Smiley still urging Blacks to hold Obama accountable

[Brother Tony]

Commentator catches flak about statements made about candidate

BY KARSCEAL TURNER
FLORIDA COURIER

Tavis Smiley has evolved into one of the nation’s Black leaders shaping Black America because of his role as political commentator and talk-show host on PBS.

The 43-year-old Mississippi native got Blacks to talking on a national platform back with his town hall meetings called “The State of the Black Union,” which airs live annually on the C-SPAN cable television network.

Smiley also has been one of the toughest critics of Sen. Barack Obama, expressing concerns about potential voters not holding the Black presidential candidate accountable.

During an exclusive interview with the Florida Courier, Smiley stood firm on his stance concerning accountability of political candidates, including Obama.

‘Great inspiration for young and old’
“Black people need to hold Obama accountable,” Smiley said. “Just because he is Black doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be held accountable for his stances on the issues affecting Black America. Obama’s current and future success is great inspiration to Black people young and old, I’m hoping it will promote progressive possibilities for Black folk,” he said.

“I hope the message of his campaign, whether he wins or loses, is that it releases progressive possibilities for all of us to be our best selves and lead better lives. For that I am grateful to him and to his campaign,” he said.

Barraged with angry calls, e-mails
Smiley has caught flak, primarily from Blacks, about a series of commentaries that began early in the year as Obama began to emerge as the Democratic Party’s front-runner.

After Obama’s win in the Iowa caucus, Smiley, who had a longstanding appearance on the nationally syndicated “Tom Joyner Morning Show” warned Blacks: “Don’t fall so madly in love that you surrender your power to hold people accountable. … I’m not saying overlook Senator Obama, but you now better be rea

dy to look him over.”

In the wake of his comments, critical phone calls and e-mails were barraged on Smiley, who replied two days later on the Joyner show that he stood by his criticism.

Didn’t mean to offend Blacks
Smiley has since split with the Joyner show but said Blacks are slowly but surely getting his message about accountability, no matter the candidate.

Some people misunderstood my meaning when I made the statements about accountability. I wasn’t making my comments as if people were stupid or ignorant in any way, that was never my approach,” Smiley explained.

“I understand what Obama’s campaign means to people of color. I understand that we have waited 400 years for a moment of this kind of worldwide significance, I’m not stuck on stupid. There are a lot of people who don’t want to hear any kind of conversation about accountability.

A ‘captain of the airwaves’
Smiley currently hosts the late-night television talk show, “Tavis Smiley on PBS’’ and “The Tavis Smiley Show,” distributed by Public Radio International. He is the first American to simultaneously host signature talk shows on both public television and public radio.

Newsweek has profiled him as one of the “20 people changing how Americans get their news” and dubbed him one of the nation’s “captains of the airwaves.”

Smiley’s latest quest is identifying emerging leaders and cultivating their progress. As part of a national college tour, he was scheduled to visit Bethune-Cookman University on Sept. 5.

Helping to shape tomorrow’s leaders
“We want to develop young leaders while they are on at the campus. When it comes to Black scholars, we want to reach the best, the brightest, and the marginal. ” he said.

B-CU President Dr. Trudie Kibbe Reed expressed gratitude at the university’s participation in the tour. “We were proud to welcome Mr. Smiley and the Talented Tenth HBCU Tour to our campus,” she said.

“Building on the legacy of our founder, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, civic engagement and leadership development are central principles in the education of all Bethune-Cookman University students.”

[LULions]

Tavis Smiley            

[oldsport]

Good for Tavis. This is all I have been trying to do. However, most Blacks have given Obama a pass.

[QueHBCUFan]

Good for Tavis. This is all I have been trying to do. However, most Blacks have given Obama a pass.

Oldsport, shut the hell up with this bigotry.  You are so stuck on stupid that you never hold the Republicans accountable for anything, yet you want us to just jump ship because you feel Obama isn't qualified.  It's obvious that you give Dumb & Dumber (McCain/Palin) a pass on all accounts, and you wonder why we "K----s" don't listen to a word out of your s**t hole.

[SPC Fighting Tiger]

Tavis is struggling to maintain relevance....
*British accent* It's quite sad, really...

[K-lyte]

Oldsport, shut the hell up with this bigotry.  You are so stuck on stupid that you never hold the Republicans accountable for anything, yet you want us to just jump ship because you feel Obama isn't qualified.  It's obvious that you give Dumb & Dumber (McCain/Palin) a pass on all accounts, and you wonder why we "K----s" don't listen to a word out of your s**t hole.

  :    lmao:

Thank you for speaking the TRUTH.

[oldsport]

Good for Tavis. This is all I have been trying to do. However, most Blacks have given Obama a pass.

