Sean Penn questions Wyclef's bid to run Haiti

[demoleft]

Source: afp

AFP - Oscar-winning actor Sean Penn poured cold water on Wyclef Jean's bid for the Haitian presidency on Wednesday, questioning the motives of the musician and those backing his campaign.

Penn, who has spent extended periods in Haiti since the devastating January 12 earthquake, told CNN in an interview that Jean had been a "non-presence" during efforts to rebuild the state in the months since the disaster.

"He has been virtually silent for those of us in Haiti, he has been a non-presence," said Penn, who has been running a 55,000-person tent camp through the J/P Haitian Relief Organization he co-founded.
...
"His voice has really been most loudly that which allegedly has taken over 400,000 dollars designated for Haitian relief for himself and claims he didn't do it," Penn said. "That has to be looked into."

Read more: http://www.france24.com/en/20100806-sean-penn-questions-wyclefs-bid-run-haiti

---

one of the greatest.

[Mimosa]

1. I'm seriously admiring Sean Penn.

His comments on this are worth attention.

[donquijoterocket]

64. yes

I tend to consider him this country's leading authority on conditions in that unhappy land and I've admired him since he was Jeff Spicoli figuring only a superb and intelligent actor could pull off that character as convincingly as he did. If Wyclef is truly concerned and smart he'll find a Role for Sean in any attempt to rehab that country from its misery.

[Suich]

2. RE: Haiti

If Sean Penn talks, I listen.

Here's his site: http://jphro.org/

[demoleft]

7. thanx for the link to the organization, suich. n/t

[Maru Kitteh]

3. I like how nicely Penn's hair is dyed and sprayed for his photo op.

This Jean/Penn thing is nothing more than two camera hogs in a cat fight.

[demoleft]

4. is that all you see? a pity, i'm sorry for you. n/t

[Maru Kitteh]

5. If you can't see through it all, I feel sorry for you. n/t

[demoleft]

6. yes, let's agree on this: i rejoice in his efforts, you don't - and we're mutually sorry. n/t

[Maru Kitteh]

8. I rejoice in better people who do more with less and are too busy doing so to aggrandize themselves.

But you go ahead and continue to admire rich celebrities. It does something for you.

[demoleft]

9. oh now i see. since he's rich, he's cheating by definition. no matter what.

yes, i'll go on admiring him, you bet.

[roguevalley]

56. he's lived there in the same conditions as the people since this

happened and he's saved lives. He's still there and will stay there helping them. What the hell have you done?

[northernlights]

19. "Penn, who has been running a 55,000-person tent camp through the J/P Haitian Relief Organization"

so what have you been doing for Haiti?

Maybe it is a photo-op -- to gain donations to the relief fund he is running.

He could be spending his fortune, which he earned, on living the "good" life being waited on and catered to. Instead, he's doing it to help others.

[Botany]

22. That is no photo op for Mr. Penn

That is a 100 pound bag on his shoulders, the sweat looks real, and the way his veins
are popped out shows that he has been lifting for some time. Ever since the earthquake
Penn has dropped his show biz life, moved to Haiti, and worked to help the poor and
hurting of that country.

[Tempest]

31. I feel sorry for you

Penn has been deeply involved in Haiti's relief effort since day one and all you see is a photo op.

I feel sorry for you that you became so jaded.

[t0dd]

58. pathetic.

[Earth_First]

62. Is that Maru Kitteh from Democratic Underground I see in the background hauling water rations?

I didn't think so....

[LaStrega]

10. I don't see how Penn is aggrandizing himself.

But whatever you think ... carry on.

From the article: "We have to live together, work together to change Haiti, open more schools," added Jean, who encouraged the youths around him to get voting cards. Less talk, more do.

(edit: should have been a response to another post ... not to the OP)

[demoleft]

11. agreed. n/t

[dipsydoodle]

12. Wyclef Jean files papers to stand for Haiti president

Hip hop star Wyclef Jean has formally registered to stand for president of his native Haiti as it rebuilds after the devastating January earthquake.

Dozens of supporters greeted him as he arrived with his wife and daughter at an electoral council office in the capital, Port-au-Prince.

