Tavis Smiley’s Support of Edward Snowden

By Black Men In America.com Staff

While discussing President Obama’s NSA reform speech, PBS TV host Tavis Smiley, appearing on the ABC TV’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos,” on January 19, asserted that former NSA employee Edward Snowden “might be on a postage stamp somewhere down the road.”  During the broadcast, Smiley said:

“And so when I knew the president was going to give his speech on Friday, I started to wonder what that bust of Dr. King in the Oval Office might be whispering to the president who was fine-tuning his speech Thursday night,” he continued. “I saw the Friday speech. Unlike Peggy [Noonan], I was somewhat underwhelmed. I understand, David [Gregory], what he’s up against but I sometimes wonder if this president sometimes think rather that he is too cautious when he ought to be a bit more contrarian, particularly when a federal judge has said that part of this bulk collection is unconstitutional. And secondly, you can’t convince me how the dots connect to keep us safer.”

While other panel members, political strategists James Carville, Mary Matlin, presidential historian Peggy Noonan disagreed, Smiley went on to say that “Edward Snowden is going to be acknowledged one day.  He’s going to be appreciated one day.”

For his part, fellow panelist James Carville laughed and said that the only place Americans will see Snowden at a post office is on a “WANTED” poster.

Talk show host Tavis Smiley, in a roundtable discussion on ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopolous,” said NSA leaker Edward Snowden “might be on a postage stamp” some day. – See more at: http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/melanie-hunter/tavis-smiley-snowden-might-be-postage-stamp-one-day#sthash.B6VgAEu7.dpuf

Talk show host Tavis Smiley, in a roundtable discussion on ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopolous,” said NSA leaker Edward Snowden “might be on a postage stamp” some day. – See more at: http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/melanie-hunter/tavis-smiley-snowden-might-be-postage-stamp-one-day#sthash.B6VgAEu7.dpuf

Tavis Smiley: Black People Are Not Better Off Under Obama

By Black Men In America.com Staff Writer

Last week Tavis Smiley, who seems to show up more frequently on the FOX News Channel appeared on the Sean Hannity Show.  While discussing the government shutdown the conversation shifted near the end of the interview.

Host Hannity:  “Are black Americans better off five years into the Obama presidency?”

Smiley:  “Let me answer your question very forthrightly: No, they are not,” Smiley said. “The data is going to indicate, sadly, that when the Obama administration is over, black people will have lost ground in every single leading economic indicator category.”

Smiley:  “On that regard,” he added, “the president ought to be held responsible.”

Smiley:  “I respect the president. I will protect the president. And I will correct the president. He’s right on this government shutdown. Republicans are thwarting the rule of law with the Constitution. If they let this debt go into default, they’re trampling again on the Constitution.”

You can click here to watch the entire interview.  Of course, not everyone agrees with Tavis.  James E. Causey, of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says Tavis is wrong. Causey writes:  “Things are bad, but blacks are better off than we were before Obama took office.  Click here to read Mr. Causey’s article.

What do you think?

Cornel West: MLK 50 Was ‘Coronation of Bonafide House Negro of Obama Plantation

On the “Smiley and West” radio show on August 30, 2013, Dr. Cornel West issued a blistering commentary about the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington along with harsh criticism for Rev. Al Sharpton and Dr. Michael Eric Dyson.   Dr. West said:

“Brother Martin himself, I think, would’ve been turning over in his grave,” West said of the event. “[King would have wanted] people to talk about Wall Street criminality, he wants people to talk about war crimes, or drones dropping bombs on innocent people,” he asserted.

“Instead,” he lamented, “we saw the coronation of the bonafide house negro of the Barack Obama plantation, our dear brother Al Sharpton.” West then declared that Sharpton’s decline was “supported by [MSNBC analyst] Michael Dyson and others who’ve prostituted themselves in a very ugly and vicious way.”

Further, West said, the event was unremarkable because black leaders are too fearful to speak out against the nation’s first black president. “Our leadership now is so sold out,” he said. “It’s so bought out. It’s so deferential. It is so subservient that I think Martin Luther King Jr. would just shed tears and turn over in his grave.”

 

What’s Motivating Some of Obama’s Black Critics?

By Gary A. Johnson, Black Men In America.com

CNN columnist L Z Granderson has written a “thought-piece” that may help some people understand why critics like Tavis Smiley and Dr. Cornel West are so “over the top” in their criticism of President Obama and his remarks regarding the Trayvon Martin and the outcome of the George Zimmerman trial.

