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>> IT'S NOT JUST THAT
DONALD TRUMP IS SAYING AND DOING
RACIST THINGS, HE IS ALSO
IMPLEMENTING POLICIES THAT ARE
HURTING AND IMPACTING NEGATIVELY
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
>> I DON'T THINK DONALD TRUMP IS
DOING AN AWFUL LOT TO APPEAL TO
AFRICAN-AMERICAN VOTERS.
SPEAK ALL OF THE POLICIES PUT
FORWARD HAVE BEEN ANTI-PEOPLE OF
COLOR.
>> Laura: WE HEAR THOSE LINES
ALL THE TIME, BUT HERE ARE THE
FACTS.
SINCE PRESIDENT TRUMP TOOK
OFFICE, BLACK UNEMPLOYMENT HAS
HIT AN HISTORIC LOW, AND
CURRENTLY SITS AT 6.7%.
BY THE WAY, HE IS NOT SATISFIED
WITH THAT.
HE WANTED A LOT LOWER.
BUT STILL PRETTY GREAT.
THE NUMBER OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN
EMPLOYEES OF MORE THAN 4%, AND
THE MOST STUNNING OF ALL,
AFRICAN-AMERICAN WAGES, THIS IS
MY FAVORITE, ARE UP MORE THAN
9%.
HERE NOW, IN A TRULY SPECIAL
DEBATE, I'M SO HAPPY ABOUT THIS.
CANDACE OWENS, BLEXIT MOVEMENT
FOUNDER, AND CORNELL WEST,
PROFESSOR OF PHILOSOPHY AT
HARVARD UNIVERSITY AND PROFESSOR
EMERITUS AT PRINCETON PAIRED I
WANT TO TELL YOU, I REALLY
APPRECIATE YOUR COMING ON THE
SHOW.
YOU ARE AN OLD-STYLE LIBERAL.
I DON'T MEAN OLD AS AN OLDER, I
MEAN YOU LIKE DEBATE AND
CONVERSATION, AND I THINK THAT
IS AWESOME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US
TONIGHT.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON.
>> Laura: ABSOLUTELY.
I WANT TO BEGIN WITH A SIMPLE
QUESTION, DR. WEST.
ARE THE PRESIDENT'S POLICIES,
LET'S JUST FOCUS NOW, ON HIS
ECONOMIC POLICIES, ARE THEY
HELPING THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN
COMMUNITY, IN YOUR VIEW?
>> I THINK THAT THE STATISTICS
CERTAINLY LOOK GOOD THROUGH A
NARROW LENS.
SO I GIVE HIM CREDIT IN THAT
REGARD.
BUT WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT
ON THE ONE HAND, YOU STILL HAVE
GROTESQUE WEALTH INEQUALITY, YOU
HAVE JOB INSECURITY, SO MANY
PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING ON
WORKING MORE THAN ONE JOB.
WE KNOW MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE
WITHDRAWN FROM THE LABOR FORCE
ARE NOT COUNTED AT ALL, BUT I
THINK THE PROBLEM IS, THE
PRESIDENT HAS A LANGUAGE THAT
CREATES AN ATMOSPHERE THAT IS SO
XENOPHOBIC AGAINST BLACK FOLKS,
MEXICANS, MUSLIMS, HE RARELY
WANTS TO STAY IN CONTACT.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE STATISTICS,
THAT IS ONE THING, BUT WHEN YOU
CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE AND AN
AMBIENCE OF XENOPHOBIA, IT
REINFORCES THE POLARIZATION, AND
THEREFORE MANY BLACK FOLKS
WOULDN'T EVEN BE ABLE TO CONNECT
THE STATISTICS THAT LOOK GOOD
WITH THE LANGUAGE, THE
ATMOSPHERE, THAT FEELS SO BAD.
AND THAT COLDHEARTED,
MEAN-SPIRITED NEST, IS SOMETHING
THAT CUTS VERY, VERY DEEP.
>> Laura: HAVE YOU MET HIM,
DR. WEST?
EVER MET THE PRESIDENT?
>> NO, I HAVE NEVER HAD A
CONVERSATION WITH MY RIGHT-WING
BROTHER.
YOU KNOW I'VE CALLED HIM A
GANGSTER, SEPARATION OF POWERS,
BUT HE IS A HUMAN BEING.