The deadline to file candidacy papers for the 28 November poll is Saturday.
Related stories

Mr Jean, who lives in the US, will now have to prove he is eligible to run under Haitian law.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-10888173

[CBGLuthier]

13. I guess white man knows best how to run Haiti

Being born there is no qualification unless you got the magic white skin of wisdom.

[mrs_p]

15. +1

[Rebubula]

16. Dear God...

...so...this HAS to be racial???

I am the last person to defend Sean Penn...but he has put his money where his mouth is in the Haiti disaster. While at the same time Jean's group has had seriously sketchy financial issues.

A white man can criticize a black man and it not be racist. Part of getting into a so-called 'post racial' society is recognizing that - but some people really seem to want to force open all old wounds at every turn.

[Roland99]

20. +infinity

[demoleft]

25. penn was precise in his point. the racial question you raise is meant to evade the issue.

do you have any opinions on the doubts penn talks about?

[mrs_p]

36. penn's attitude that he belongs more to Haiti than jean is what bugs me

i don't think jean is ready to be president of a country but the Haitian people will be the ones to decide. however, penn's holier than thou attitude is pathetic. he says "for those of us in Haiti" like his 6 months there has elevated him to being a Haitian. he can leave anytime, and does. he is just another super uber rich person (as is jean) who, yes is doing great good, but who is an outsider. at least jean spent his early years in Haiti, and has been going back there for family and charity for decades - he is Haitian. yes, scrutinize his motives, as should be done in an election. but for penn to act like he is the new spokesman for Haiti is just absurd. let the Haitian people decide for themselves...

[demoleft]

45. "penn's attitude"? you're still not answering the doubts he raises. what's your opinion...

...about that?
because you know, the topic of the post is about that.

for the rest, i agree with you: haitians will choose.
and penn never stated the contrary.

[mrs_p]

50. what? about the charity?

how can i (and you for that matter) know what has happened in the charity? one that has been around for a while (not 6 months) and would naturally have some problems along the way.

or do you mean about the SUVs he and his entourage were driving in Haiti, bringing medical supplies to the people and transporting the injured?

or do you mean about the US corporations involvement? but, as he just filed, we don't know who has donated.

so much conjecture, yet you think he is guilty on all charges. i, otoh, don't know either way. i do know that penn is new to caring for Haiti, while jean has been involved for decades.

yeah, i think we should question all politicians. but, isn't it interesting that jean has been doing charity for Haiti for years before the earthquake, and now he is such a horrible person...

[demoleft]

53. no, i do not hold he's guilty. but you are prejudiced against penn's words.

but at least this is an answer on your part, on the topic.
and not haitian/non haitian, black/white skin - which for some minutes risked to hijack this thread, which offers chance to dig more into the matter.

penn raises question that must be cleared.
must be.

thanks for talking with me and for your opinion.

[roguevalley]

59. no it doesn't. that is you talking. show us anywhere in any interview

that is true.

[Lightning Count]

27. Charles Taylor for president of Haiti?

?

[Tempest]

32. Straw man

Penn specifically stated why he said what he did and race had nothing to do with it.

[elehhhhna]

42. The NGO's elected him to lead a consortioum. Read up. He's seriously making a diff over there.

He has connections. With money. Aircraft. He has time and is making financial sacrifices -- versus most disaster parasites. The US Mil is even liaising w/ him and from all reports he's shockingly effective, fyi.

[EFerrari]

46. Normally I'd agree with you but Penn has been working his own butt off

living in one of the most successful camps in Haiti which he has been running. He doesn't show up in a pressed work shirt like Clinton or Bush for photo ops and he has no interest in raping Haiti like all the others. You got the wrong guy.

[tabasco]

54. People don't choose their skin color or where they're born.

Your post indicates a lack of intelligence and morality on your part.

[Ignis]

55. You're SO right! We need someone who has the right qualifications!

:eyes:

[roguevalley]

57. puh-lease.

[Turborama]

14. Here's the full transcript of what Penn said to Blitzer about this...

I find it very weird when people refer to themselves in the third person, which Wyclef Jean did throughout the interview he had with Wolf Blitzer earlier (see the full transcript http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1008/05/lkl.01.html">here).

