Longshot presidential candidate Cornel West spectacularly stormed out of a debate about the killing of Charlie Kirk after a clash with a conservative podcaster.
West took umbrage with Andrew Wilson, a commentator who runs “verbal combat” courses on his “Debate University” website, during a spirited conversation on Piers Morgan Uncensored.
Activist philosopher West argued Wilson had refused to listen, and his debate playbook was limited to interrupting and throwing accusations.
The Harvard and Princeton alum, who ran as an independent presidential candidate in 2024, quickly grew tired of the attack lines and accusations.
He said, “This brother right here says, ‘Well, all leftists want to see me dead.’ Well, I’m a leftist, I don’t want to see you dead. I’m a Christian!”
“You called Trump’s administration a neo-fascist movement, you lunatic!” Wilson barked, instigating a cross-talk explosion. “Let me make the case! Will you allow me to speak, brother? Come on, man. Come on,” West could be heard pleading over the din.
“If you think I’ve made the case, then you’re not interested in dialogue. You different from Charlie. You very, very different from brother Charlie, man.”
Wilson shot back with a wild accusation, “It’s the rhetoric from people like you that got that man killed, sir.”
“No, no, no, no, there are such a thing as neofascists!” he responded. He then turned to the host, asking why Morgan had booked Wilson. “Piers, why you have a brother on who’s not gonna allow nobody to speak, man? We’re just wasting time. If all you’re interested in is making your money, and you bring this brother on and nobody can say a word and we can’t even mourn brother Charlie passing–I had dialogues with brother Charlie!”
He continued, “Charlie was made in the image of a loving and mighty God! I believe that. I have said my prayers for sister Erika and the kids… This brother wants to trash my Christian sensibility, and look at him laughing now. It’s a joke, man. Piers, it’s not worth it.”
West labeled Wilson arrogant and stood up, set to leave. “Run away. Run away,” the conservative podcaster taunted.
“Cornel, can you sit down? I would like you to remain part of the debate,” Morgan pleaded.
West, unimpressed by Wilson’s debating skills, pointed out that fellow guest and conservative podcaster Jack Posobiec was “willing to at least listen,” whereas the former would not. “I’m gone!” West repeatedly said, pawing at his mic to get it off.
Wilson then lit up a cigarette. “This is ridiculous!” replied West. “He’s smoking his cigarette with his arrogant self. Come on, man.”
Morgan then questioned, “Surely you’re not gonna walk out in a debate about dialogue?”
West then exited. “Kind of farcical to quit a debate when we’re literally debating about the importance of free speech and being able to listen to each other’s opinions,” concluded Morgan. “It seems to me completely insane.”
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