Al Sharpton Defends Melissa Harris Perry From Cornel West’s ‘Arrogant’ And ‘Disingenuous’ Attacks

[HipChick]

In a recent interview with Diverse magazine, Professor Cornel West attacked his former Princeton colleague and newly minted MSNBC host Professor Melissa Harris-Perry.

West called Harris-Perry a "liar" and said that, "[s]he's become the momentary darling of liberals, but I pray for her because she's in over her head. She's a fake and a fraud. I was so surprised how treacherous the sister was."

West and Harris-Perry have disagreed publicly before in their varying assessments of President Barack Obama. West and talk show host Tavis Smiley have consistently been harsh on Obama and what they see as his lack of concern for the black community and the poor.

Harris-Perry's view of the Obama administration has been more balanced, often based on analysis of process and the structural impediments to the sweeping change that many feel President Obama promised. West sees Harris-Perry, and her MSNBC colleague Reverend Al Sharpton, as conciliators to the administration. He also wonders why a civil rights activist like Sharpton wouldn't be more harsh in his critique of Obama, questioning why he is so close to the administration.

In an interview with theGrio, Rev. Sharpton responded sternly to the assertion that he and Dr. Harris-Perry were somehow rewarded for their support of the Obama administration with shows on MSNBC. "Rewarded by who?," Sharpton says. "I don't know if having access to the Obama administration means that one is rewarded... All of these conspiracy theorists need to check facts more clearly."

Sharpton also posed this rhetorical question, "[w]ho rewarded Tavis Smiley with his show?... Tavis can have a show [and] that's fine. But if Dr. [Harris] Perry [and] I have a show all of a sudden it's some kind of a conspiracy theory?... black people are not that stupid."

Sharpton added that many prominent civil rights leaders of the past have had access to presidents:

http://www.thegrio.com/politics/al-sharpton-defends-melissa-harris-perry-from-cornel-west.php

[REP]

1. Mr West, kindly get over yourself and save your prayers for yourself

If only others loved the sound of Mr West's voice as much as he does.

[provis99]

2. shut up Cornell, you loud-mouth fool.

he's likely just jealous that Harris-Perry does real academic work, while he's been loafing around on his tenure producing platitudes and sanctimonious silliness.

[HipChick]

3. I think he's jealous of her new show...

[hlthe2b]

7. DIng DIng DIng...

[Larkspur]

4. Al Sharpton said on 60 Minutes that he would not critisize President Obama

and that is why I refuse to watch his show.

It appears that MHP won't either and in her lame op ed attacking liberals, like Glenn Greenwald, shows that she will bash Obama's liberal critics. I'm not interested in shows like that.

[EFerrari]

5. Yep.

[Obamacare]

6. MHP has critisized Obama's policies before

but she doesn't engage in bashing and trashing the President like Glenn Greenwald, Cornel West and other far left radicals. I despise folks like Greenwald they are worse than teabaggers, because they know better, but are looking to make a name for themselves and love attention whoring. Cornel, is just jealous that MHP has a new show, he's a loser!!