tavis: hi, i'm tavis smiley. for a look at what post-gadhafi's libya means for the middle east plus an actress vera farmiga. >> every community has a martin luther king boulevard. it's the cornerstone we all know. it's not just a street or boulevard, but a place where wal-mart stands together with your community to make every day better. >> nationwide insurance supports tavis smiley. with every question and answer, help tavis improve financial literacy and remove obstacles to economic empowerment one conversation at a time. nationwide is on your side. >> at toyota, we celebrate and differences and the people who make them. toyota, prague supporters of the washington, d.c., who -- crowds of supporters of the martin luther king, jr., foundation. >> and by contributions to your thank you. [captioning made possible by kcet public television] kcet public television] belonged to your grandmother, right. yes, it was her ashtray, actually. - her ashtray. - her ashtray, yes. it was on her bedside cabinet. goodness me. wha

i will go on the tavis smiley show. i tried to be helpful. tavis: a great actor and a better man. an upcoming showtime series and a new deal with showtime to produce other projects. whenever he wants to do. good to have the wind. i appreciate you. up next, a preview of our week devoted to china. it starts monday. we will explain it for you in just a moment. stay with us. i hope you will join us for an entire week devoted to china. i traveled there with a camera crew and a group of colleagues including cornell west. over the first of four nights we will look at the issues and the challenges facing china and the ideas and people who will shape china for the rest of the century and beyond. on friday, we will have a high- profile panel of chinese americans for a conversation about china and its place in the world. our guests include john chan. we met and spoke with some extraordinary people but probably the most moving encounter was when we got a chance to meet my your workers and their kids. we hear a lot about the economic boom. everywhere you look you see evidence of that. china is

tavis: good evening. from los angeles, i am tavis smiley. an exclusive conversation with one of the members of the new super committee, xavier becerra. they will present a plan for significant budget cuts by the end of november. also, the legendary jazz artist, herbie hancock. he will be joined by a famed conductor for the annual opening nights here in los angeles. we are glad that you have joined us. xavier becerra and herbie hancock, coming up right now. >> every community has a martin luther king boulevard. it's the cornerstone we all know. it's not just a street or boulevard, but a place where wal-mart stands together with your community to make every day better. >> nationwide insurance supports tavis smiley. with every question and answer, help tavis improve financial literacy and remove obstacles to economic empowerment one conversation at a time. nationwide is on your side. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. [captioning made possible by kcet public television] tavis: next month, the 12- membe

♪ tavis: good evening.onight and all this week we move throughout the country of china trying to listen and learn about the chinese people. talk about china must always be the economy but this week we will talk about the people and the social issues, environment and education. all these issues the people of china are wrestling with. we spend this week on location. that is coming up right now. >> every community has martin luther king blvd. it is the cornerstone we know. it is not just a street but a place where walmart stands with your community to make everyday matter. >> nationwide insurance supports tavis smiley. with every question and every answer,we're proud to join him in improving financial literacy. and remove obstacl -- >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. [captioning made possible by kcet public television] tavis: i first came to china one year ago and wanted to return as soon as possible. now i have come back with doctor cornell west and more than 30 memb

tavis: good evening from china, i am tavis smiley. we are here talking to everyday chinese about the issues that matter most to them, the environment, the economy, education, the future, the family, real issues, real people, every night from the people's republic of china. our conversation begins tonight right now. >> every community has a martin luther king street. this is a place for wal-mart standing together with your community to make everyday better. >> nationwide insurance supports tavis smiley. with every question and answer, ing provided by -- >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. [captioning made possible by kcet public television] tavis: this is the view of beijing from the roof of the microsoft campus. this is second only to their headquarters. the big cities are already jammed and in the next 10 years, they expect the largest internal migration in history there is a downside to all of this gallup and growth and you can see it, a thicket ago, bikes dominated the streets. today, every

tavis: at least a quarter of a million dollars.n all seriousness, i am trying to get a sense of what kind of position people are in and around the world who are living in abject poverty with that kind of money for body parts. >> i'm worth about a quarter of a million-dollar is in america. in india, their bodies are worth less because they have no bargaining power. for a lot of people, they see their body as a last ditch the social safety net where they have nothing else to bargain with. the only thing they can sell is their body. i begin my book by interviewing an activist named maria. tavis: let me read it. "people are going with a glimmer of hope in their eyes. people speak that way about selling their kidneys. " >> these were all refugee survivors. they have building living -- been living in this camp for years with no government help. the organ brokers descended there. but in the course of a couple months, 80 women sell their kidneys. the women are -- you can see these cross sections taking out of them. is because that is all t

