Tavis Smiley: Black People Are Not Better Off Under Obama; President Ought to Be ‘Held Responsible’

As we reported this week, PBS radio host Tavis Smiley debated Fox’s Sean Hannity over the government shutdown. Another interesting nugget from that interview is when Smiley asserted that the lot of black Americans has not improved under this current presidency.

“Are black Americans better off five years into the Obama presidency?” Hannity bluntly asked the political radio host.

“Let me answer your question very forthrightly: No, they are not,” Smiley responded. “The data is going to indicate, sadly, that when the Obama administration is over, black people will have lost ground in every single leading economic indicator category.”

“On that regard,” he added, “the president ought to be held responsible.”

However, Smiley continued, “I respect the president. I will protect the president. And I will correct the president. He’s right on this government shutdown. Republicans are thwarting the rule of law with the Constitution. If they let this debt go into default, they’re trampling again on the Constitution.”

Watch the exchange below, via Fox News:

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