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Back in the winter of 2008, when then-Senator Barack Obama was fighting tooth and nail to be the Democratic Party's nominee for president of the United States, black leaders were still divided on whether he was the right person to lead the country. Few critics, however, drew as much fire from the black community as talk show host and author Tavis Smiley.
When Obama skipped Smiley's annual State of the Black Union forum in New Orleans (his Democratic opponent Senator Hillary Clinton did attend), Smiley made it clear he thought that was the wrong move. "I think it's a missed opportunity on Mr. Obama's part. Now, I am not interested in demonizing him for his choice, but I do disagree with it," he told CNN at the time.
To Smiley, his stance was consistent with his long-standing mission to inform and uplift the black community. To some blacks, it was the stance of a spoiler who was perhaps envious of Obama's spotlight. Many of you within the Black Voices community thought that Obama needed to concentrate on winning battleground states instead of attending the forum. Over 41,000 of you took our poll about it, with 82 percent saying that Obama made the right decision.
Fast-forward just over a year, and Obama has recently passed the 100-day mark as the first African American president of the United States. "At the pace he's moving right now, at the end of his first term, he will have completed about 66 percent of what he said he was going to do," Smiley told Black Voices during a May 4 video interview, not long after being named one of the ''World's 100 Most Influential People' by Time magazine. "Now, 66 percent is a pretty good number; on the other hand, it's not exactly the dean's list."
If it sounds like he's grading our president, that's not an accident. Smiley has a new book, 'Accountable: Making America as Good as Its Promise,' which lists the campaign promises Obama made in 10 areas and provides a checklist for citizens to assess whether he has delivered on those promises. "The ground is fertile for him to be a great president, but we have to hold him accountable to doing those things that he said he was going to do -- not out of casting aspersions on him, but out of loving him, because if he succeeds, there's a chance that we'll have somewhere down the road another black president, a woman president, but if he fails, it may be another 400 years before we get a black president."
Once in our interview chair, Smiley also discussed Obama's recent remark that his approach is to "lift all boats" with respect to black joblessness. "A rising tide does lift all boats, but if you're in a yacht and I'm in a dinghy, we've still got a problem," said Smiley.
Tavis Talks To BV
Talk show host Tavis Smiley visited Black Voices to talk about his book, 'Accountable: Making America as Good as Its Promise,' as well as his documentary 'Stand.'
Elizabeth Bruneau, AOL
'Accountable' lists 242 campaign promises that President Barack Obama made. To those who suggest it is a critique of Obama, Smiley says, 'For those persons who thought for some reasons I was hating on Obama...I remind people that [my] trilogy of books started before he was ever heard of on the national scene.'
Elizabeth Bruneau, AOL
Smiley says the president has made substantial progress on the economy, but 'for all of the talk about the economy, the president has focused on Wall Street, he's focused a little bit on Main Street; but no real talk about the side street.'
Elizabeth Bruneau, AOL
For the documentary 'Stand,' Smiley gathered together several of his male friends on a trip through the South in the summer of 2008. Show from left (back): Cornel West, Michael Eric Dyson, Dick Gregory, David Porter, Isaac Hayes, Raymond Ross, Tavis Smiley, Wren Brown, Eddie Glaude, BeBe Winans, Cliff West
From left (front): Daron Boyce, Robert Smith
Raymond Ross
As America approached the historic presidential election, against the backdrop of the 40th anniversary of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s slaying, the national dialogue and debate intensified about race relations, politics and the legacy of the civil rights movement.
SIVAT Productions
While visiting places like the Lorraine Motel, where Dr. King died, and iconic soul label Stax Records, Smiley and friends explored the diversity and complexity of the Black male experience in America.
SIVAT Productions
Their journey included a visit to the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN, on the site of Dr. King's slaying: Left to right: Tavis Smiley, Cornel West, Dick Gregory, BeBe Winans, Michael Eric Dyson, Eddie Glaude, Daron Boyce, Wren Brown, Robert Smith.
SIVAT Productions
Check out the video above to hear what else he said, then follow the links to Parts 2 and 3 for Smiley's discussion on his new documentary, 'Stand,' and his answer to a question from a BV member.