tavis: i appreciate that part. why have you chosen to live up in these places around the globe that you have gone to? there is a case to be made for everyone of them. it is a courageous to go where you have gone. so why these kinds of places? >> id is not by some mastermind ish design. when i received my letter in 2002, it was direct mail solicitation. we did have a mutual friend through who kate roberts, the person who wrote me and contacted me -- that very same week, phone calls from two dear friends who are great man, bobby shriver and bonnet, asking me to do the same thing. asking mend bono, to do the same thing. and i sought through this for text of fate and reconnected with my passionate rabble rousing self of undergraduate years. next thing i knew, i had been to 13 countries and had written all of these diaries as a way to both capture and commemorate the sacred narrative of a vulnerable people with which i had been entrusted. but i also wanted to write about the simple and cost effective grass-roots program

tavis: good evening, from china, i'm tavis smiley. we're here all this week to listen and to learn as we speak to the chinese people about the issues that matter to them. the social husband is. the cultural issues. their families. the future, education and environment and so much more as we're on location tonight and all this week. i'll have more in a moment. >> the cornerstone we all know. it is not just a street or boulevard but a place to gather with your demoupt make every day better. community to make every day better. >> nationwide insurance proudly supports tavis smiley. tavis and nationwide insurance by -- >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. kcet public television] >> this is my second trip to china and i've come back with some of my staff and good friend and colleague, dr. cornel west. we're something of an anomaly in china. you don't see many african-americans. it resulted in some friendly curiosity. that same curiosity greeted andrew ballen when he arrived in beijing a decade cookin

tavis: hi, i'm tavis smiley.time for a consersation with the former mayor, kwame kilpatrick plus "sex and the city"star kristin davis. we will see you then. >> every community has a martin luther king boulevard. it's the cornerstone we all know. it's not just a street or boulevard, but a place where wal-mart stands together with your community to make every day better. >> nationwide insurance supports tavis smiley. with every question and answer, help tavis improve financial literacy and remove obstacles to economic empowerment one conversation at a time. nationwide is on your side. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. [captioning made possible by kcet public television] [captioning made possible by kcet public television]

tavis: good evening. from los angeles, i am tavis smiley. tonight, our conversation with a legendary figure in the world of public television, of bill moyers. he has a new book based on his long-running pbs series, bil>> s tavis smiley. with every question and answer, nationwide insurance is proud to join tavis in working to improve financial literacy and remove obstacles to economic empowerment one conversation at a time. nationwide is on your side. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. [captioning made possible by kcet public television] tavis: always pleased and honored to be in the company of my friend bill moyers. his latest book is an extension of his award winning show, called "bill moyers' journal -- the conversation continues." i am so delighted the conversation continues on this program tonight. >> where else but with mr. tavis smiley? tavis: i am happy to have you here. there was a rumor, may be some truth to it, all over the internet that bill moyers was thinking about coming back to pbs, u

tavis: good evening. from los angeles, i am tavis smiley. first up tonight, a look at what the fall of muammar qaddafi means for libya, the middle east and the united states. mansour el-kikhia has been in contact with rebel leaders who have assumed leadership role in the north african nation. also tonight we mark the passing of two music legends, jerry leiber and nick ash ford. tonight we'll bring you leiber and stoller from their visit here in 2009. nick ashford and his wife valerie simpson co-wrote some of the biggest songs in motown history. next tuesday night we'll bring you a memorable hour with ashford and simpson also recorded on this very same stage in 2009. remembering two songwriting giants coming up right now. >> every community has a martin luther king boulevard. it's the cornerstone we all know. it's not just a street or boulevard, but a place where wal-mart stands together with your community to make every day better. >> nationwide insurance supports tavis smiley. with every question and answer, help tavis improve financial lit