Oldsport, shut the hell up with this bigotry.  You are so stuck on stupid that you never hold the Republicans accountable for anything, yet you want us to just jump ship because you feel Obama isn't qualified.  It's obvious that you give Dumb & Dumber (McCain/Palin) a pass on all accounts, and you wonder why we "K----s" don't listen to a word out of your s**t hole.

Aren't you special

[Ivan]

Personally, I don't have nor have had, a problem with what Tavis is saying about Obama. I think that we should hold all candidates accountable. With that being said, my vote for Obama in November is not because he's Black, but because I feel he's the best candidate.

NO ONE should vote for Obama just because he's Black.

[Ken]

We should hold BHO accountable I agree. When Tavis holds his next symposia we should hold all the speakers accountable. Instead of giving long winded speeches--each would have a project in a specific area to empower the black community and at each subsequent symposia report on the progress instead of giving "Feel good" speeches.

[Ivan]

Ken, that's one of the best recommendations I've heard on this board in a while.

I agree........................................if you're gonna speak at the State of the Black Union, you should come with examples of what you've done or are doing. Not only does it show your committment but, it may inspire others to do the same.

[Golden Kitten]

Personally, I don't have nor have had, a problem with what Tavis is saying about Obama. I think that we should hold all candidates accountable. With that being said, my vote for Obama in November is not because he's Black, but because I feel he's the best candidate.

NO ONE should vote for Obama just because he's Black.

I agree...

[Bro. Askia Musa Afiba]

Well, why in the world should most of us sit back and lie about ALL of the reasons why he's the best candidate, and why most of us are voting for Obama?  I am voting for Obama because he's the best candidate, who addresses the issues of all of the people of America and the world and because he is a Black African-American, as well.

It is time that an African-American become President and the most powerful person in the world, for a CHANGE.   He can do no worse than some of the other white males who have ruled this country since (slave owner) George Washington. African-Americans have more than paid our dues, regarding this matter.

Good or Bad, white people have had their chance. Nothing wrong with giving one of us a chance,  so finally minorities can truly feel that we are complete citizens of this country, and can also fully realize the complete fruits of the "so called" American dream, as well.

Sometimes, some of us are ashamed to just tell the truth.

Now, if Clarence Thomas were running for President, he would not get my vote, because he doesn't address the issues of all of the people in the USA, in my opinion, and I would Not vote for him, even if the other person were white.

So, why can't most of us admit that part of the reason we are voting for Obama, is because he is one of us, and that we trust him more than the other guy, and believe him to be the Best Man for the job, period.

Take care!

[QueHBCUFan]

Oldsport, shut the hell up with this bigotry.  You are so stuck on stupid that you never hold the Republicans accountable for anything, yet you want us to just jump ship because you feel Obama isn't qualified.  It's obvious that you give Dumb & Dumber (McCain/Palin) a pass on all accounts, and you wonder why we "K----s" don't listen to a word out of your s**t hole.

  :    lmao:

Thank you for speaking the TRUTH.

Say what you feel Oldsport; however it doesn't erase the fact that you are playing with danger.  You would be more appealing if you didn't subject yourself to the tricks the Republicans pray on.

[EB]

The only problem that I had with Tavis was when he kept talking about Obama coming to the SOTBU when Obama declined and Clinton accepted the offer.  Once Obama declined, I thought that Tavis should have moved on to something else.  However,....

Personally, I don't have nor have had, a problem with what Tavis is saying about Obama. I think that we should hold all candidates accountable. With that being said, my vote for Obama in November is not because he's Black, but because I feel he's the best candidate.

NO ONE should vote for Obama just because he's Black.

I agree...

I agree too.

[FunCkMaster]

Regardless of what Sporty Sport-Sport thinks, I think we all, no matter who we plan to vote for, know that we shouldn't pick just on race. Sporty Sport gets mad because we give Bro. Barack bigups for being a brother and making it this far...I wouldn't be surprised if it eats at his soul that we celebrate his blackness. And we should not be ashamed of doing so (although others would have you think different) Don't go for the BS. Be proud daggonit! Screw what the haters think...

 That being said, I am pulling for Sen. Obama because he falls in line more with what I believe in. I do not believe in everything he says, and I do find that some of his promises may  be just a lil' too grandiose. But I'll tell you this much... I find he has a lot more in common with what I believe in than what McCain/Palin do. And yes, should B.O. win, you John Brown right  I personally will hold him accountable. Any smart citizen would, and I am sure we all will (regarless of what Sports Sport says or thinks).

That being said, I am sure McCain/Palin's philopsophies are more in line with what O.S. and a handful of others on the board believe in, and hey, it is what it is...Do you..

I JUST KNOW WHO I'LLLLLLLLLL BE VOTING FOR...