Dr. Cornell West On Riz Khan's Show - "Free Market Fundamentalism"

Dr. Cornell West of Princeton is one of America's foremost intellectuals and an expert on sociology and race in America. I had the pleasure of briefly meeting Dr. West at the Democratic National Convention. Dr. West's comments are featured on Riz Khan's show on AlJazeera English.  


Here, West first talks Barack Obama's impact on how Black America sees itself, then about how a social industrial relationship between politcs and the military serves to hold the lower classes in their place and hamper social mobility.  


Part 1




Part 2: 

Baffle the exit poll pundits - show unity November 4th

There is a special feeling pervading the polling place on voting day, a sense of participation that transcends the partisan posturing of the preceding weeks and months. If you’ve never voted before I hesitate to shape your anticipation, but there’s no denying the sense of being a part of something that’s happening nationwide. In fact, that’s one of the reasons I wish that there were fewer people exercising “early voting” options, though I grant that there are fine, legitimate reasons that every state and territory should make that not merely possible, but easy.

I also understand the desire to flash your allegiance in a year when the focus is on national politics, particularly as the rhetoric from certain candidates has been more inflammatory than inspirational. I feel strongly about who I’ve campaigned for - there are signs in my yard right down to the level of my choice for city council, my car is practically a rolling billboard, and there’s no time I’m seen in public when there’s any doubt which candidate I support in the presidential election.

But on Tuesday, I’ll wear purple.

No matter who you think is the best candidate or party there is one truth Barack Obama articulated way back in 2004. “The pundits like to slice and dice us…" It makes for better television coverage, and they want you watching their network(s) to insure their ad revenues are high, so every year they seek to make it more compelling coverage of what they seek to portray as a more dramatic election. Despite that, on Tuesday when we make our communal pilgrimage to express our preferences, “there are not red states or blue states. There is the United States of America.”

On Tuesday, November 4th, what will you wear while you cast your ballot?

Got purple?

Zennie Abraham on CNN International - Video

I was featured in a discussion on the role and impact of bloggers in the political campaign that was hosted by Errol Barnett, who's a reporter for CNN International and produced by Jessica Ellis, of CNN's Special Projects unit.   If you remember Errol's name, he is the same person who interviewed me regarding my use of New Media at the Democratic National Convention.


The idea was to have two bloggers, one Democrat (me) and the other Republican.  The Republican choice was Adam Brinkley .  Adam's the blogger known for the "Draft Sarah Palin" movement, and since it obviously succeeded, he's due a measure of both congratulations and blame for Governor Palin's political rise and her gaffs along the way.


That aside, one has to give him his props on his achievement.


The talk appeared on CNN International, which means that it was seen around the World, but not in the United States (Rats!)  Which at first may read as a "less than" until you realize that you're seen in probably every airport and hotel in the industrialized World.  I even got an email -- right off the bat of the airing of the segment -- from a friend of mine who lives in Oakland, but was visiting Africa!


Regarding the segment, it was a short, but great conversation which one can see below in the embeded video.  But that written, either Errol or someone edited out the part of the conversation where I pointed out to Adam that more than one McCain advisor was openly critical of Governor Palin (I thought I'd liven things up a bit), and Adam said that whomever was doing that should be fired.


He's totally right.  McCain should listen to Adam more often.  Plus, Governor Palin should give part of whatever riches she gets from now on to Adam.  Were it not for him, she'd still be hunting moose in Alaska.


Here's the video:

Woman Yells "N-Word" On Obama, Sarah Palin Says Nothing

Ok.  This is not right.  Sarah Palin, who's known for stopping in the middle of a rally to take on a heckler, didn't do so this time, and let a woman in the crowd who yelled the "N-word" when Palin referenced Barack Obama go on without a verbal correction of the heckler.  Does that mean she agrees?  


At least the Alaska Gov. could have said "Now, you know, that's not allowed here!  Barack Obama is a true Patriot that we disagree with."  