. >> nationwide supports tavis smiley. we are proud to join him in working to improve the plans to literacy and of removing the obstacles to economic empowerment one at a time. >> and from contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. >> we are pleased to welcome kenneth brannagh to this program. out this weekend with what promises to be one of the biggest films so far this year. natalie portman and chr hens worth, now here seen in "thor." >> through your arrogance and stupidity you have brought these peaceful realms and innocent lives the horror and desolation of war. you are unworthy of these powers, unworthy of this title. you are unworthy. i take it from you in the name of my father and his father of four -- and his father before. i cast you out. >> we know you and celebrate she was a wonderful celebration shakespearean actor. how does that and formed this? >> you have anthony hopkins, a fantastic shakespearean actor remain -- bringing tremendous brought the cost of the role of the open. -- of odi

tavis: good evening from los angeles, i'm tavis smiley. tonight conversation with economist, author and the president of bennett college for women women, dr. julianne malveaux. the book is called "surviving and thriving." also tonight we'll remember actor peter falk, the man who became one of tv's most iconic figures as colombo passed away last week at the age of 83. back in 2005, peter falk joined paul riser on this program for a memorable conversation. difference -- >> thank you. >> you help us all live better. >> nationwide insurance supports tavis smiley. with every question and every answer. nationwide insurance is proud to join tavis in working to improve financial literacy and remove obstacles to economic empowerment one conversation at a time. nationwide is on your side. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. [captioning made possible by kcet public television] tavis: dr. julianne malveaux is a noted economist, author and columnist who also serves as the president of bennett college for women

tavis: good evening, from china. i am tavis smiley. i have had the pleasure of sharing my unique experience with some of my personal staff and my friend and colleague, dr. cornel west. the people have impressed us with their candor and friendliness. it would be a mistake to underestimate the authoritarian government and their grip on modern china and even for us. minor flareups emerged at some surprising moments. i will share two of those experiences. this all begins in just a moment. >> every community has a marvelous the king boulevard. this is the cornerstone we all known. this is not just the street or a boulevard where wal-mart stands to get there with your community to make everyday better. >> nationwide insurance supports tavis smiley. with every question and answer, nationwide insurance is happy to help tavis improve financial literacy and remove obstacles to economic empowerment one conversation at a time. nationwide is on your side. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. [captioning made

tavis: that could be replicated across the country. >> absolutely. tavis: that can be replicated. northwestern is not unique in that regard. others can clearly do that. what benevolent work would that be for law schools across the country. i want to come back to something that ken said something. talk to me about the burden, the responsibility, you tell me what it is for you that you have dedicated the rest of your life to representing others who are enduring the same thing you had to go through. >> i was sitting down with the reverend. i wanted an innocent project within our community pride there are only two african-americans that i know of. he was the first african- american that was granted a pardon in the state of illinois. we need that in our community. we need to go into the inner city colleges and direct programs. teach these to our young children and ignite their passion so that we can deal with the overwhelming volume of mail that i receive. it is more than i can answer. my dream is to bring these young students and allow them to enter these letters, allow them to assimi

tavis: good evening from los angeles. i am tavis smiley. as more nato and non-u.s. take the lead in libya, there is concern about the mission and its chances of success. a view from inside europe with doug saunders, european bureau chief for "the globe and mail" and a book about migration. also michael connelly is here. his book, "the fiftyou help us . >> nationwide insurance supports tavis smiley. with every question and answer, nationwide insurance is proud to join tavis in improving financial literacy. nationwide is on your side. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. tavis: doug saunders is the author of the new text, "arrival city: how the largest migration in history is reshaping our world". he is based in london. we're honored to have him in los angeles. good to meet you. >> pleasure to be here. tavis: let me start with libya. we're backing down our engagement, backing down our involvement. the u.n. has to step up and because of that, their questions about the success of this mission. your thoughts? >> unlike iraq, this

tavis: good evening. as we prepare to celebrate the independence and freedoms that helped define america, is a sober reminder when men and women are wrongfully accused and often sentenced to die. the state of illinois is ground zero these days for numerous cases of false imprisonment. recently, i joined rev. jesse jackson in chicago for a two- part conversation with four men, black and white, who, combined, spend more than 50 years behind bars despite their innocence. we're glad that you have joineda difference. >> thank you. >> you help us all live better. >> nationwide insurance supports tavis smiley. we're happy to join him in helping to improve literacy and empowerment one conversation at a time. nationwide is on your side. >> and the contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. tavis: the human toll on those who have been wrongly accused and falsely imprisoned is staggering. as you will hear from the four men from illinois that you are about meet. 85 people wrongfully convicted