As far as his motives are concerned, maybe his heart is in the right place - it's not as if he needs to do it for the money - or maybe his ego is in the wrong place.

Who knows?

The main questions to ask going on from here are, who's going to fund him, who will his competitors be and how will they stand up to scrutiny?

BLITZER: You're absolutely right. It is heartbreaking to think about it. They make the pledges and then they don't write the checks. Sean, what's your reaction to Wyclef Jean deciding he wants to run for the presidency?

SEAN PENN, ACTOR AND ACTIVIST: Well, I'll tell you when I was asked to be on the show today, I had thought I would reserve judgment. But after paying attention to the things that were said, I feel that it's important to say that while President Preval himself has made very clear the value of Wyclef's voice as a song writer, as someone with whom the youth is quite enamored with, and appointing him, not as he said electing him, ambassador at large, which took place, in fact, three years ago, which does not qualify him as someone who has had residency for the five consecutive years necessary -- but that's an issue of rule of law that we will or won't respect in our donations, or lack thereof, to campaigns abroad.

We are talking on CNN, which has primarily an audience outside of Haiti. And so I think what's really important is that the last thing in the world Haiti needs -- and I'm not accusing Wyclef Jean of being on opportunist. I don't know the man. But I think it's extremely important that we pay great attention to both the individuals in the United States who are enamored with him, maybe not for his political strengths, and in particular for corporate interests that are enamored with him, and those that may themselves be opportunists on the back of the Haitian people.

Right now, I worry that this is a campaign that is more about a vision of flying around the world, talking to people, as he said. It's certainly not one of the youth drafting him. I would be quite sure that this was an influence of corporations here in the United States and private individuals that may well have capitalized on his will to see himself flying around the world doing that. What the Haitian people need now is a leader who is genuinely willing to sacrifice.

And one of the reasons I don't know very much about Wyclef Jean is I haven't seen or heard anything of him in these last six months that I've been in Haiti. I think he's an important voice. I hope he doesn't sacrifice that voice by taking the eye off the very devastating realities on the ground and the very difficult strategic future that it's got in putting itself back together.

BLITZER: Well, those are important concerns that you have, critically important concerns. And I want to go more in-depth on some of them. Anderson, stand by. Sean Penn, stand by as well. Dr. Sanjay Gupta will still be with us. We have lots more to assess on this important day right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)


BLITZER: Anderson, stand by for a moment. I want to bring back Sean Penn. because you raised some serious questions about the motives behind Wyclef Jean's decision to run for president of Haiti. I want you to be more specific if you can, Sean. This notion that there are some corporate interests here in the United States who may be pushing him to do this. What do you mean by that?

PENN: Well, the people that I've spoken to related to his campaign and those on the ground in Haiti claim these things, and so really I'm putting this forward to a very important oversight committee, and that's the media. You know, I watched Rick Sanchez prior to this program talking about himself and his frolic of baseball as a child for a long time. In the meantime, on my Blackberry, a woman of 24 years old is dying because she didn't have attention to a tooth for the last two months in Haiti.

I see in Wyclef Jean somebody who could well have been influenced by the promise of support from companies. I think that Haiti is clearly vulnerable to, in particular, the manufacturing concerns that it so desperately needs and the jobs that it so desperately needs. But with a history of American interests coming in and underpaying people. This is a culture of one to two dollars a day that they were making. And we really can't -- if we help with them in fixing this house -- if it had a leak before the earthquake, it doesn't make much sense to rebuild it with a leak again.

So what I'm encouraging is that we look very hard at all the donors, because this is somebody who is going to receive an enormous amount of his support, if he continues his campaign, from the United States. And I'm very -- I have to say, I'm very suspicious of it simply because he, as an ambassador at large, has been virtually silent. For those of us in Haiti, he has been a non-presence.

He said earlier he was helping to move bodies and so on in the first days. That may well have been. And everybody's help was very needed. But his voice has really been most loudly that which allegedly has taken over 400,000 dollars of money that was designated for Haitian relief for himself. He claims he didn't do it. I think that is going to have to be looked into it.