Granderson comes to many of the same conclusions that I have written about over the years as to why the self-serving Smiley rants against the President.  Both of us believe this may have started during the presidential campaign back in 2008 when then candidate Obama sent his wife to speak on his behalf at Smiley’s corporately sponsored “State of the Black Union” forum in New Orleans.

The man was running for President.  Here’s an excerpt of Barack Obama’s letter to Smiley explaining his situation: 

In the final stretch, I will be on the campaign trail everyday in states like Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin talking directly with voters about the causes that are at the heart of my campaign and the State of the Black Union forum such as affordable healthcare, housing, economic opportunity, civil rights and foreign policy. I am committed to touching every voter, and working to earn their vote.

That is why with regret, I am not able to attend the forum. I understand that you have declined the campaign’s request to have Michelle Obama speak on my behalf. I ask that you reconsider. Michelle is a powerful voice for the type of real change America is hungry for. No one knows my record or my passion for leading America in a new direction more than Michelle Obama.

Tavis turned down the offer of having Michelle Obama attend.  Michelle Obama is not “chopped liver.”  She is as smart, if not smarter than her husband and she’s a damn good public speaker.  Many observers, myself included feel this was the start of the rift that got Tavis’ panties all bunched up in a wad.  From that point on, Tavis has been whining and complaining like a baby.

Smiley and West remind me of the two Muppet characters Statler and Waldorf who sit in the balcony and complain about everything.

Granderson does a great job of providing a timeline of events that led us to this point.  I doubt that anyone will ever be able to figure out the “logic” that is driving the behavior of Tavis Smiley and Cornel West, but Granderson does a damn good job.  His article is certainly worth the read.

Click here to read the entire article.

LZ Granderson writes a weekly column for CNN.com.  He’s also a senior writer and columnist for ESPN the Magazine and ESPN.com.

Cornel West Says, “Obama Is A Global George Zimmerman”

By Gary A. Johnson, Black Men In America.com

I’ve never seen two guys more desperate to remain relevant than Cornel West and Tavis Smiley.   In the court of public opinion, these guys are losing their credibility with nonsensical rants against the President of the United States, Barack Obama.  Smiley and West are criticizing the President so often and so outrageously that at times you think this is some prank and that these once relevant intellectuals cannot believe what they are saying.  These guys firmly believe what they are saying and they are very calculating and deliberate about how they criticize the President.

In an interview with Democracy Now, Dr. West was asked for his thoughts on the President’s reaction to the outcome in the George Zimmerman trial.  Dr. West replied as follows:

“Well, the first thing, I think we have to acknowledge that President Obama has very little moral authority at this point, because we know anybody who tries to rationalize the killing of innocent peoples, a criminal—George Zimmerman is a criminal—but President Obama is a global George Zimmerman, because he tries to rationalize the killing of innocent children, 221 so far, in the name of self-defense, so that there’s actually parallels here.”

Smiley and West are so over the top in their behavior that this web site is seriously considering not giving them any attention.  These one time media standouts and intellectuals are nothing more than self-serving con men and media whores.   Smiley and West don’t care how they are viewed in the public.  I guess on one hand, that speaks to their “commitment.”

Conservative media outlets are smitten with these guys.  I guess Smiley and West have taken the position that some publicity, even if it’s negative publicity, is better than no publicity.

While Smiley and West continue along their path, this blog will seriously consider whether or not we will give them any further attention on this site.  I love that the President does not respond to either one of these guys or what they say.  Like him or not, President Obama smoothly and seamlessly continues in his job as President of the United States.

Click here to watch a video and to read the full transcript of Dr. West’s interview.

In a related story, Dr. West referred to the MSNBC television network as a “Rent-A-Negro” network and said MSNBC host Rev. Al Sharpton was on the “Obama plantation.”  Click here to read the entire article.

Gary A. Johnson is the Founder & Publisher of Black Men In America.com a popular online magazine on the Internet and the Black Men In America.com Blog. Gary is also the author of the book “25 Things That Really Matter In Life.” 

To learn more about Gary click here.

Tavis Smiley’s Criticism of President Obama (Again)

By Gary A. Johnson

Black Men In America.com (July 22, 2013)

Here we go again.  What did Tavis Smiley say this time?  Tavis is consistent in his criticism of President Obama.  To many people, Tavis is probably more well know for criticizing President Obama than he is for any of his other accomplishments such as the “State of the Black Union,” and some of his earlier best-selling books.  If your name is Tavis Smiley, criticizing President Barack Obama will definitely keep your name in the headlines.

