Dr. Cornel West, an avid supporter of Bernie Sanders and a recent appointee to the Platform Drafting Committee, once spoke highly of Donald Trump and his push in the primary against catering to donors.
In an August tweet, the famed academic praised “brother Trump,” as well as “brother Bernie,” for being an “authentic human being” compared to his “donor driven opponents.”
Brother Bernie and Brother Trump are authentic human beings in stark contrast to their donor-driven opponents.
— Cornel West (@CornelWest) August 25, 2015
The quote is a far cry from what West has said in recent times, however. In an interview with Salon, West called the real estate mogul a “narcissistic neo-fascist in the making,” while speaking out also against former secretary of state Hillary Clinton.
“Just to tell the truth, Trump is a narcissistic neo-fascist in the making, and you just have to say that. That’s what it is,” West told the publication.
On Monday, Sanders announced that he would be naming West and Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison, two of his highest profile endorsers, to the platform committee, giving his supporters an outsized presence as he looks to leave his mark on the party’s platform.
Democratic National Committee chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz gave five of the 15 slots on the committee to Sanders, and six went to Clinton based on the popular vote thus far in the primary process. Wasserman Schultz named the other four.