In the meantime, I've been there where I know what 400,000 dollars could do for these people's lives, and for a 24-year-old girl right now who is dying. So this -- I want to see someone who is really, really willing to sacrifice for their country, and not just someone who I personally saw with a vulgar entourage of vehicles that demonstrated a wealth in Haiti that, in context, I felt was a very obscene demonstration.

BLITZER: Those are excellent questions that need to be -- need to be explored and they will be explored if, in fact, he continues this campaign that he has launched today to run for president of Haiti.

PENN: I just want to say -- I just want to say.

BLITZER: Hold on, Sean. Hold on one second.

PENN: This is a very important voice there.

BLITZER: Hold on one second. I want to continue this conversation. We're not going anywhere. We'll take a quick break. First, I want to get to our heroes, waging war on Mississippi's waistline. For six years in a row, the Magnolia State has been named the fastest in the nation. So this week's CNN hero put her entire hometown on a diet. Linda Fondren challenging the city of Vicksburg to lose 17,000 pounds in 17 weeks. It was such a success, she couldn't stop there. Take a look.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Talking about Haiti with Sean Penn, the great actor. Sean, is the Obama administration living up to its commitment to the people of Haiti?

PENN: You know, that's a very good question. As I think you know, I've been very strong in my support of what the Obama administration initially ordered in Haiti. Certainly the United States military effort there was extraordinary. You know, this is -- this becomes such a political question, because we have to say where are our commitments? You know, if we had the troops that are deployed currently in Afghanistan in Haiti continuing the mission of Operation Haitian Relief, I think that the emergency concerns there would be a lot further along. It still is, in very many ways, in a state of emergency.

Clearly, there's not been enough pressure on the donors, including the United States, to come up with money. But Haiti is a very complex place, which brings us back to the conversation of who will lead the new Haiti, where a social revolution is so needed. I'm very hopeful that President Preval will address the General Assembly and talk about land deeding, for example. But what it doesn't need is a social revolution on the back of a cult of personality issue right now.

BLITZER: Sean, we have to leave it right there. But thanks to you and thanks to your group for everything you are doing. I want to thank Larry for letting me sit in tonight. I'm Wolf Blitzer. See you in "THE SITUATION ROOM" tomorrow. Enjoy your vacation, Larry. Time now for "AC 360."

[mrs_p]

17. it's great that penn has found himself

while serving the people of Haiti. but he shouldn't knock someone else who has been immersed in Haiti's cause since he was born. it's really up to the Haitians to decide. or does white man know best?

[Rebubula]

18. Yes...

...let's make this all about race.


:eyes:

[mrs_p]

41. for me it is actually more of a Haitian/non-Haitian thing

penn has been involved in Haiti for 6 months. jean was born there and has been involved with Haitian issues for decades. i think anyone running for president should be scrutinized, but penn's 6 months there does not make him the only voice for the Haitian poor.

[EFerrari]

47. You are the only one making that claim. n/t

[northernlights]

21. I think what he's saying is that corporate america *doesn't* know best

and he's concerned that this particularly candidacy may have been *bought and paid for by American corporate interests*

And I'm curious -- are you saying that because he happens to be white, Penn doesn't have a right to give his opinion when he's interviewed and asked questions? He's there on the ground and he's suggesting that what Haiti *doesn't* need is for (white) American corporate interests to control Haiti. That is somehow a bad thing?

[mrs_p]

28. i'm saying that he isn't Haitian

i think that he has a right to his opinions, but ultimately he is an outsider. he is also new to the Haitian cause, relatively speaking, and it is up to Haitians how they want to be led...

[northernlights]

29. of course it's up to Haitians

but it doesn't take being Haitian to recognize and suggest that somebody appears to be bought by US corporations. In fact, maybe it takes an American with access to notice and point that out. :shrug:

To me it's no different than if somebody famous from another country who came here and did relief work in the aftermath of Katrina pointed out that an American movie star running for office appeared to be bought by, say, the Russian mafia

And it's not as if he suggested anywhere in the interview who Haitians should or should not vote for. He only voiced what he saw as legitimate concerns based on information he would have access to that many ordinary citizens too focussed on struggling to survive would not have access to.

