Harvey lashes out at West, Smiley

By Tonya Whitaker
NDG Staff Writer

It seems syndicated radio columnists Tom Joyner and Steve Harvey are taking turns attacking Tavis Smiley and Cornel West.

During an episode of The Steve Harvey Show, the funny man put West’s and Smiley’s poverty bus tour on notice, and called the men

“Uncle Toms” because Harvey thinks West and Smiley are intentionally attempting to damage President Barack Obama’s name.

“Where are you getting the money for these buses?” Harvey questioned.

The radio host concluded by saying that he’d spotted an Uncle Tom driving a bus and that West and Smiley were “poverty pimps.”

Harvey claimed each man has an agenda against Obama.

“I was a huge fan of Cornel West,” Harvey said. “(But) Tavis, I seen [sic] him coming a mile away. His anger started when he had a town hall meeting, President Obama couldn’t come because of the campaign trail and he sent Mrs. Obama. He has held that grudge ever since.”

Harvey contends West’s grudge against the Obamas stems from the Harvard professor not receiving extra tickets to Obama’s inauguration. The comedian said, “Have you ever been invited to the damn inauguration? Did Bush send for you? Did Clinton send for you? Did Reagan send for you?”

Harvey went on to say that West and Smiley do not have a legitimate reason to dislike Obama.

“You don’t have any real basis behind your dislike for this man…you keep masking it saying it’s not about hate. Then what is it about? Poverty existed before Jan. 20, 2008. Where was your damn bus then?”

This isn’t the first attack West and Smiley have encountered since they have decided voiced their concerns over Obama’s lack of response to black unemployment and rampant poverty in the African American community. In a July interview, Joyner was given the chance to respond to Smiley’s and West’s disdain for Obama’s job. In his response, Joyer attacked Smiley’s sexuality when referred to West as Smiley’s “side piece.”