Tavis Smiley Images
Television personality Tavis Smiley (L) and Dr. Cornel West arrive for the Time 100 Gala in New York May 5, 2009. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson (UNITED STATES ENTERTAINMENT)
Reuters
Talk show host Tavis Smiley, left, and Dr. Cornel West attend the Time 100 Gala, a celebration of TIME Magazine's 100 most influential people in the world, on Tuesday, May 5, 2009 in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini)
AP
NEW YORK - MAY 05: Authors Tavis Smiley (L) and Dr. Cornell West attend Time's 100 Most Influential People in the World Gala at the Frederick P. Rose Hall at Jazz at Lincoln Center on May 5, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON - MARCH 15: (AFP OUT) Steve Liesman, Senior Economics Reporter at CNBC, speaks during a live taping of 'Meet the Press' at NBC studios March 15, 2009 in Washington, DC. Dr. Christina Romer, Chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA), House Republican Whip, David Frum, Columnist and former speechwriter for President George W. Bush, Katty Kay, Washington Correspondent for BBC World News America, Steve Liesman, Senior Economics Reporter at CNBC, Tavis Smiley, host of PBS's Tavis Smiley and PRI's The Tavis Smiley Show, appeared on the show to speak about politics and the US economy. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images for Meet the Press)
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WASHINGTON - MARCH 15: (AFP OUT) David Frum, columnist and former speechwriter for President George W. Bush, speaks during a live taping of 'Meet the Press' at NBC studios March 15, 2009 in Washington, DC. Dr. Christina Romer, Chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA), House Republican Whip, David Frum, Columnist and former speechwriter for President George W. Bush, Katty Kay, Washington Correspondent for BBC World News America, Steve Liesman, Senior Economics Reporter at CNBC, Tavis Smiley, host of PBS's Tavis Smiley and PRI's The Tavis Smiley Show, appeared on the show to speak about politics and the US economy. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images for Meet the Press)
Getty Images
WASHINGTON - MARCH 15: (AFP OUT) Tavis Smiley, host of PBS's Tavis Smiley and PRI's The Tavis Smiley Show, speaks during a live taping of 'Meet the Press' at NBC studios March 15, 2009 in Washington, DC. Dr. Christina Romer, Chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA), House Republican Whip, David Frum, Columnist and former speechwriter for President George W. Bush, Katty Kay, Washington Correspondent for BBC World News America, Steve Liesman, Senior Economics Reporter at CNBC, Tavis Smiley, host of PBS's Tavis Smiley and PRI's The Tavis Smiley Show, appeared on the show to speak about politics and the US economy. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images for Meet the Press)
Getty Images
WASHINGTON - MARCH 15: (AFP OUT) Katty Kay, Washington Correspondent for BBC World News America, speaks during a live taping of 'Meet the Press' at NBC studios March 15, 2009 in Washington, DC. Dr. Christina Romer, Chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA), House Republican Whip, David Frum, Columnist and former speechwriter for President George W. Bush, Katty Kay, Washington Correspondent for BBC World News America, Steve Liesman, Senior Economics Reporter at CNBC, Tavis Smiley, host of PBS's Tavis Smiley and PRI's The Tavis Smiley Show, appeared on the show to speak about politics and the US economy. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images for Meet the Press)
Getty Images
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 04: Talk show host/political commentator Tavis Smiley attends the premiere of "Against the Tide" at the Directors Guild of America on February 4, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images)
Getty Images
WASHINGTON - JANUARY 18: (AFP OUT) Political commentator Tavis Smiley of "The Tavis Smiley Show," speaks during a pre-taping of "Meet the Press" at NBC studios January 18, 2009 in Washington, DC. Smiley took part in a roundtable discussion about previous Presidential inaugurations, the celebration of Martin Luther King Day, this week's inauguration of U.S. President-elect Barack Obama, his whistle-stop train trip and his forthcoming administration. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images for Meet The Press)
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Keith Olbermann and Tavis Smiley attend the 2009 New York Times Art and Leisure weekend at TheTimesCenter on January 10, 2009 in New York City..2009 New York Times Art and Leisure Weekend - Keith Olbermann and Tavis Smiley.TheTimesCenter.New York, NY United States.January 10, 2009.Photo by Joe Kohen/WireImage.com..To license this image (56463623), contact WireImage.com
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Comments: (100)
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By: Kevin on 5/09/2009 5:27PM
I would like to know, what makes President Obama fake, and not say that maybe Tavis could just as much, if not more, fake.
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By: Angi on 5/09/2009 10:56AM
Tavis,you are the problem, if we could stop bringing each other down, and instead lift one another up not only would we be a better race we would be a better world!
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By: Mike1 on 5/09/2009 11:49AM
This guy is just an out dated race based Hustler with a crew that will never understand that the young people of roday refuse to be hustle. As a sixty year old brother I welcome their observations of a hustler gone bad.
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By: joseph nyerere on 5/10/2009 8:09PM
I worked for Obama to win the election and the primary. I have voted for over 50 years. I have never missed a polling. I am as black as tar. And, I dont give a damn about a first "Black" president because presidents do what presidents do. I have walked every picketttt linne that your mind can imagine for over 40 years.
(The power elite: the permenant government and outdated classic american institutions, examples are those who Obama appointed as his advisors), the owners and creator of capital, the explitors of labor, the financiers,
Obama should be held accountable because he is supppose to be a servant of the people, but like all presidents, Obama's real job is to protect the power elite and monied class as he is doing.
Since all boats rise on high tide, protecting the power elite's boat is supppose to drop a bowie or raft to raise everyone elses boat, but that is a lie.
