Cornel West : Obama's on a roll

A Princeton professor and outspoken expert on African-American culture said he believes U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's candidacy for president is an important breakthrough for blacks -- whether Obama wins the Democratic nomination for president or not. But Cornel West believes Obama is going to win.

Speaking Monday night to thousands in the Joe L. Reed Acadome on the campus of Alabama State University, West said he believes the Illinois Democrat, after running behind U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York for most of the presidential race, has turned the corner.

"This man's on the move, he's out there running hard and sounding good," West said. Recent polls show Obama and Clinton in a statistical dead heat.

West, speaking at the Ralph D. Abernathy Civil Rights Leaders Lecture Series, said he was with Obama last week at New York's Apollo Theater for a fundraiser, and plans to be with him next week in Iowa, one of the first battlegrounds of the primary season.

West acknowledged that Obama has split the state of Alabama -- since its two major black political organizations have split endorsements between Obama and Clinton. The Alabama New South Coalition last week gave the nod to Obama. The Alabama Democratic Caucus earlier gave its backing to Clinton.

But West stopped short of predicting which of the two Democrats would carry Alabama, whose early primary election could be pivotal. "Before I can comment on Alabama for Brother Obama, we need to get him through Iowa first," West said, laughing.

He said Obama has surged ahead of Clinton in the polls in recent weeks. A poll by The Des Moines Register in Iowa showed Obama with 28 percent of the vote and Clinton with 25 percent. West said Obama is doing well among black voters less because of his race and more because of the issues he promotes. "Our man is concerned about welfare and equality, the crisis in education and the way the mass media is distracting young people from the prize of freedom," West said.

Janice Franklin, an official with the forum's sponsoring body, said West "challenges America to live up to the promises of democracy for African Americans in this new century."

West said Obama's candidacy has done the same. He said Obama's candidacy is important to black Americans because Obama is attractive to diverse voters.

West said Obama's candidacy has paved the way for other black leaders who will follow.

"Whether Obama wins the nomination or not, he's plowed new ground," West said. "He has made us proud as a people and made it possible for an African American to seriously be considered as president," he said.

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071204/NEWS/712040321/1001

I was happy to see the new TIME arrive in my mailbox.

This is the cover not only in the US - but worldwide.



:kick: