Frank Marshall Davis And The Chicago Communist Mafia That Nurtured Axelrod, Jarret and O'bama...

[Selene]

Nurtured is spelled incorrectly in the tittle.

(NOTE FROM MSK: Not anymore. )

Mark Hendrickson, Contributor

I write about economics, politics, and human-interest stories.

7/25/2012 @ 8:50AM |569 views

Book Review: "The Communist" - Does Frank Marshall Davis Have An Ideological Godson In President Obama?

The newest book by Dr. Paul Kengor, professor of political science at Grove City College, is “The Communist: Frank Marshall Davis, The Untold Story of Barack Obamas Mentor.” It is a biography of the man who, more than any other, mentored and (as this book shows) powerfully influenced the current president of the United States.

Full disclosure: The author is both my colleague and my friend. I respect him, myself and our country far too much to pull any punches in reviewing this important book. Let me, then, start with the book’s faults: Kengor doesn’t know how to use the pluperfect tense, his arithmetic is quirky (e.g., July is six, not seven, months after January, 20 percent is one-fifth, not one-fourth), and he occasionally uses adjectives with suboptimal nuances.

That said, those are minor quibbles—the proverbial gnats compared to the camels that comprise the real substance of a book. In all the important areas, “The Communist” excels. It is put together the way a good biography should be. The research is thorough and impeccable; the narrative is fluent and engaging; the book is clearly and logically organized; most importantly, Kengor enlivens his book by providing interesting background information and context. Unlike previous authors who wrote about Davis, Kengor read hundreds of Frank Marshall Davis’ long-buried newspaper columns that were found for him by Spyridon Mitsotakis, to whom “The Communist” is dedicated.

One might surmise that Kengor, a conservative, would have nothing sympathetic to say about Davis, a card-carrying Communist, but that would be incorrect. True, Kengor is no admirer of card-carrying Communists who propagandized, lied and slavishly served the brutal, genocidal regime of Josef Stalin and his successors, yet Kengor treats Davis with genuine compassion when retelling the cruel injustices that Davis suffered. Kengor also commends Davis’ work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit.

Before starting to read the book, I had hoped that Kengor would point out that some black Americans were so embittered by their unjust and unconscionable mistreatment by white America that it drove them into the arms of communists. Indeed, some blacks were suckers for the ideals of racial equality espoused (though not realized) by communists, but Kengor’s research includes a surprising find: Blacks comprised a smaller percentage of the membership of the Communist Party USA (CPUSA) than of the population at large.

Kengor relates some high-profile cases of famous black Communists, such as the brilliant novelist Richard Wright, who abandoned and disavowed communism after learning what atrocities were being committed in its name. Davis, however, was too far gone, too consumed by hate and resentment to ever forsake communism. Lenin himself had stated in his address to the commissars of education in 1923 that “Hatred is the basis of communism,” and Davis’ burning hatred for his native country anchored him firmly in the communist camp.

“The Communist” has tremendous educational potential. Today’s students may have only passing familiarity with such terms as “McCarthyism” and “red-baiting,” and many older Americans have a distorted understanding of a period that we lived through as a result of Communists’ “Big Lie” tactic. With the benefit of reams of formerly classified Soviet and FBI records that have been unsealed since the end of the Cold War two decades ago, Kengor shows unequivocally that—Golly, Martha, there really were card-carrying Communists in the United States. Moreover, those Communists cynically exploited worthy causes like civil rights in their ceaseless efforts to weaken U.S. opposition to the spread of communism at home and around the globe.

This book provides convincing evidence that the strident voices on the progressive/liberal left that for decades accused anyone investigating organized Communist activity in the U.S. of “witch hunts” turned out to be lies intended to defend the indefensible. Now, instead of wasting time trying to deceive the public by denying that communists were communists, may we please have an honest debate about whether to adopt various Big Government policies?

Another strength of “The Communist” is that it contains lots of fascinating and insightful tidbits, including Nancy Pelosi’s starry-eyed adulation of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) chief Walter Bridges (and a member of the Central Committee of the CPUSA) and the strong ties of Obama insiders Valerie Jarrett and David Axelrod to the some of the same American communists who were allies and collaborators of Frank Marshall Davis. Kengor repeatedly cites examples of how progressives, liberals and communists often have made common cause.

It will be interesting to see how those on the left respond to this book. My guess is that they will either ignore it, bash Kengor for publishing inconvenient facts or claim that Davis’ indisputable communism doesn’t matter. I think it does matter. Often, it seems that Obama is wearing a “What Would Frank Do?” bracelet. Obama’s closeness to his departed mentor leads him, like a general fighting the last war, to adopt policies that seem designed to punish America for past sins—often committed decades and generations ago—rather than lifting us higher.

For decades, many liberals and progressives defended and shielded communists (as “The Communist” shows)—either because they approved of what communist dictatorships did, or because they believed so strongly in communism’s professed ideals that they were willing to overlook the crimes committed in its name. Kengor’s book is timely, because the main issue for today’s progressives is similar: Are the ideals professed in Barack Obama’s rhetoric so noble that Obama should be re-elected, even though his policies against economic success have retarded economic recovery? Does America need a leader who is to the left of the late Chinese Communist leader Deng Xiaoping—whose pro-prosperity policy was to give people the freedom to get as rich as they could?

Will the ghost of Frank Marshall Davis, whose life Paul Kengor has so masterfully reconstructed in “The Communist,” continue to haunt America through his ideological godson, the president? We’ll find out in November.

Dr. Mark W. Hendrickson is an adjunct faculty member, economist, and fellow for economic and social policy with The Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College.

[syrakusos]

Before starting to read the book, I had hoped that Kengor would point out that some black Americans were so embittered by their unjust and unconscionable mistreatment by white America that it drove them into the arms of communists.... Kengor relates some high-profile cases of famous black Communists, such as the brilliant novelist Richard Wright...

As a member of YAF in Cleveland, I heard Julia Brown speak at a local meeting. John Birch Society's view of Julia Brown exposes their own racism. There is no good way to look at either side of this. A long time ago, when I was first in college in Charleston South Carolina, one of my classmates in German class said that he did not like a certain story because he found the ghost story unconvincing. The professor quipped, "Oh, that's right, Mr. Stahl, you don't think people come back from the dead." It was days before I got it. When I mentioned it to Howard later, he had a bit to say. "... Jew communist; Jew capitalist. What do they have in common?"

So, too, here, do we have a peculiar view of an ascribed minority. I mean, why is a criminal gang always a "mafia"?

The only way to undo the knot is to cut it.

[Selene]

Before starting to read the book, I had hoped that Kengor would point out that some black Americans were so embittered by their unjust and unconscionable mistreatment by white America that it drove them into the arms of communists.... Kengor relates some high-profile cases of famous black Communists, such as the brilliant novelist Richard Wright...

As a member of YAF in Cleveland, I heard Julia Brown speak at a local meeting. John Birch Society's view of Julia Brown exposes their own racism. There is no good way to look at either side of this. A long time ago, when I was first in college in Charleston South Carolina, one of my classmates in German class said that he did not like a certain story because he found the ghost story unconvincing. The professor quipped, "Oh, that's right, Mr. Stahl, you don't think people come back from the dead." It was days before I got it. When I mentioned it to Howard later, he had a bit to say. "... Jew communist; Jew capitalist. What do they have in common?"

So, too, here, do we have a peculiar view of an ascribed minority. I mean, why is a criminal gang always a "mafia"?

The only way to undo the knot is to cut it.

Michael:

As an American of Italian descent, you are absolutely correct. I always resent when folks use "mafia" to describe a crime syndicate. And I should not have used it in the title.

Mea culpa.

Adam

[Selene]

07/26 The Mark Levin Show

Here is the audio link to tonights show - the author was in the third (3rd) hour...

[Selene]

Interview with Paul Kengor, PHD:

http://frontpagemag.com/2012/jamie-glazov/the-communist-frank-marshall-davis-the-untold-story-of-barack-obama%E2%80%99s-mentor/

But first, I would like to begin with you telling us a bit about a gentleman named Spyridon Mitsotakis. You dedicate the book to him. Tell us why.

Kengor: That’s a great question that gets to the heart of how and why I did this book.

Spyridon is a remarkable young man. I met him when I was signing books at CPAC in February 2011. He had bought my previous book, Dupes, and seemed to know more about liberal/progressive dupes and the American communist movement than even I did. He was standing there at the front of the line asking me a new question every few seconds, clearly very precocious—and annoying the folks behind him in line, who told him to move on. I gave him my email address and promised I’d answer his questions in full via email. He said, “Yeah, right.” When he emailed me, I followed through on my promise. He finished our email exchanges by saying, “Hey, by the way, I’m a student at NYU, and we have the largest collection of archives of the American Communist Party. I’d love to help you with research. Let me know if you need anything.”

Well, my plan at that moment was to take my time writing a follow up to Dupes, and not at all to do a biography of Frank Marshall Davis. I figured I’d get to seek more information on Davis for the Dupes follow-up, as I had information on him in the original Dupes. So, I said to Spyridon: “I’m trying to find archives of the Chicago Star, the Party-line publication that Davis wrote for in the latter 1940s. I can’t find them anywhere, not even in Chicago. The Library of Congress claims to have them, but they’re not on the shelf. Can you help me?”

Within about three hours, Spyridon was emailing me PDFs of the Chicago Star. Within about three weeks, he had mailed me copies of every Davis column in the Star. I was blown away by what I read, particularly the haunting similarity to some of Obama’s statements. I soon realized that I, alone, was in possession of a treasure trove of information on Frank Marshall Davis. Spyridon kept digging and finding more and more, and then I realized I had to do this book. It wouldn’t have happened without Spyridon—thus the dedication. The kid could be a future Herb Romerstein.

[Robert Campbell]

I would like to learn more about Frank Marshall Davis.

In the 1940s, he moved in jazz collecting circles in Chicago. Among other things, he apparently located the remarkably clean copy of a Skip James Paramount ("Little Cow and Calf Is Gonna Die Blues"), which a legendary Chicago jazz figure named John Steiner reissued in 1946 or 1947.

None of which excuses the man's political allegiances, but there was more to him than that.

Robert Campbell

[Selene]

I would like to learn more about Frank Marshall Davis.

In the 1940s, he moved in jazz collecting circles in Chicago. Among other things, he apparently located the remarkably clean copy of a Skip James Paramount ("Little Cow and Calf Is Gonna Die Blues"), which a legendary Chicago jazz figure named John Steiner reissued in 1946 or 1947.

None of which excuses the man's political allegiances, but there was more to him than that.

Robert Campbell

Robert:

Absolutely. Remarkable life actually. He was also a professional photographer. He also had a "kinky" side with "pornographic" photos in an underground magazine.

The bizarre aspect of that "kinky" side of him, is that one of his "models" may have been Barack's mother. There is another rumor thread that he is actually Barack's natural father.

Adam

[studiodekadent]

Does America need a leader who is to the left of the late Chinese Communist leader Deng Xiaoping—whose pro-prosperity policy was to give people the freedom to get as rich as they could?

Adam,

I know these words aren't yours, but just to nitpick, Obama (for all his faults, and there are many!) is not "to the left of Deng Xiaoping" (if by "to the left" one means "more anti-free-market").

And it isn't Deng Xiaoping's domestic economic policies which have made China grow. Rather, it is openness to Foreign Direct Investment within certain geographic regions of China (most obviously the Guangdong region, where you have Hong Kong, Macau, Shenzen and Guangzhou (aka Canton), but there are other Special Economic Zones in China, such as around Shanghai).

China is quite literally a fascist economy (i.e. Nationalistic Corporatism, state-managed and controlled capital with a level of nominal private ownership and PLENTY of corruption! There is a lot of officially state-owned capital too, and even Hong Kong has a ring of government-linked crony corporations that get the lions share of domestic economic benefits).

The United States, even with Obamacare, is still much more free in many respects than China. Hell, in most respects the US is more economically free than here in Australia, irrespective of what the Heritage Foundation thinks (even Beverly Hills is cheaper (and better quality) than Australia... trust me, I know, I spent four days getting ridiculously drunk there).

Anyway, point is that Obama is not more anti-free-market than Deng Xiaoping.

And just to clinch the deal... Deng's acceptance of some elements of markets is based on entrenching, legitimizing and perpetuating the power of the Chinese State, and glorification of the Nation. To Deng and the Chinese regime, some elements of markets and Foreign Direct Investment are accepted only as means to utterly collectivist and statist ends.

[Selene]

Does America need a leader who is to the left of the late Chinese Communist leader Deng Xiaoping—whose pro-prosperity policy was to give people the freedom to get as rich as they could?

Adam,

I know these words aren't yours, but just to nitpick, Obama (for all his faults, and there are many!) is not "to the left of Deng Xiaoping" (if by "to the left" one means "more anti-free-market").

Anyway, point is that Obama is not more anti-free-market than Deng Xiaoping.

And just to clinch the deal... Deng's acceptance of some elements of markets is based on entrenching, legitimizing and perpetuating the power of the Chinese State, and glorification of the Nation. To Deng and the Chinese regime, some elements of markets and Foreign Direct Investment are accepted only as means to utterly collectivist and statist ends.

Andrew:

No disagreement with your post at all.

As to costs in Australia, I was dumbfounded to learn that two (2) quarts of really good ice cream, one a simple vanilla and the other a simple chocolate, cost forty-eight American dollars!!!!

O'bama is an agenda driven collectivist, "marxist," "socialist," "communist" in the mindless college educated category.

He is basically incompetent and does "hate" business.

The fact that he has created a complete myth about himself with composite girlfriends and a mythical upbringing is what is really troubling.

An incompetent, angry, self hating narcissist in control of the most powerful country on the globe is a crisis beyond any that I have seen in my lifetime.

The frightening fact that his two (2) critical and closest advisors, Valerie Jarret and Axelrod, were nurtured and trained by dedicated radical Communists

is staggering.

Adam

[George H. Smith]

The fact that he has created a complete myth about himself with composite girlfriends and a mythical upbringing is what is really troubling.

I had a composite girlfriend once. She was very troubling as well, because I could never quite identify all the parts. I therefore know how Obama must have felt.

[Selene]

The fact that he has created a complete myth about himself with composite girlfriends and a mythical upbringing is what is really troubling.

I had a composite girlfriend once. She was very troubling as well, because I could never quite identify all the parts. I therefore know how Obama must have felt.

You should have gotten the inflatable composite model...

[George H. Smith]

The fact that he has created a complete myth about himself with composite girlfriends and a mythical upbringing is what is really troubling.

I had a composite girlfriend once. She was very troubling as well, because I could never quite identify all the parts. I therefore know how Obama must have felt.

You should have gotten the inflatable composite model...

I wonder if White House maids have ever happened across sex toys. If so, the gadgets should be donated to the Smithsonian for a special exhibit. A sex doll would be called "Doll One" and a vibrator "The First Vibrator."

As you may have guessed, I am not in a serious mood today.

Ghs

[Selene]

The fact that he has created a complete myth about himself with composite girlfriends and a mythical upbringing is what is really troubling.

I had a composite girlfriend once. She was very troubling as well, because I could never quite identify all the parts. I therefore know how Obama must have felt.

You should have gotten the inflatable composite model...

I wonder if White House maids have ever happened across sex toys. If so, the gadgets should be donated to the Smithsonian for a special exhibit. A sex doll would be called "Doll One" and a vibrator "The First Vibrator."

Great idea George.

The Smithsonian could call the exhibit:

The Orifice Office Exhibit...

[George H. Smith]

The fact that he has created a complete myth about himself with composite girlfriends and a mythical upbringing is what is really troubling.

I had a composite girlfriend once. She was very troubling as well, because I could never quite identify all the parts. I therefore know how Obama must have felt.

You should have gotten the inflatable composite model...

I wonder if White House maids have ever happened across sex toys. If so, the gadgets should be donated to the Smithsonian for a special exhibit. A sex doll would be called "Doll One" and a vibrator "The First Vibrator."

Great idea George.

The Smithsonian could call the exhibit:

The Orifice Office Exhibit...

And they could sell a new brand of cigars called "Billonica."

Ghs

[Selene]

The fact that he has created a complete myth about himself with composite girlfriends and a mythical upbringing is what is really troubling.

I had a composite girlfriend once. She was very troubling as well, because I could never quite identify all the parts. I therefore know how Obama must have felt.

You should have gotten the inflatable composite model...

I wonder if White House maids have ever happened across sex toys. If so, the gadgets should be donated to the Smithsonian for a special exhibit. A sex doll would be called "Doll One" and a vibrator "The First Vibrator."

Great idea George.

The Smithsonian could call the exhibit:

The Orifice Office Exhibit...

And they could sell a new brand of cigars called "Billonica."

Ghs

A great cigar Mrs. Freud...they take a licking and still keep ...

[studiodekadent]

And they could sell a new brand of cigars called "Billonica."

Ghs

Put me down to buy a whole box.

[Robert Campbell]

Anyway, point is that Obama is not more anti-free-market than Deng Xiaoping.

Andrew,

I have to agree that Barack H. Obama is more of a "capitalist roader" than Deng Xiaoping was.

In any case, Obama's ideology is hard to assess because, in the strictest sense, he couldn't have one.

Obama is a narcissist, primarily motivated to elicit admiration from others and to parlay that into gaining or retaining power for Barack H. Obama. He is too hollow to have any principles—good, bad, or indifferent.

But there are political positions that gained approval and secured advancement for him, during most of his life prior to November 2008. And these are well captured by statements about electrical rates necessarily skyrocketing, talk of spreading the wealth around, complaints about bitter clingers, and, most recently the one-liner he'll be running from the rest of his life: "You didn't build that."

Starting around 2003, when he began running for nationwide office, Obama added an even more superficial layer of "moderation," "post-partisanship," etc. Sometimes this required him to deemphasize or deny previous personal associations. Most of this thin layer has already peeled off.

A piece on Obama's Alinskyite background draws appropriate attention to his (and Alinsky's) pursuit of power for its own sake:

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/07/31/The-Community-Organizer-In-Chief-Part-One-The-Alinsky-Ethics

Robert Campbell