Charlie Rose

janeeyre  10/09/2009 04:43 PM Report

Reading the messages below, mainly makes me smile because the commonality is a desire, a starved desire for the highest level of thinking on tv and here it is. Let's keep the powers that be honest, we're not all automatons. Bless you Dr. West and Mr. Smiley. Cheers.

danny K  11/10/2008 08:31 PM Report

well, mr. j walter, talking about shame... you should take a deep look in the mirror before pointing your finger at someone else.

Moxie  02/18/2008 10:58 AM Report

To Pat Devlin, You obviously misunderstood Dr. West. He was answering the question about blacks peoples reception of Obama. He used Thomas and Alan Keyes as examples. (politicians who do not speak "boldly about injustice" while in office. You obviously are annoyed at Mr. West's manner of speaking. It would not be pertinent to ask "what if Thomas was being beaten by a black cop" because that doesn't anything to do with the subject. But using the police abuse ("white cop") example to express his principal support for these politicians is what is off-putting to whites on here. IMO that statement wasn't necessary or useful for Dr. West because it only served to exhibit his pro-black stance and draw the ire of belligerent whites.

disabused  12/24/2007 03:36 PM Report

Danny - Does your concern for the unborn carry on after their born? Or do you adopt, fight for better prison treatment, strive to abolish the death penalty, give heavily to food handout programs, care for veterans . . . on and on, where many of the unwanted born end up. Or do you just wring your hands and mouth ceremoniously for all to exalt upon your sanctimonious piety?

ML Doc Gibbs  12/04/2007 01:58 PM Report

I had never seen Tavis Smiley and Dr. Cornel West appear in an interview together. It is interesting that Dr. West is a long-time mentor or Tavis Smiley. The intellecutually gifted Dr. West is a colorful commentator -- sometimes hard to follow, but interesting nonetheless. As a black conservative, however, I have often been disgusted by the trashing that former Ambassador Alan Keyes and Justice Clarence Thomas get from liberal media and "black leaders."

Seems that you're not "black enough" if you embrace conservative principles. Seems that if you desire to see the unborn (the weakest in our society) protected, that doesn't qualify as a Smiley-West expression of one's "depth of love" and service. Anyone who will take the time to read about Justice Thomas (his recent memoir, MY GRANDFATHER'S SON) or to study the writings of Alan Keyes will see that they have a passion for all people and ESPECIALLY for black people -- an unwavering love for the the black unborn, the black family and those who are trying to better themselves. Unfortunately, other "black leaders" have pigeonholed these gentlemenen and other conservative blacks into a "not black enough" mold, marginallizing them and closing our ears to their acts and words of love and service -- hallmarks that Dr. West and Mr. Smiley hold dear.

Steve Brown  11/14/2007 11:50 PM Report

Is it any wonder that the racial divide in this country continues to expand when so called self appointed leaders of the black community like Dr. West and Mr. Smiley perpetuate the divide with their skewed sense of "justice" and "substance". It is sad that two men of such high intellect and personal achievement would harbor such deranged ideologies. For Dr. West it is to condone reverse discrimination in the name of "justice", or affirmative action to the rest of us. And for Mr. Smiley to refer to the highest ranking black female in the history of mankind as without substance, obviously because of the political party she's employed by. What a shame. But hey, I'm sure Charlie feels good since he's a "brother" and all.

Janet  10/30/2007 08:32 PM Report

CHARLIE ROSE...you hit a grandslam..Three of the most brilliant Men of our time. HOORAY for America...Dr West and Tavis Smiley BRAVO BRAVO this program was amazing..thanks,Janet

Warren Jones  10/28/2007 10:04 AM Report

I'm not satisfied with any of interviewers on TV, but Charlie Rose is certainly the best of a sorry lot. I just wish that he...no, nobody's perfect, and if the price to pay for such an excellent show is having to occasionally put up with his tiresome efforts to impress, that's a price I'm willing to pay. As to Cornel West, I have my own very strong opinions, but I'll only say that I cannot believe that everyone who wrote in about him holds him in high regard. Why don't you show letters from those who share my opinion of that bag of wind, that intellectual imposter, that bloviating prince of pomposity and pretention?

Bud McFarlin  10/28/2007 08:34 AM Report

TABS writes as if he's pissed-off that Charlie Rose had the audacity (should I define that word for you, TABS?) to have two black leaders on his TV ("television" might be too highfalutin for TABS) set. Don't worry TABS. At his current pace Charlie isn't likely to invite two people of color on his show for at least another two years - unless another levee breaks.