Anne Marie Cox Says Sarah Palin Isn't Qualified To Be VP; Staying Here Doesn't Help

This from the infamous AMC .

Salon's Max Blumenthal Smears Zennie, Having Smeared Sarah Palin's Friend Steve Stoll

If you regularly check out my blogs or videos, you may remember my interview with Steve Stoll, who was presented in a Salon website article on "Sarah Palin's Right Wing Mentors " as a member of the John Birch Society.


Well, when I created a blog post with the Salon article as a base , Stoll saw it on Google and -- having pretty much had it with this Salon article getting repeated all over the place online (just Google "Steve Stoll palin ") -- contacted me.  After some back and forth, Stoll agreed to talk to me via video -- I agreed to give Stoll a platform to present his case.


In doing so, Stoll got to clear his name, which was pretty much dragged through the mud in the article.  First, he's not a member of the John Birch Society and is a Barack Obama supporter.  He's not the weird guy that Max and his co-writer David Neiwart painted him as.  Stoll's mentioned all over the place in the article, as if they talked to him.


They never did.


So I was happy to make the video.  And Steve was happy too.  But then today, I have this public comment exchange with an "mblumenthal" -- Max Blumenthal...Which Max starts off with this:

Zenni describes our factual reporting as "character assassination," thereby taking Stoll at his word without any corroborating evidence. Zenni never asked for Stoll's opinion on the New World Order, never questioned his anti-government views, and never explored our reporting on the disturbing role Stoll played in Palin's rise through the ranks. If Stoll had an issue with Stein's allegations, he should have returned one of our dozens of calls. Zenni, you been bamboozled!

zennie62 (3 hours ago) 

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Max. Rather than using this medium for insults, why not meet me and tell your story? What do you fear? What's the deal? I told you the deal I made with him here. But this kind of exchange from you is most disturbing.

zennie62 (4 hours ago) 

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And on that matter, I am happy to present you with an equal time on video. But also it's good to think about it from Steve's point of view. I think the story would have been just as powerful without him.

mblumenthal (4 hours ago) 

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Stoll misleads and the ever-credulous Zenni enables. I left numerous messages for Stoll, giving him to opportunity to respond to John Stein's allegations. He never called back. My co-author, David Neiwert, not only called Stoll at least ten times, he appeared at his home to query him. Stoll never called back or came to the door. We reported Stein's allegations as allegations, not facts. Stoll, meanwhile, hid from the light of day. Further, he won't address his sabotage of John Cooper and Stein.

zennie62 (4 hours ago) 

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Max, that's not fair. This all started by Steve contacting me, not the other way around. I'm not going to defend Steve, but I offer you the opportunity to tell your side of the story. I made a deal to give Steve his platform; that's how I drew him out.

zennie62 (4 hours ago) 

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Additionally, I must remind you that in a world where "Online Reputation Management" matters, it would have been good not to use Steve's name the way you did as it impacts how other see him. He wanted to clear his name. Can't you understand that?

zennie62 (4 hours ago) 

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Moreover, I guess you have to throw me into the "Chris Matthews" category because he was able to "draw out" Michelle Bachmann and let her fall on her own sword; such is the power of video. It's a different medium. I did draw out Steve. Those words are his. I'm proud of that. Also I Steve mentioned that you called him.

zennie62 (3 hours ago) 

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"Stoll misleads and the ever-credulous Zenni enables." -- it also reads as if you have formed a view of Steve without meeting or knowing him. That's not good at all. I've talked to many people on my video who's views I do not agree with. But I give them a platform so that we can be informed. You imply that you did not attack Stoll's character, then turn around and do so. Geez, man.

Here's my point:  Max -- in this exchange -- seemed to me to have a kind of axe to grind regarding Steve Stoll.  Max says he wasn't trying to smear him, then goes right ahead and      does that in the public comments.   Moreover, if you look at the article, it does not report Stoll as "perhaps" or "maybe" having done something, it's written as if it was fact.  


I offered Max the chance to allow me to video his point of view.


I'm still waiting Max.