Obama is a powerful protector of the status quo with the support of ignorant African Americans giving him a free ride on our backs. But, we have never been on the wrong side of history in this country yet, even while enslave.
I dont think that 95% of African American votes going to Obama was the wrong thing to do. We are ignorant as to what America is for real, we as a people know very little about the job of a president and to whom he is accountable. We have learned a long time ago to be very respectful of power as was taught to us when we were enslaved;
be proud when a "Black" person gits into a power position, "dont matter what, he's Black aint he. Aint you proud of a Black person advancing..."
We the people voted for Obama but we didn't hire him, didn't select him, the power elite hired him, agreed with his run: initialized and financed him before we ever voted. Obama was vetted by the power elite.
We allow Obama to stand before the world and lie about what America is and we experience a completely different America in every way. Obama's speeches about America are lies and Africans in America know it and we stand for it without any comment.
We know Obama is lying about what and who America is because of our experience (and even his own experience). I'll bet that if he stood on the corner, in New York, waiting for a cab, the cab would pass him by. He even admits such has happened.
I'll be willing to bet that all those Obama fanatics have a minister of the gospel that they love to death. Obama is like their preacher. Only Obama wears a $350.00 watch instead of a $10,000 watch like these preachers who pimp behind the good book.
Obama is a good man who is a politician who watches his back. So he doesn't git to close to Black folk.
Fact is I think Obama disrespects "Black" folk
and I dont like it. He talks down to "Black" folk and I dont like it.
Obama creeps around to "Black" folk's back door after dark because he is afraid to even say the word BLACK FOLK, He talks "Black" when he wants to have sex but he never wants to be seen walking in the park in daylight with us.
So far, Obama is an embarassment to African American struggle for liberation and has done nothing to further our cause, except be elected and that is not enough.
joseph nyerere
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By: Sheila Tyus on 5/14/2009 4:34PM
Your comment about Obama being a embarrasment to black people is just ridiculous. For one thing, having a black man who shows such respect and love for black women, I mean strong black women, not some floosies, shaking their butts, and loving little black girls to death, and showing a white america a side a black men they have hardly ever seen. Not running around on his wife but proudly saying, she's his rock. Yeah, probably to a brother like you that's a shame. But to all the black women in America, and I mean real black women, not someone who looks white. He is a breath of fresh air and pride just to see the love He and Michelle have for one another. Also, you don't know and do evertything right and neither will He. But at least He's trying, and I don't agree with major things He believes, but as an intelligent black man who loves black women and shows it. I'm proud of Him. And Tavis and brothers like you, need to stop hating.
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By: HERNOT VERSAINT on 5/09/2009 2:01PM
Let me say something about Mr TAVIS, I believe that an active guy like him may have a personal opinion about the president's agenda, it would be okay. But to bring himself to the TEA-PARTY, it w'd be a brain-washed. Sorry Mr Smiley, this presidency is not a gift. It is a result of INTEGRITY, PRAGMATISM AND SERIOUSNESS. All of that cannot be found through the empty brain as his name BARACK, means in certain language: heavy; It is clear that the such unusual result may not be understandable to any kind of mind. That's why the twenty first century requires a serious re-education to better be able to analyze the facts without the inner feelings just to face the realities of life. Most of the time there's no method to inspire basically causing jealousy or raising time by the useless acts, and so many things should be done to help the new generation.
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By: missy on 5/09/2009 3:02PM
Tavis seems so obsessed with the moment when President Obama makes a misstep or doesn't fulfill one of his campaign promises. He never expressed this accountable language when Bush was president for 8 years.
Tavis seems to miss the fact that senators and representatives are the people we should hold accountable for President Obama's success or failure.
I disagree with others who say Blacks are just siding with Obama because he is black/mixed. Polls continue to show that most (black/white/whatever) Americans support President Obama. Tavis has found a way to make money and that is to harass and attempt to bully President Obama.
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By: Kathleen_1984 on 3/29/2010 1:44AM
Tavis USED to be a guy back in the day who I really admired, but I've really started to NOT pay any attention to Tavis anymore--not just because of the flap between he and President Obama--but because Tavis's STALE messages, self-promotion and total self-absorption IS growing more and more stale by the SECOND, and he's starting to become more and more irrelevant the more he talks as well. Tavis has become quite passé.
Is it ME, or is Tavis always with Dr. West?
How strange (Just asking (lol)...
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By: Kevin on 5/09/2009 5:30PM
I do not have a problem that Tavis Smiley is willing to hold Pres. Obama accountable, but I wonder myself, where was he when Pres. Bush was in office. Did Tavis hold Bush accountable for the billions that were spent during the Iraq War? Did he hold Bush accountable for things like No Child Left Behind, or the Stock Market?
I had no problem with Pres. Obama not attending the thing then, and I have no problem with it right now.
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By: YUSUF on 5/17/2009 12:18AM
What is the problem"is it obama or tavis'is it a book or 100day's;Let's take a look at ourself's
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