>> Laura: I'M JUST SAYING THIS
BECAUSE, LOOK, YOU DON'T Y
BECAUSE, LOOK, YOU DON'T U
BECAUSE, LOOK, YOU DON'T A
BECAUSE, LOOK, YOU DON'T D
BECAUSE, LOOK, YOU DON'T I
BECAUSE, LOOK, YOU DON'T D
BECAUSE, LOOK, YOU DON'T N
BECAUSE, LOOK, YOU DON'T T
AGREE ON A LOT, BUT I LIKE THE
FACT YOU ARE OUT THERE AND
ADVOCATING -- I HAVE NO PROBLEM
WITH IT.
I WOULDN'T CALL YOU
MEAN-SPIRITED.
WE DISAGREE.
BUT I THINK IF YOU ARE ACTUALLY
WITH THE PRESIDENT, YOU MIGHT
FIND THAT YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH A
LOT TOGETHER, AND YOU CAN DO A
LOT TOGETHER.
I REALLY BELIEVE THAT.
HE WILL WORK WITH PRETTY MUCH
ANYBODY, AND THAT IS WHAT I HAVE
FOUND, IN MY EXPERIENCE, SO I'M
JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE.
CANDACE, BUT THERE IS THIS
TONALITY ISSUE THAT PEOPLE
SNEEZE ON WITH THE PRESIDENT.
THEY ALWAYS GO BACK TO
CHARLOTTESVILLE, THEY ALWAYS GO
BACK TO EX-WHOLE COUNTRIES,
BASES ON THE TRAVEL BAN, THOSE
THREE THINGS, PROBABLY, FOR
SOME, JUST WIPE OUT ANY OTHER
ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
YOUR REACTION?
>> I THINK THE PRESIDENT IS
DOING SOMETHING, HIS TONE IS
DIFFERENT.
HE TELLS THE TRUTH AND DOESN'T
PANDER TO BLACK AMERICA.
HE DOESN'T OFFER US A HOT SAUCE,
HE OFFERS JOBS.
THAT MAKES PEOPLE UNCOMFORTABLE
BECAUSE THEY ARE FROM AN ERA
WHERE RACE-HUSTLING AS A
BUSINESS.
THEY ARE USED TO TELLING
AFRICAN-AMERICANS THEY ARE
VICTIMS, AND THAT IS NO LONGER
SELLING IN AMERICA.
I WANT TO COMMENT BACK ON SAYING
THAT XENOPHOBIA IS SOMETHING
BLACK AMERICANS ARE AFRAID OF.
XENOPHOBIA MEANS YOU HAVE A
FEAR, MR. WEST, OR FOREIGNERS.
BLACK AMERICANS ARE NOT
FOREIGNERS IN THIS COUNTRY.
WE ARE A PIECE OF THE AMERICAN
DREAM, WE HAVE EARNED A PIECE OF
THE AMERICAN DREAM, AND WE ARE
TIRED OF BEING TOLD WE ARE
SOMEHOW SEPARATE OF IT.
THAT IS REALLY WHAT I HAVE TO
SAY.
WE ARE DOING TREMENDOUS UNDER
THIS PRESIDENCY.
THERE IS NO CANDIDATE OFFERING
ANYTHING ON THE LEFT TO COUNTER
WHAT TRUMP HAS OFFERED, JUST
OFFERING MORE RHETORIC,
FEARMONGERING, AND TIME IS UP ON
THIS NARRATIVE.
WE ARE READY TO MOVE ON AND
EMBRACE OUR FUTURE.
>> FIRST, XENOPHOBIA IN THE
GENERIC SENSE MEANS A FEAR OF
OTHER.
AND BLACK FOLK HAVE BEEN
OTHERRED, ENSLAVED, JIM CROW, SO
OTHERRED, ENSLAVED, JIM CROW, SS
OTHERRED, ENSLAVED, JIM CROW, SO
FORTH.
THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN OTHER-IZED.
MY DEAR SISTER, MAXINE WATER,
LOW IQ.
>> SHE DOES HAVE A LOW IQ.
THAT IS A FACT.
SHE TOOK AN IQ EXAM, YOU'D FIND
OUT THAT MAXINE WATERS HAD A
VERY LOW IQ.
IT MAY NOT BE --
>> A GREAT HUMAN BEING.
CALLING -- THIS KIND OF LANGUAGE
IS RIDICULOUS.
>> I DID NOT USE THAT LANGUAGE
PAIRED >> SPEAK ON TALKING AO
PAIRED >> SPEAK ON TALKING AT
THE PRESIDENT.