Bernice Parrish  10/27/2007 03:33 PM Report

Yes , Mr. Charlie Rose, we as black American need to view shows like this, because racism is still alive. On my job a white person was able to call a co-worker black, and get a higher position with a one dollar raise. We didn't ask to come here to America. So those who tell us to move on, I can't because America reminds we everyday that I'm black. Remind America that there are voices out here like Travis, and Cornel West that care about there people. Thanks. P.S. I watch your show every day. Thanks

Janet Sawyer  10/26/2007 10:08 PM Report

Great Show! My two favorite talk show hosts ... Charlie and Tavis ... with Dr. West thrown in as a bonus. I smiled or laughed through the entire hour. Thanks Charlie. Keep the good shows coming.

Dr. Emile Piscitelli  10/26/2007 08:01 PM Report

Tavis and Cornel are great guys: the first is well intentioned and the second is well educated and well spoken. However, they are speaking in platitudes. Perhaps given the fact that humans are flawed and sinful (a platitude) I suppose there will always be racial prjudice in this country. That being said, we have come a long way since the 1950's. I was a young man in the 50's and black folks were treated terribly unjustly. So let's move on from the past and create a common future for ourselves based on what Cornel said about loving one another as brothers and sisters of the human race. Let's get beyond white and black tribalism so we can address more pressing issues like demythologizing the myth of America as the last superpower. Or America as the promoter of democracy in the world. How about a discussion of "globalization" as an oppressive capitalist ideology in contrast with an ecumenical approach to other cultures and other ways of life not based on the Western ideology of consumerism as the only value. Talk shows can become parasites and promoters of the dominant ideology as represented by the epigones of culture. I think Charlie is an exception but even he often falls into the same mold when he fails to be sufficiently critical of his guests.

Shaft  10/26/2007 01:01 PM Report

Charlie, you did it again. Every once a while you bring something good, and this show is it. Tavis Smiley is one of the most dedicated journalist of our times, he may not have as wide audience as you Mr. Charlie Rose, but nontheless he is way up. Everytime I get a chance I try to watch him, and when I do I learn something from his show.

Dr. West is a decent man who is honest and open. All his criticism agains those "elite" Blacks, consider themselves "elites" anyway. His honest assesment about Clarance Thomas and other high position holders are accurate. Clarance Thomas betrayed his race, he was put there to represent the interest of African-Americans, but he betrayed the very people he was appointed to represent. Dr. West has put it so nicely, Clarance Thomas is black from the exterior, but deep inside he wants white attention by projecting more hate against African Americans. This country is full of phychiologically insane people. For any human to be considered as one must like himself/herself then we can expect something good out of what they say and do. Dr. West is honest and likes himself, what he says is nothing but good, after listening to him I realized that he is not only sane but he is also good.

Thanks Charlie, I hope you invite for a conversation Dr. West alone someday to discuss what is good about America vis-a-vis African Americans.

Myrtle Hatch  10/26/2007 11:51 AM Report

Both Tavis Smiley and Cornel West I beleive to be honorable men. However when they speak of "People of Colour" they have not mentioned the first People of Colour in the United States, the Native Americans. Why? I am a fan of Mr Smiley's PBS show, and I have not heard him include Native Americans as People of Colour.

Chandra  10/26/2007 02:05 AM Report

You put up with lot of mumbo-jumbo of Dr. West. Slicing dicing why Justice Thomas is not "black enough" - he doesn't care about justice but Jessie Jackson does! - was fun to watch. Tavis Smiley, on the other hand, was great.

Amy  10/26/2007 12:23 AM Report

Very nice show. Both Tavis Smiley and Cornell West deserve a much broader exposure in the mainstream media.

West's plea for the candidates to be more Shakespearian, was especially perceptive and right on the money.

Tade   10/25/2007 10:57 PM Report

My well spent time of the day; great show & worthy of watching! It challenge & motivate me to stand strong for truth for all, Black or White.