During a discussion on Sunday’s “Meet The Press,” Smiley criticized President Obama’s remarks on Trayvon Martin’s death and the outcome of the George Zimmerman trial.  Smiley took to Twitter following the president’s unexpected comments and tweeted the following:  “Took POTUS almost a week to show up and express mild outrage. And still, it was as weak as pre-sweetened Kool-Aid.”

Trayvon Martin’s parents said President Obama made a “beautiful tribute to their boy” and shared that they were “honored and moved” by his words.  That wasn’t good enough for Tavis.  Many have wondered if President Obama will be able to do anything that would satisfy Mr. Smiley.

While on “Meet The Press,” Smiley also said:

I appreciate and applaud the fact that the president did finally show up. But this town has been spinning a story that’s not altogether true. He did not walk to the podium for an impromptu address to the nation; he was pushed to that podium. A week of protest outside the White House, pressure building on him inside the White House pushed him to that podium. So I’m glad he finally arrived.

But when he left the podium, he still had not answered the most important question, that Keynesian question, where do we go from here? That question this morning remains unanswered, at least from the perspective of the president. And the bottom line is this is not Libya, this is America. On this issue, you cannot lead from behind.

You know my position with regard to Tavis Smiley.  I think he is a self-serving whiner who craves the spotlight.  If you look at his total body of work, Tavis is an accomplished and hard working media personality, author and advocate worthy of the hype.  While Tavis continues to legitimately make valid points on issues such as hunger, black unemployment and other civil rights issues, the way that he raises these issues can be called into question as self-serving.

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out why Tavis Smiley is invited to be a guest on FOX News and the premiere Sunday talk shows.  Tavis is black and he is an articulate and consistent critic of the President.  That makes for lively conversation on television that translates into higher ratings.

Tavis historically has had a close relationship with former President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary.  If Hilary Clinton runs for President, it will be interesting to gauge the support she gets from Mr. Smiley.

I don’t mind Tavis criticizing President Obama.  I do have a problem with “how” he criticizes.  Again, it appears to me that most of what Tavis does these days is overly self-serving.

Tavis has received a blistering response from many in the “Twittersphere” and social media.  People are expressing their opinions about
Tavis via our site’s e-mail box and our Facebook page.  Tavis appears to be unfazed by the comments.  Tavis accused President Obama of lacking courage by “kicking the race can down the road.”

Tavis also stated that President Obama has lost his moral compass.  Is it possible that Tavis has lost his way too?

Gary A. Johnson is the Founder & Publisher of Black Men In America.com a popular online magazine on the Internet and the Black Men In America.com Blog. Gary is also the author of the book “25 Things That Really Matter In Life.” 

To learn more about Gary click here.

Gary Johnson has written several articles on Tavis Smiley.  To review some of his past commentaries click on the links below:

https://bmia.wordpress.com/2013/07/23/whats-motivating-some-of-obamas-black-critics/

https://bmia.wordpress.com/2012/12/15/tavis-smiley-shrewd-misguided-and-one-of-the-biggest-whiners-in-the-business/

https://bmia.wordpress.com/2011/08/12/tavis-smiley-obama-is-the-first-president-who-hasnt-invited-me-to-white-house/

Tom Joyner: Tavis Is Fascinated with His Own Legacy

By Gary A. Johnson, Black Men In America.com/January 27, 2013

Here we go again.  Can’t we all just get along?  I don’t know who’s in the news more these days.  Tavis or Rhianna?

PBS host Tavis Smiley and his colleague and partner  former Princeton professor Cornel West, criticized President Obama last week for using a bible belonging to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., for the President’s inaugural swearing in ceremony.  I’m not sure about the criticism.  It’s not like the President stole the bible.  The King family gave the bible to the President.

Well, Tavis’ former employer, syndicated radio host Tom Joyner apparently heard enough.  Last week Joyner wrote a commentary called “Tavis vs. MLK,” published on Black America Web.com.  Here are two prominent highlights in Joyner’s commentary:

• Tavis is fascinated with his own legacy, and that’s not good. He wants more than anything to be remembered the way Dr. King was, and to some how make that kind of mark on the world.
• Tavis is afraid of what will be said about him and it’s driving him crazy.

Tavis has consistently claimed that he holds no ill will towards the President and that he is simply attempting to hold the President accountable.

Most people who follow Tavis are not neutral in their view. For another perspective read Harold Bell’s recent commentary “There’s A New Sheriff In Town.”

What do you think?

