It bores you? Yeah, and you know, I come from a... black people, our anthem is "lift every voice," it's not "lift every echo." I don't want people just part of an echo chamber. Different voices? You got your voice. Your voice is like your fingerprint, my voice is like my fingerprint. Unique? We're unique. Singular. We raise and we bouncing off against one another. But for Bernie it's a question of integrity. It's hard to find politicians these days... Okay, so I'm gonna bring up... ...who have genuine integrity. ...another name. I'm sorry for interrupting. Yes, no…"