Slams at Obama show Smiley is out of touch

The suits at PBS must perspire profusely when they consider the latest from Tavis Smiley on the subjects of Sen. Barack Obama and the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Smiley, the PBS talk show host and public television's Numero Uno black guy, is a vociferous and cagey Obama critic.

On a recent HBO broadcast, Smiley took up the Obama conversation and made one of the most outlandish utterances I've ever seen on TV -- we'll come back to that momentarily.

Lately, black folks have been buttonholing me with one or another variation of the same question: "What's the deal with Tavis? Why is he dogging out my man Obama?"

Well, boys and girls, Mr. Smiley has had a problem with Sen. Obama for quite a while. It all goes back to Smiley's February 2007 State of the Black Union confab at Hampton University in Virginia. Every year, Smiley hosts a series of discussions with some of the biggest names in black America.

Smiley seemed a bit peeved when C-SPAN's broadcast of the conference was interrupted for the kickoff of Obama's presidential campaign in Springfield.

He went on to preside over a lot of grousing and skepticism among some of the participants, like the Rev. Al Sharpton and Princeton Professor Cornel West, who proclaimed that African Americans should ask Obama, "How deep is your love for the people?" and, "Where is your money coming from?"

I can tell you where Smiley's money is coming from: Wal-Mart, ExxonMobil, Verizon, Wells-Fargo, McDonald's, Allstate Insurance, etc.

Smiley has been on Obama's case ever since, publicly attacking him for being a no-show at this year's conference in February. Smiley didn't notice that Obama was in a historically brutal primary battle.

Now let's fast forward to the March 28 episode of HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher," when Smiley joined the Trash America Club. Maher, Smiley and other guests were conversing about the latest lowlights of the presidential campaign. Smiley, a prolific gabfest practitioner, was uncharacteristically mum while Maher slammed Sen. Hillary Clinton for her erroneous claim that she once dodged bullets in Bosnia.

But when the conversation moved to the Rev. Wright, Smiley offered a vigorous defense of the controversial preacher and a simultaneous smackdown of Obama.

In a sound bite of the Wright sermon that has been heard around the world, Wright suggested that after the Sept. 11 attack on the United States, "America's chickens are coming home to roost."

Smiley labeled criticism of Wright the "worst sort of racism." He went on to add that Wright "has been thrown under the bus." Obama, it seemed, should have defended his pastor, not condemned him.

Smiley added a historical analogy, noting that during the Vietnam War, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. opined that America was "the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today."

"The minute he said that," Smiley proclaimed, "[King] fell off the list of the most admired Americans. In 1967, they disinvited him to the White House. ... In '68, they shot him dead. Part of being a patriot means to stand as a truth teller."

As the audience applauded, Maher tried to clean it up: "The 'they' that disinvited him from the White House is a little different from the 'they' who shot him dead," Maher nervously offered.

Smiley wouldn't back off. "I could debate you on that."

This spokesman for black America is edging out onto a precarious limb.

His attacks on Obama are alienating his base. PBS and his multitude of corporate benefactors didn't hire him to weave conspiracy theories and pick fights with natural allies.

Tavis Smiley is out of touch. T.S. -- enough with the B.S.

It basically boils down to this.  TJMS is in a very TIGHT battle with Steve Harvey to stay on radio stations across America (you know that in most cities there is only 1 black R&B/old school station). Currently, in Philly anyway, there are several stations that cater to the so-called urban demographic.

 Tavis provides a convenient "excuse" for people to tune out TJMS and turn the dial by his consistent "blasting" of Obama.  Tavis's views are at odds with Tom Joyner's...so eventually he was going to be let go. By this do you mean Tom's support of Obama? 

Tavis is on the wrong side of the "movement."

Let me be clear, Obama is NOT above criticism and Blacks need to hold him accountable to the Black agenda (as is Tavis's main premise). Is there really a Black agenda that any Black elected official can be held accountable to? Is it fair to place a burden like that on people who are elected by a diverse population?

Tavis is letting his EGO get the best of him.......!!  Senator Obama should be scrutinized just like the other Presidential Candidates, but you can clearly see that Tavis has issues with Senator Obama.   I think a part of him would love to enter a room and get the love and respect that Senator Obama receives.  In the end Tavis Smiley can never be Senator Barack Obama and maybe that's the part that bothers him the most............!!

Don't HATE...........APPRECIATE !!!

Tavis is on the wrong side of the "movement."

What movement is that?

Let me be clear, Obama is NOT above criticism and Blacks need to hold him accountable to the Black agenda (as is Tavis's main premise).  However, there becomes a point where continuous criticism Tavis is throwing on Obama becomes devisive and destructive

Continuous? If you go to BAW 99% his commentaries are not even about Obama. I beleive it was two or three and to many that is continuous. I trying to figure out what he said that is sooooo bad to receive scorn.