THE PRESIDENT CALLING --
>> Laura: I THINK THE NASTY
LANGUAGE, IT IS ON BOTH SIDES.
>> USE THAT LANGUAGE --
>> Laura: THE PREVAILING
WISDOM, DR. WEST HIGHLIGHTED IT,
IS THAT RACE RELATIONS HAVE BEEN
DETERIORATED, ALMOST, UNDER THIS
PRESIDENT.
THAT IS THE THOUGHT.
THAT OBAMA WAS THE GREAT RACIAL
HEALER.
BUT A NEW STUDY FROM YOU PENN,
NOT CONSERVATIVES, FOUND THAT
ANTIBLACK PREJUDICE DECLINED
BETWEEN 2012 AND 2016, BUT AFTER
2016, IT TOOK A SHARP DIVE,
THERE WAS ALSO A GENERAL FALL IN
ANTI-HISPANIC PREJUDICE, TOO
APPEARED SO PROFESSOR WEST, TO
WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THESE FINI
WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THESE FING
WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THESE FIN?
PREJUDICE IS ON THE DOWNSWING,
NOT ON THE UPSWING.
AT LEAST IN THE FIRST FEW YEARS
OF TRUMP.
>> BASED ON THIS PARTICULAR
STUDY, I WOULD HAVE TO EXAMINE
HOW THEY GATHER THEIR EVIDENCE
AND SO FORTH, BUT ANTI-JEWISH
ATTACKS, ANTI-MEXICAN ATTACKS,
AND NOT JUST ANTIBLACK ATTACKS,
BUT ALSO THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS,
THE MILITARIZING POLICE
DEPARTMENTS, WITHDRAWAL OF THE
INVESTIGATIONS, WHEN POLICE DO
IN FACT SHOOT FELLOW CITIZENS,
WHATEVER THEY COLOR THEY AE
WHATEVER THEY COLOR THEY A-
>> Laura: BUT THAT WAS
HAPPENING UNDER OBAMA --
>> ABSOLUTELY, THAT'S TRUE.
I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT
CONTINUITY.
>> Laura: I DO WANT TO SHARE
THIS, A MOMENT THAT, GOING BACK
TO IT CANDACE WORKED ON AND
SPOKEN ABOUT, AND WHAT DR. WEST,
I THINK YOU TWO COULD BE HAPPY
ABOUT TOGETHER, HAPPENED AT THE
WHITE HOUSE, I THINK IT WAS LAST
MONTH.
AN EVENT COMMEMORATING THE FIRST
DEATH ACT.
LET'S WATCH.
>> AND I REALLY THANK YOU FOR
SIGNING.
Y'ALL PASS THIS, I'M AN EXAMPLE
OF A WOMAN WHO HAS BEEN GIVEN A
SECOND CHANCE.
AN EXPENSE I WILL NEVER FORGET.
TWO MONTHS AGO I WAS IN A PRISON
CELL.
THAT IS CONTINUING TO MAKE
AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.
>> Laura: DR. WEST, I DON'T
THINK THEY WERE FEELING
XENOPHOBIA OR MEAN-SPIRITEDNESS.
I THINK THEY FOUND A PRESIDENT
WHO IS WILLING TO WORK WITH
PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T EVEN LIKE HIM
I DIDN'T THINK HE WAS GOING TO
ACCOMPLISH MUCH.
AND IT GOT ALMOST NO COVERAGE.
WE PLAYED IT ON OUR SHOW, MAYBE
A FEW OTHER PLACES, BUT DIDN'T
GET ANY COVERAGE BUT WHAT IS
YOUR REACTION TO SEEING THAT?
>> NO, I THINK THAT IS VERY
IMPORTANT ATTEMPT TO ZERO IN ON
THIS VICIOUS POLICY IN THE LAST
40 YEARS OF MASS INCARCERATION,
TOWARD THOSE ENGAGED IN VARIOUS
TYPES OF CRIMES.
I'VE BEEN BLESSED TO TEACH IN
PRISONS FOR 37 YEARS.
SOMETHING THAT HAS AN IMPACT,
AND I GIVE THE PRESIDENT CREDIT
FOR THAT.
