west publicly supported 2008 democratic presidential candidate senator barack obama. he spoke to over 1,000 of his supporters at the apollo theater in harlem, n.y.c. on november 29, 2007. however, west now calls obama a "black mascot of wall street oligarchs and a black puppet of corporate plutocrats." in an interview, west said:as a young brother who grows up in a white context, brilliant african father, he's always had to fear being a white main with a black skin. all he has known culturally is white.west's comments about president obama have drawn criticism from other african-americans, including melissa harris-perry and al sharpton.