Cornel West left Harvard University after an altercation with then-President Larry Summers. (FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images)WASHINGTON - as a contender to become the next President of the Federal Reserve, Economist Larry Summers has re-emerged to scrutiny during his time as President of Harvard University. In particular, critics have pointed out that his controversial remarks about women and their ability - or lack of it, to succeed in math and science. A couple of months later, Harvard faculty gave a resounding vote of no confidence.
But even before those instances, Summers had clashed with another group of Harvard: professors in the Department of African and African-American studies, which was revitalized under the former President of the University and eventually lost two of its biggest stars, including Cornel West, during the term of Summers from 2001 until 2006.
"To put it bluntly, Summers has always seemed like a legendary gangster with a high IQ, in service of the well-to-do." That was my experience the first time seen in his Office, "said West The Huffington Post. "The interesting thing is I have noticed in a number of newspaper pieces, make more than his comments about women who make their relationship to Blacks at Harvard." As you know, really began with the blacks."
The problems began for summers early in his tenure at Harvard. The Boston Globe reported in 2001, critics believed that it had "acted abrasion to many members of the Faculty" and were disappointed "when" he refused to make a strong statement in support of affirmative action at a meeting with members of the Department of African American studies this summer.
"After the start of the semester, other black teachers began to complain that the new President had acted as 'a bull in a china shop' and he spoke disparagingly of some teachers, calling his ideas 'fool'," reported the world.
But perhaps the highest profile incident took place in 2001 during a meeting private with the West, which was then a Harvard "Professor" - a top honor given that only 14 of its 2,200 faculty members. It meant that West reported directly to summers.
According to the world, Summers ' offenses West for recording a rap album, for leading a political Committee for the presidential campaign of the Rev. Al Sharpton and to write books more likely to be reviewed in the New York Times that in academic journals. " "Also reportedly criticized West for allowing that inflation in his introductory black studies course degree."
"The meeting between Cornel and Larry was, to put it mildly, a disaster," said Henry Louis "Skip" Gates Jr, who was the head of the Department of African and African American studies.
Summers's Office refused to comment. At the time, Summers said, "it is an unfortunate misunderstanding if my views have been perceived in other ways."
Philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah and West eventually left Harvard for Princeton University.
Gates said he understood why West felt aggrieved. But Gates remained at Harvard to rebuild the Department and try to do better in the country. And despite the fact that the rough, Gates said that now considers Summers a friend and believes that it would be an excellent choice to head the Fed.
"There is no doubt that at that time, [summers] was skeptical about the legitimacy of the intellectual and academic legitimacy of African American studies..." But I've gotten to know Larry, and I know that their attitudes about the field of African-American studies have changed dramatically since then, "Gates told HuffPost.
"Larry Summers is a brilliant man, is not that. I have no doubt that it would be a brilliant Chair of the Fed. "He lives and breathes the economy, he added.
"Given their differences in personality, and given the depth of his intellect, a conflict was inevitable," he said of the West and summers. "I only regret that they have not helped to prevent the boiling conflict and could not find any way to heal the fracture."And I think it was a great loss for Harvard to Cornel West to leave."
Summers has also been pursued by a 1991 memo signed - although it was written by someone else, while the World Bank's Chief Economist. The document suggests poured toxic benefits in "populated below African countries" for economic benefits. It was widely criticized, and eventually Summers said that it had to be sarcastic.
'' He told me it was a joke, it was sarcasm, no one wanted to take it seriously... We will give you the benefit of the doubt. That is why even not to emphasize too much, "said West of the memo."But it is not yet very funny, do you know? "Sometimes even the very jokes that people say that it can be revealing about what is happening within them".
West also sharply criticized Summers for President Barack Obama when he made part of his economic team. In the same way does not mince words when referring to reports last week that Obama came out in defense of Summers at a meeting with Congressional Democrats.
"This reminds me of the strong defense to arrive to Tim Geithner when we learned that Tim Geithner had not paid their taxes."Barack Obama sure is selective in its wrath, said West. "He was almost more worried about Summers being attacked, Trayvon [Martin] was about to be killed." He was very balanced. There was a lot of anger and indignation when he talked about Trayvon. It was more reflective and quiet."
Comments like these from the West are indicative of how divisive would be a nomination of Summers to underrepresented communities.
Last week, 38 of the 62 democratic women in the House signed a letter of support Fed Vice President Janet Yellen. The White House recently announced that Obama does not choose a Fed Chairman until the autumn.
Long before serving as principal economic adviser to Obama, summers worked in the Clinton administration as a Secretary of the Treasury Bob Rubin protégé, helping to lead the effort to deregulate Wall Street. Many supporters of Yellen are concerned that Summers could follow in the footsteps of his mentor and again mark the Fed's efforts to reduce unemployment in order to appease the bond market.
But Summers ' defenders argue that much of his record is being taken out of context or misinterpreted.
"He gave a speech in which it apologized for but many people took great offense," Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg said The Huffington Post in a recent interview, referring to the infamous remark Summers that women are less capable of handling advanced science and engineering work. "It was not its policy. It was a speech that gave and was really well the rest of the speech. Much of that speech said things that... all of us really agree with, that is very difficult for women in the field of conciliation to the day. "
In the end, West admits that Summers is a very intelligent person, but, said, is not sufficient for the next Fed Chairman.
"People are fetishizing brilliance Summers," West said, "and still not want to accent that he has not used in the service of working people or poor.
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