(Photos from Getty Images/AP)

There’s A New Sheriff In Town

By Harold Bell

“THERE COMES A TIME WHEN SILENCE IS BETRAYAL” 

Rev. Martin Luther King

Chairwoman Marcia Fudge of the Black Congressional Caucus says, “My colleagues don’ think there is poverty in America.  They are crazy, nuts, evil and nasty people. They wanted to cut $16.5 billion from the food stamp program.  I have never seen anything like them!”

Ohio’s Finest / 21st District: Marcia Fudge

During Barack Obama’s run for President in 2008 Tavis Smiley and his commentaries were a fixture on the Tom Joyner Morning Show heard in over 100 markets.  Tavis abruptly quit the show which seem to come as a surprise to Tom and his morning show staff.

On April 11, 2008, Tavis Smiley announced that he would resign in June 2008 as a commentator. He cited fatigue and a busy schedule in a personal call to Joyner.

However, Joyner, referred to several commentaries in which Smiley was critical of then Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, indicated otherwise on his program, stating: “The real reason is that he can’t take the hate he’s been getting regarding the Barack issue—hate from the black people that he loves so much.” Prior to the public controversy and being elected President, Obama had been on Smiley’s PBS show several times.

In the 2008 Presidential campaign Tavis invited then Presidential candidate Barack Obama to participate in one of his forums but Barack send Michelle in his place.

Tavis took Barack’s absent as a slight and many claim he still has not gotten over it!  I have always thought if a man sends his wife to represent him it is a sign of respect for the person in charge.

During his first term as President, Barack Obama was giving anyone and almost everyone in black media an interview (except Tavis).  Blacks in media seem to have carte blanch to President Obama and the First Lady Michelle (genius PR move).  He became “The Darling” of black media.

This was unheard in the White House press corps before a black President occupied the White House.

The backlash from Tavis bashing the FIRST black President was sometimes real ugly during the first term.

Tavis said on more than one occasion that the President didn’t care about black people or the poor and down trodden. It didn’t play too well in the black community, but since that time some opinions have changed in favor of Tavis.

On October 1, 2010, Tavis Smiley turned the second hour of his PRI program into Smiley & West co-hosted by his longtime friend and adviser Dr. Cornel West.

Congress Lou Stokes (D-Ohio), his 21st Ohio District extended to blacks everywhere.

Tavis was in Washington, DC on Thursday January17, 2013 hosting a forum titled, “Vision for a New America: A Future without Poverty” at George Washington University. Let me say for the “Record” good luck!

The panel was made of Author Jeffery Sachs (Columbia University), former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Author Jonathan Cole, Mary Ann Chilton (Drexel University), Rose Ann Democo (National Nurses United), Author John Kozol,U. S. Rep Marcia Fudge, John Gramm (Indiana University) and the brilliant Professor Cornell West (Union Theological Seminary).

One member of the panel described the perils of poverty best when they said “There is a highway into poverty but there is no sidewalk out!”

The most compelling personality on the panel and the most courageous was Congressional Black Caucus   Chairwoman Marcia Fudge.  She brought to mind, the late Congresswomen Shirley Chisholm (D-NY) and the eloquent and powerful speaker Barbara Jordan (D-Texas).  Their courage had no boundaries when it came to leading by example and speaking out against the injustices of a system that was supposed to be serving its people.

During the discussion Ms. Fudge said, “There are people working the House of Representatives who don’t believe there is poverty in America.  I just left a retreat with my colleagues of the Congressional Black Caucus.  These are the craziest people I have ever seen, we are dealing with a bunch of nuts who are evil and nasty and don’t care about anyone but themselves!”

These same colleagues voted to cut 16.5 million dollars in food stamps.  We are sending people to Congress who do not understand what their job is and do not understand that they are there to represent the people.

Donna Edwards does not understand her role.

Ms Fudge made it perfectly clear from the very beginning “I am not owned by anybody. No corporations or anyone.”

For example; When Tavis reminded her there was tension between the Black Caucus and the White House during the President’s first term. He said, “There was a time when the President would not even meet with you.” She admitted there was some tension but reminded him that her job was different from the President of the United States.

Ms. Fudge did not allow Tavis during the forum to make her a part of the bashing of the President.

She pointed out that The FISCAL CLIFF is nothing but “Smoke & Mirrows.” It is just a cover-up for the debt that we owe for two wars, Bush tax cuts and Medicaid part D, it is all a game.

Ms. Fudge also said, “Democrats have given up on poverty and that is no  no different from giving up on the gun issue.  When you don’t have the answers you give up!”

She then pointed to the legislation that the President had passed to help the poor and downtrodden.