God bless you all,

Tsudohnimh  10/25/2007 10:34 PM Report

I am also a conservative from the South and I was fascinated with the level of this dialog and how often I found myself agreeing with both of these gentleman.WOW! The level of their discourse and the logic of their thinking was amazing. Although I may disagree with these gentleman on numerous issues I can say that I fully agree with their goals and sentiments. I've long said that we have forgotten that many people in this country are out to accomplish the same goals but differ on the methods. Unfortunately many on the right and left have demonized the other side to the point of discontinuing the dialog and that is a great disservice to both causes. The video of this discussion is below. Thank God for thinking men.

godfrey christophe  10/25/2007 10:26 PM Report

kudos to charlie for the courage and volition of having two authentic,service oriented intellectuals sit at the table of conversation.the more i read dr. west the more impressed i am.he has deconstructed the architecture that is america.the way it is constituted .in a duboisian

way has pierced the veil by revealing the myth that is not so beautiful.the nation needs this truth telling,his probing analysis of what america was,of what it is and the hope of becoming.

I love the mentor perspective with Tavis and Tavis reciprosity by being teachable.In a o'jays kind of way i want to get aboard that love train.

guavajelli  10/25/2007 07:12 PM Report

..I found this dialogue fascinating..it was worth staying up late for..Tavis at midnight..looking fine in pin-stripe..that's what ..dreams are made of...I do like and respect Cornel West..but he's starting to appear as part of Tavis's rib..I love you both..but I think you've praised each othher enough publicly..let's move on...

Nancy Gage  10/25/2007 06:49 PM Report

I was disappointed by the generalities with which both Smiley and West spoke. When Smiley said of Barack Obama that he (Smiley) can see the "hope" but not the "audacity" in Obama's campaign, I was frustrated and angry that he did not give any specifics to support that statement, and that Charlie Rose did not insist that he do so.

dan  10/25/2007 04:39 PM Report

You should have Tavis Smiley on more. (Maybe without Dr. West next time? No clue what that man's talking about half the time.)

TABS  10/25/2007 04:58 AM Report

Do I lie? After watching the show my impressions are that Dr West over the years to impress his audience has developed a stich which appears to be like that of a caricature of a Black intellectual in a traveling minstrel show. Dr West uses $5.00 words with the thinking that it gains him respect as an intellectual. However it is his ideas and not his choice of words that gains him respect. I wish he would take that home and ponder that for awhile.

Mr Smiley on the other hand, smashed a home run with his comments on the American peoples need for authenticity from their Presidential candidates. On that issue he just wasn't speaking for peoples of colour but for every American. I wish the candidates for the Presidency would take that home and ponder that for awhile. Mr Smiley has gained a new found respect from me, one that I didn't gather from his own show.

Pat Devlin  10/25/2007 01:21 AM Report

I believe in the integrity of the interviews offered by Charlie Rose Tonight he interviewed Tavis Smiley and Dr. Cornel West. I am disappointed in Charlie's failure to raise an obvious question arising frim Dr. West's comments.

Charlie asked Dr. West about what was meant when the media questioned whether or not Barack Obama was "black enough". Dr. Cornel answered by comparing his view of other notable blacks including Supreme Court Justice, Clarence Thomas. Dr. West said that Thomas was not perceived as black enough, but he, Dr. Cornel, would be on the side of Justice Thomas if a "white cop" was beating up the Justice of the Supreme Court.

Where was the usually astute Charlie in asking the obvious question which was " What is your reaction if Justice Thomas was beaten up by a black cop?"

Racism is defined not just by what we do but also by what we fail to question. Charlie Rose asks the important questions. I don't know why he missed a clarification of such a bold statement by Dr. Cornel.

PCD

TABS  10/25/2007 12:06 AM Report

I can hardly wait I am so filled with anticipation of this interview. Mr West has always dumbfounded me with his $5.00 a word vocabulary. It truly would be something if he only had a brain to be able to string those words together in a meaningful fashion. Ah But I am being too harsh on Mr West, when he does come down to earth and speak in language that a mere unsophisticated person like myself can understand, he does have interesting points to make. I have watched poor Tavis try and follow Mr Wests verbosity, trying to make some sense out of it, thinking it was he that was lacking in intelligence and Mr West was truly saying something worth while with those $5.00 words that he throws around so easily. I think I will just sit back with a bag of popcorn and enjoy this show.

Danny Denton  10/25/2007 12:01 AM Report

I am a social conservative from the South. I am white and I have voted Republican in every election since I started voting in 1988. I was fascinated by Dr. West. I agreed with everything he said. I only wish he would gone a little further to talk about protecting the most defenseless members of our society - unborn children. As someone who votes Republican, I often feel my vote is wasted. I often disagree with many of the policies of the Republicans. I feel locked into voting for them because they at least give lip service to the Pro-Life agenda. If the Democrats would discard abortion and strengthen their foreign policy, they would own the South.