He didn't even say "don't vote for this guy." He only pointed out concerns that bear investigating and considering. That hardly seems out of line to me.

[mrs_p]

43. i hear what you are saying, and anyone running

for office should be scrutinized and it doesn't matter by whom. but for penn to say "for those of us in Haiti..." as if he is a spokesperson for Haiti or has more right to care for Haiti than jean, really irks me... as someone who has spent significant time in a developing country doing humanitarian work, i see where one starts to identify with the people. however, penn is super rich and can leave anytime he wants/needs (and has - he hasn't been there 6 months straight). but the poor Haitians never have this option - that will always separate him. and the good he is doing will never bridge that gap unless he sells everything and lives the same (and has the same miniscule choices) as the people he is serving. yes, jean should be scrutinized, but to go on US tevee like penn has the much better motive makes ME really suspicious. honestly, i have been in his situation, and i learned that it was never my place to speak for the people - the people can speak for themselves. but maybe that is just me...

[northernlights]

48. I think you're quibbling...

you're taking one short phrase out of context from a series of questions and answers. He made it clear earlier he'd been in Haiti for 6 months.

The phrase could just as easily be expanded to say, "those of us (helping on the ground) in Haiti...."

Within the context of the entire interview, and remembering that people aren't always perfectly articulate in a Q&A situation, I think my interpretation is likely more accurate than yours.

Penn is a celebrity, but that also means he's a businessman. He's not running for office; he's not telling anybody what to do, he is not trying to run the country himself, nor is he promoting any specific candidate. He was asked questions; he answered them as best he could.

Any publicity he is seeking in accepting tv interviews is more likely intended to bring attention to the plight of Haiti and donations to his relief organization.

[arikara]

49. Did you read the whole interview?

You're taking one little phrase out of context.

[Tempest]

33. Is Wyclef Haitian, I mean really?

He doesn't live there (he moved to the U.S. at age 9), hasn't been there in decades for any meaningful time and has no real ties to the country.

In this country we call them carpetbaggers.


His foundation is based in the U.S. and most of the money it collected has gone to Wyclef's own family.

[mrs_p]

35. well, if Haiti says he is, he is

that is up for them to decide, not us...

[defendandprotect]

40. Won't be seeing a return of Jean Bertrand Aristide -- that's for sure -- !!

Right color -- and a Haitian -- but a believer in democracy -- !!

[demoleft]

26. any opinions on the things penn points out? or is it just white man/black man issue for you? n/t

[Tempest]

34. It should be obvious

They have yet to address the points Penn has made.

[mrs_p]

39. i think jean should be scrutinized

but penn should be too. why does he think he has the Haitian people's interest more at heart than jean, who was born in Haiti and has been involved in Haitian issues for decades?

[roguevalley]

61. I wasn't born in Africa but I would love to do for them what he's

doing for Haiti. Why? Because its right and not about color, because lives need saving, because it creates peace. If Penn lived in a house and not a tent, didn't have to carry a gun to defend himself and didn't work day and night to help people stay alive and didn't earn the unqualified respect of the organizations and military working there, maybe you would have a point. Its not about race. Its about decency. Haiti can't stand another bad leader. Jean should be scrutinized. It will be for the good of all if he does and passes inspection.

[tabasco]

63. "involved in Haitian issues for decades"

Linkies?

[mrs_p]

38. it's the Haitian/non-Haitian thing i have issue with

let the Haitians decide for themselves...

[roguevalley]

60. his objections are about corporations and money. they don't

speak to race. You do. sad.

[Dappleganger]

23. Haitiens can do better.

The Haitien diaspora really needs to step up.

[sixstrings75]

24. This is why people question Wyclef's motives...

http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/58555,people,news,wyclef-jean-caught-in-haiti-charity-controversy-yele



"It showed that out of the $1m raised from donors that year, Yele paid $250,000 in TV television production fees to Telemax, a company that Jean owns with fellow Yele board member Jerry Duplessis.

Another $31,000 was paid to Platinum Sound, a Manhattan-based company also owned by Wyclef and Duplessis. And a further $100,000 was paid to Wyclef himself, apparently to cover his costs of performing at a benefit concert in Monte Carlo, Monaco. The Smoking Gun asked "why Jean needed to be paid to perform at his own charity's fundraiser".

