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TAVIS ISN'T SMILING OVER REPUBLICAN SNUBS OF UP COMING DEBATE: Journalist/activist says the show will go on, though.
"You can't go through an entire primary process and refuse to talk to black and brown voters," a passionate Smiley told us. "If you're not going to talk to all of America then you don't deserve to be president of all of America."
*The face of black journalism on television in the 21st century is Tavis Smiley of PBS and so it is only right that he be the moderator among a panel of journalists of color for the All American Presidential Forum to air on public television on September 27.
This time around the Republicans will face the proverbial music not unlike their Democratic counterparts back on June 28th of this year. Ray Suarez of The NewsHour, columnist Cynthia Tucker of The Atlanta Journal Constitution and NPR's Juan Williams will be alongside Smiley for the forum.
Inspired by the book "Covenant with Black America," the forum will engage candidates on issues from health care, to Katrina relief and the economy. Our Lee Bailey shared a phone call with Smiley to discuss the event. But Tavis wasn't ready to talk about how historic the forum will be but, rather, how the Republican frontrunners appeared to go out of their way to not be present.
"The word frontrunner has taken a whole new meaning for me," said Smiley. "I didn't know it meant being out front and running from people of color."
Tavis' demeanor when interviewing even the most staunchly right-wing individuals has always been one of respect, curiosity and even admiration for some of those individuals' qualities, but he dispatched with the niceties prior to getting on the phone with Mr. Bailey.
"The frontrunners, specifically Mr. Romney, Mr. McCain and Mr. Guiliani, have said to us they will not be on stage at Morgan State University on September 27th. All the Democrats showed up in June, but the front running Republicans have said they will not be there. They have also told Univision that they will not be there for the Hispanic debate. So, collectively, what the Republican frontrunners have told both black and brown Americans is that we don't appreciate you, don't value your issues and you're not a priority to us."
It has been no secret that since the demise of the Dixie-crats of the 1960s, Republican presidential candidates have appeared - to put it mildly - uninterested in issues surrounding the nation's ethnic minorities. We're sure someone as educated as Mr. Smiley is aware of that. But witnessing it up close and personal had to sting a bit.
"You can't go through an entire primary process and refuse to talk to black and brown voters," he continued. "It's unconscionable, it's untenable, it's unthinkable and no one should be elected president in 2008, in the most multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-racial America ever and, in the process, ignore and ditch those voters. If you're not going to talk to all of America then you don't deserve to be president of all of America."
Ever the quite polite "Black Kronkite," Smiley's demeanor always appears to be gentlemanly and gracious, but he was obviously disappointed in the actions of some of the Republican candidates and spoke in a frank manner throughout our conversation.
"I don't care if you're black, white, brown, female, Republican or Democrat. That applies to everybody. I think America is going to look very hard at what these Republican candidates are saying to black and brown America by refusing to show up and address their issues."
A historic moment is what the debate is being touted as. What would make a person miss out of being a positive part of history? We don't know, and neither does Mr. Smiley.
"Their motivations? I don't know why they're not going to be there, but I do know that, by them not showing up, it's a missed opportunity. You can't continue to say that you can't get black and brown's attention and that you can't get their eyes focused on you and then, when a legitimate platform is offered to you, you choose not to show up!"
When it comes to human behavior one would be best served by preparing him or herself for anything. That includes the existence of black conservatives. Though some may feel their existence is contrary to reality, these individuals are a vital part of the democratic discourse in this country, but Mr. Smiley was not feeling very democratic especially when the question of how the nation's top black right-wingers would respond to the three frontrunners' snub of the All-American Presidential Forum.
"(They need to) admit that (they're) not interested and to all my black Republican friends: J.C. Watts, Armstrong Williams, Colin Powell, Condeleeza Rice ... the list goes on and on ... to all my black Republican friends, I don't wanna hear it anymore! If you want black folks to take your party seriously, then your party ought to take black folks seriously."
African Americans have been wrestling with party affiliation for at least 50 years. At one time it appeared to be a cut and dry decision as to who to vote for. But the black conservatives have been trying to sway the masses to the other side of the aisle. Their war cry is getting louder and louder, but Tavis Smiley isn't trying to hear it.
"That old notion that black Republicans say, 'You're owned by the Democratic party and we need to get off the plantation.' Well, you know what? If you think we're on the plantation then you're entitled to that point of view. But, your masters won't even show up to address our issues."
So why would anyone want to tune in to watch a debate where no one is showing up to debate? Smiley told EURweb that the debate will still go on and that five Republicans candidates: former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, California Congressman Duncan Hunter, Texas Congressman Ron Paul, Congressman Tom Tancredo of Colorado and Kansas Senator Sam Brownback, will be on hand to make their case for the highest office in the land.
"The majority said they are coming. We've got five who say they are coming and, Fred Thompson just got into the race so we're still working on him. I've made it clear to all of these candidates that if you show up there's a podium with your name on it and a bottle of water for you. If you don't show up there's a podium with your name on it and a bottle of water. The nation is going to see at least three empty podiums representing Romney, Guiliani and McCain."
The All-American Presidential Forum will still take place a week from today on September 27 and will air on PBS at 9pm Eastern.
For more, go to: http://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/special/forums/
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