IT IS NOT AS IF HE HAS NOTHING
TO OFFER, IT IS JUST THAT THE
DOMINANT ORIENTATION IS STILL
TIED TO WHAT I AM CRITICAL OF
WITH BOTH PARTIES, IDENTITY
POLITICS FOR ME IS MILQUETOAST,
NEOLIBERAL POLITICS, DON'T TALK
OF -- THE REPUBLICAN STILL
STRIKE ME AS COLDHEARTED AND
MEAN-SPIRITED, THEY ARE STILL
TIED FOR TIED TO
WALL STREET.
I GIVE THE PRESIDENT CREDIT, BUT
STILL SMALL RELATIVE TO WHAT I
AM LOOKING FOR.
I'VE SEEN IT IN BOTH PARTIES,
EXCEPT FOR BROTHER
BERNIE SANDERS, BUT THAT IS
ANOTHER CONVERSATION.
>> Laura: I HAVE TO GO BACK TO
THIS IDEA OF RACE RELATIONS
UNDER OBAMA, WHICH I ALMOST FELL
OUT OF MY CHAIR ON THE CNN STORY
THAT CAME OUT IN OCTOBER 2016,
THEY GOT WORSE.
64% OF AMERICANS SAID IT GOT
WORSE, ONLY 16% SAID I GOT
BETTER.
THIS WAS THE END OF THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION.
YOU HAVE ALL OF THE THINGS --
THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN
PRESIDENT IN THE WHITE HOUSE,
THAT HEALING DIDN'T SEEM TO TAKE
PLACE.
>> WHEN BARACK OBAMA FIRST WENT
INTO OFFICE, I WAS A LIBERAL.
I CHANGED MY MIND DUE TO EXACTLY
WHAT YOU ARE SAYING PRETTY DROVE
THIS NATION APART,
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS BRINGING THIS
NATION TOGETHER.
HE'S TALKING ABOUT PATRIOTISM.
IT KNOWS NO COLOR OR CREED.
THE LIBERAL MEDIA CAN IGNORE ALL
OF THE WORK HE IS DOING IN BLACK
AMERICA ALL DAY LONG.
EVERY STATISTIC IN THE WORLD
SHOWS YOU RIGHT NOW THAT BLACK
SUPPORT FOR DONALD TRUMP HAS
DOUBLED, AND THAT IS MEANINGFUL.
I'M TELLING YOU, BY 2020, HE
WILL BE THE FIRST PRESIDENT TO
CRACK THE BLACK VOTE, TO THE
DETRIMENT OF THE DEMOCRATS.
>> Laura: PROFESSOR WEST, DO
YOU STILL WORK IN PRISON?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> Laura: CAN I COME WITH YOU?
>> YOU CAN COME EVERY TIME YOU
LIKE.
WE ARE GOING TO KEEP TRACK OF
HUMANITY, IMAGINATION OF THE
BROTHERS AND SISTERS
INCARCERATED, MAKE SURE THAT
THEY CAN UNLEASH THEIR
POTENTIAL.
BUT I SAY THIS TO CANDACE, THAT
I LIKE HER INDEPENDENCE OF MIND.
I THINK SHE IS WRONG MOST OF THE
TIME, BUT I FIGHT FOR HER RIGHT
TO BE WRONG IN THAT REGARD.
ABSOLUTELY, BUT I WOULD HAVE
WISHED YOU WOULD HAVE MOVED
FURTHER TO THE LEFT.
WHEN YOU HAVE A BLACK LIVE
MOVEMENTS UNDER A BLACK
PRESIDENT, IT IS NOT GOING TO BE
A MATTER OF THEN MOVING TO THE
RIGHT --
>> SOCIALISM HAS ALREADY BEEN
TRIED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IT HAS BEEN TRIED BY A WELFARE
POLICIES THAT COMPLETELY
CRIPPLED THE BLACK COMMUNITY.
THE OTHER WELFARE POLICIES, YOU
KNOW THAT.
I HAD TO CREEP ALL THE WAY TO
THE RIGHT.
>> SOCIALISM IS POWER-SHARING.
SOCIALISM IS NOT GIVING AND
BECOMING DEPENDENT ON PROGRAMS.
>> MR. WEST, I APPRECIATE YOUR
TIME, BUT YOU KNOW BLACK
CONSERVATIVES NEVER GO LIBERAL,
AND THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT.
>> BLACK PEOPLE ARE COMPLICATED.
BLACK PEOPLE ARE COMPLICATED.
WE GO BACK AND FORTH, BUT I WISH