Jean claims they were all legitimate production costs and tax experts have agreed that it is routine for people in Jean's position to charge their own charities, so long as services are being provided in return. "The tax rules do not prohibit related party transactions," said Marcus Owen, former chief of the IRS unit that oversees non-profit groups."

It's not about race. It's about a guy raising money and then paying himself and the companies he owns almost 40% of the received funds.

If that doesn't raise any eyebrows, well I feel sorry for you.

Why would he pay himself $100,000 to perform??? And sorry, 'production costs' just doesn't cut it.

Even though it might all be 'legal', it still stinks.

[RaleighNCDUer]

30. OTOH, a charity concert by him is not just him on a bare stage.

There are a LOT of people involved in charity concerts who expect to get paid for their labor. 'Production costs' DOES cut it - a major event is insanely expensive to put up, and no matter the cause, the truckers, electricians, caterers, janitors, security guards et al expect to get paid. Not to mention the limo drivers, the airlines pilots, baggage handlers, ticket agents, etc, who get him and his entourage to and from the event.

I think that Jean's heart might be in the right place, but reading Penn's fuller statement it suggests he may be vulnerable to corporate exploitation - and Haiti's has enough corporate exploitation over the past hundred years.

I give kudos to Jean for just wanting to stand up - even wanting to try to run a country that has been disfunctional for decades when you are not a US military client is a ballsy thing to do.

[Billy Burnett]

44. You are correct about the stage ware.

When I do sound for charitable causes I (meaning my crew and me) do it for free, aside from expenses incurred - such as special equipment or special transportation needed for the event.

I've met Wyclef and his posse at Tap Tap in Miami (a Haitian hangout w/food drinks and entertainment, usually Haitian, that I frequent).

Not a fan since. Too much of the misogynistic thug posse rollin in Bentley cars thing for my taste. Somewhat harmless in the big picture on the music scene, but, as president af Haiti? No way!

[defendandprotect]

37. Watched it last night -- agree . .. questionable --

[zappaman]

51. meh

let me know when Lady Gaga weighs in with her opinion.

[Turborama]

52. Wyclef hits back at Penn claims (weirdly referring to himself in the 3rd person again)

Wyclef Jean has responded to claims made by Sean Penn that he hadn't spent enough time in earthquake-stricken Haiti.

The singer, who has put himself in the running to be the island's president, fumed when he found out that actor Sean, who has been managing an earthquake-survivor camp in the Haitian capital since the spring, had accused Jean of not spending enough time in Haiti.

"I just want Sean Penn to fully understand I am a Haitian, born in Haiti and I've been coming to my country ever since (I was) a child," he said. "He might just want to pick up the phone and meet, so he fully understands the man."

=snip=

Wyclef also responded to claims published this week on website The Smoking Gun concerning his unpaid US taxes. "First of all, owing 2.1 million to the IRS shows you how much money Wyclef Jean makes a year," he said, pledging to publish an accounting of his finances online and to repay the money he owes.

Full article: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5hoN-OQPjzjVtr35Q22XYqh6bWdAA

[Billy Burnett]

65. Wyclef is no Fidel Castro.

What Haiti needs right now is a cadre of young socialists committed to the sovereignty and welfare of the people, just like the Castro brother's cadre of dedicated revolutionaries.

I'm not saying that they should replicate all of the doings of the Cuban revolution, but when you look at the outcome of the Cuban revolution, as reflected in their social metrics and statistics (ed, healthcare, equality, etc) it would be a most excellent thing for Haiti.

Kick the disaster capitalists out of Haiti now! Cuba did just that.

Start the reading and education programs for all, now!

Set the military to work and create construction brigades to construct housing/shelter for all.

There are more than enough people willing to help Haiti do this now. Mr. Penn is a fine example.

Kick the disaster capitalists out of Haiti now! Wyclef too.

The nations of the Latin American and Caribbean "Axis of Good" will kick in, in spades, to help Haiti evolve into modernity.


Viva the Axis of Good.

[Doctor_J]

66. Sounds like he doesn't want US corporations to choose the new president

I agree