Cornel West

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September 13, 2011

Tavis Smiley explores education crisis in TV special

theGRIO VIDEO - In part two of theGrio's interview with Tavis Smiley, the television host and commentator discussed his upcoming…
September 12, 2011

Tavis Smiley: Don't call me an Obama critic

theGRIO VIDEO - Tavis Smiley says he's not a critic of President Barack Obama, he's an "advocacy journalist" holding the…
September 8, 2011

Will Obama's jobs speech silence his black critics?

OPINION - Unemployment rates for African-Americans are now the highest it has been since President Obama took office, and the…
September 7, 2011

Will blacks who backed Obama in '08 stay home in 2012?

theGRIO REPORT - The biggest problem the president is facing is not whether people will switch sides. It's whether people…
August 30, 2011

Black Caucus benefits by criticizing Obama fairly

OPINION - The CBC has created a model for how to critique President Obama as an ally without coming across…
August 25, 2011

How Obama has subtly reached out on race

OPINION - He is aware of the history of race and racism in this country and ingrained inequality of our…
August 22, 2011

Can black America afford another GOP president?

OPINION - There is no viable alternative. The current crop of Republican presidential candidates are even more radical and far…
August 18, 2011

Why Tavis and Cornel won't stop Obama in 2012 (even if they try to)

Never mind the slings and arrows of Tea Partiers. The most politically problematic criticism of Obama these days is coming…
August 18, 2011

Obama 'ain't perfect, but he's ours'

OPINION - How can we hold this president accountable on issues specific to African-Americans and others who are disproportionately impacted…
August 16, 2011

Why we need a 'New Deal' for black America

OPINION - What we need is inclusive, creative political action and an increased investment in new strategies to develop skills,…
August 12, 2011

Cornel West, Tavis Smiley playing poverty games

The funny thing about the much ballyhooed and ridiculed Tavis Smiley/Cornel West joint production poverty tour is how the tables…
August 11, 2011

Tavis Smiley: 'The poor are rendered more and more invisible'

VIDEO - Smiley and Cornel West discuss their poverty tour, what they would like to see change in Washington, and…
August 10, 2011

Steve Harvey: Cornel West, Tavis Smiley are 'Uncle Toms'

theGRIO REPORT - During his syndicated radio show, comedian Steve Harvey called out West and Smiley for their poverty bus…
August 9, 2011

West and Smiley's 'Poverty Tour' veers way off track

OPINION - If Smiley and West really have the goal of raising awareness of the problem of poverty in America…
August 5, 2011

Why I confronted Cornel West: Words matter

OPINION - The question is not whether we should call Obama out when he errs, but in what forum, manner…
July 25, 2011

Smiley and West take Obama critique on the road

(AP) - Cornel West and Tavis Smiley are planning a 15-city "Poverty Tour" to bring attention to the needy and…
July 25, 2011

Cornel West flunks the president

Cornel West: I think he had to keep me at a distance. There's no doubt that he didn't want to…
July 22, 2011

Cornel West, Tavis Smiley continue to complain about Obama

theGRIO REPORT - Cornel West, Princeton professor and celebrated black intellectual, refers to Obama as a "mascot" and a "puppet"…
July 1, 2011

Memo to Herman Cain: Obama is a real black man

OPINION - What's at issue isn't any one man's definition of blackness. It's Cain's willingness to play the "blacker than…
May 20, 2011

Why Prince deserves props for his political activism

OPINION - While better known as a musical genius for pioneering the Minneapolis Sound, Prince's social consciousness has been a…