NEW YORK — When Cornel West recently spoke to The Huffington Post about media coverage of African American issues, the Princeton professor argued that President Obama is avoiding journalists who’ve offered tough critiques of his administration, such as PBS host Tavis Smiley. « Obama won’t touch him with a 10-foot pole, » West said.
On Wednesday, Smiley backed up West’s viewpoint during a C-SPAN sit-down with him to discuss their 16-city poverty tour.
“Prior to his being elected, he came on my radio programs and TV programs with regularity,” Smiley said. “Once he got elected and my critique of him — about holding him accountable to various things didn’t sit so well with him or the people around him — he has not, at this point, come on my TV or radio programs one time since he’s been in this White House.”
Smiley said that Obama, whom he’s known for years, « is the first president in my professional career that hasn’t invited me to the White House. »