There were two major pieces of legislation, Obamacare significantly helps poor people.  In the Stimulus, there was more money put into the Head Start program than ever before, Pell Grants were increased, unemployment was extended, more money was put into poor schools and two billion dollars was put into food stamps. I am not saying it was enough but let us put all the facts on the table.”

We are in a state of emergency our children are not only dying in our streets (Chicago) but they are dying in our classrooms (New Town)!  Senior citizens are dying in our nursing home across this country but no one seems to care.

“The rule of money makes everybody and everything up for sale.  There is a culture of fear where folks are scare of the TRUTH.

They are scare of losing their jobs, losing their status, scare of not being invited to the White House or the next Tea Party.  There is a shameless silence in this country.  It is the rule of money that has this country so corrupted (former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagel, the latest crook).  There can be no integrity or trust when there is the rule of money.

Government can be corrupt and repressive against the people they are supposed to be helping. We must stop the silence, call your congressman and voice your displeasure.  Until they see hungry babies or homeless—they are not going to believe it” said Ms. Fudge.

It looks and sounds like the New Sheriff is looking and asking for our help.

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich without a doubt came up with a proposal and suggestion that just might help turn this country around.

He suggested to Caucus Chair Fudge that he would recruit Republican politicians to volunteer to spend 3 days each with a Democratic politician in their voting districts and vice-verse.

Her response, “You make it happen and I am in.”

I am thinking that would be a feat that you could compare with getting the Jewish Community to double date with the Palestinian Community!  The Nobel Peace Prize would definitely be a possibility for both Newt and Ms. Fudge.

 Harold Bell is the Godfather of Sports Talk radio and television in Washington, DC.  Throughout the mid-sixties, seventies and eighties, Harold embarked upon a relatively new medium–sports talk radio with classic interviews with athletes and sports celebrities.  The show and format became wildly popular. Harold has been an active force fighting for the rights of children for over 40 years with the help of his wife through their charity Kids In Trouble, Inc.   To learn more aboutHarold Bell visit his official web site The Original Inside Sports.com.

Tavis Smiley Booted From Martin Luther King Event

Tavis Smiley, the PBS talk show host who has criticized President Barack Obama for not doing enough for the African-American community, says he was ousted as the speaker at a Martin Luther King luncheon because he was trying to hold the president accountable.

“I don’t see my role as one of criticizing the president. I see my role as one of holding the president – this and every other president-accountable,” Smiley said on Fox News on Monday.

“Something is wrong with this country … that so often the political right, and I am no defender of the political right … gets accused of playing the game of political correctness. What this underscores is that those on the left, the Democrats can play that game of political correctness as well,” he added.

Smiley was booted from the 20th annual MLK luncheon on Jan. 16 that is hosted by the Peoria Civic Center. The group announced last week that Smiley had been replaced by Michael Eric Dyson as the guest speaker of the event, citing people who were “upset about comments that Tavis Smiley has made.”

Note:  This website and blog has talked about Tavis Smiley for years.  You can debate whether he has had a fall from grace.  Or whether or not he is an unbiased and objective news person.  We’ve dubbed him a “whiner” and “crybaby,” but that’s just us.  Here’s a recent news article about Tavis from the Politico.

Source:  The Politico.  Click here to read the rest of this story.

Related article:  https://bmia.wordpress.com/2012/12/15/tavis-smiley-shrewd-misguided-and-one-of-the-biggest-whiners-in-the-business/

Cornel West: ‘Coward’ Obama Doesn’t Care When ‘Black Folk’ Get Shot, Only When ‘Vanilla’ Children Do

By Black Men In America.com Staff

Oh my.  Here we go again.  In wrestling parlance, it looks as if we have a “cage match,” between the team of “Terrible Tavis Smiley” and his partner “The Professor” Cornel West against President Barack Obama and his policies.

In this latest war of words, Professor West made his comments on Saturday, December 22, 2012, on the “Smiley and West” radio show.  These two guys have no quit in them.  I guess you can say they have the courage of their convictions when it comes to putting issues they believe of interest on the public table for discussion.

Following the shooting death  of 26 children and adults in Newtown, Connecticut, Saturday, West referred to President Obama and other (unnamed) politicians as “cowards” who only cares about “vanilla” children.  Smiley and West have been frequent critics of President Obama and they don’t seem to care what people say or think about them.

West, an open and frequent critic of Obama, referring to the soaring homicide rate in Chicago, said the president did not care when “black folk” get shot in his own state.

Click here to listen to Professor West’s comments as he is being interviewed by Tavis Smiley.