tavis: good evening from los angeles. i am tavis smiley. tonight a conversation with barry manilow. next week he is out with his first album of original music in a decade. later on, a special performance from the new project and some great music >> to everyone making a difference, you help us all lived better. >> nationwide insurance supports tavis smiley. nationwide insurance is proud to join have this in working to improve financial literacy and working to remove obstacles one at a time. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. [captioning made possible by kcet public television] captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- >> what an honor to have barry manilow and his piano on the set to night. it is hard to believe we have not seen a project of new music in 10 years, but that is about to change. it is an honor to have you in this program. >> i have been looking forward to doing tavis:: 20 years i have been in the broadcast business, and i have never had the honor of sitting with an artist for an entire conversation at th

tavis tavis you -- daff tavis: you said a lot. i'm playing devil's advocate, what you just described in west virginia, it can't be legal. it can't be illegal because it's happening and it can't be illegal because you have a documentary about it. how do you run this story to me which you have run brilliantly about what is happening in west virginia and tell me it's illegal. if it is illegal, it wouldn't be happening. >> don blanchen ship he had 67,000 violations of the clean water act. the enforcement has never given him a penny in fines and he has thousands of other violations that other agencies he has been able to disable the agencies that are supposed to implement democracy in this country. it can be illegal under the law. but it's not -- he can get away with it. and his business plan is to violate the law and get away with it. and you know, what we ought to look at today is that what happens when corporations take over democracy, everything becomes a commodity. you see in this film -- you know, they say, the coal industry brin

tavis: good evening. we wrap up our week long look at china. tonight, have a distinguished panel of chinese americans. tonight, we will explore many issues we discussed during a recent visit to china, including the good and the bad of china's economic boom, the environment, human rights, and the complexity of u.s.-china relations. our round table conversation on china is coming up right now. >> every community has a martin luther king boulevard. it is the cornerstone we all know. it is not just a street, a boulevard, but a place where wal-mart stands together with your community. >> nationwide insurance supports tavis smiley. with every question and every answer, nationwide insurance is proud to join tavis in working to improve financial literacy and remove obstacles to economic empowerment one conversation at a time. nationwide is on your side. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from the viewers like you. thank you. ♪ tavis: i am pleased to be joined by a terrific and distinguished panel. first up is john chan, former chair of the c-1

tavis: hi, i'm tavis smiley. join me next time for a part two of our specials look aft "mlk: a call to conscience." >> every community has a martin luther king boulevard. it's the cornerstone we all know. it's not just a street or boulevard, but a place where wal-mart stands together with your community to make every day better. >> nationwide insurance supports tavis smiley. with every question and answer, help tavis improve financial literacy and remove obstacles to economic empowerment one conversation at a time. nationwide is on your side. >> at toyota, we celebrate differences and the people who make them. toyota, a proud supporter of the washington, d.c., martin luther king, jr. national war project foundation. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. [captioning made possible by kcet public television] ♪ ♪ they brought this to me because it's furniture-- at least, it's small furniture. it's bigger than treen, or it doesn't quite fit into that, and it's carved wood in the

host: tavis smiley?: as a member of the media, we, like everyone else have a standing request for the president. every so often, my staff on the radio, which are custom inviting the president to be on our show. since u.s., have known the press -- since you ask, i've known the president for many years, and prior to his being elected, and he came on my programs with regularity. once he was elected, and my critique, holding them accountable, it did not sit so well with him. he has not, at this point, come on my television or radio program one time since he has been in the white house. this is the first president does not invited me to the white house for anything in my career. host: media events? guest: bill o'reilly, right wing brothers. i think the president has done that. he seems to be reluctant. when he moves in to campaign- mode, it will be different because i'm not crying about that. i only answered it because you asked about it. at the end of the day my commitment is to justice for all, service for

tavis smiley, cornell west host of "smily and west radio show."overtytour.smily and west.com. >> those close to the white house who have tried to make this argument you have to focus on the poor and race based employment programs to alleviate poverty for different segments of society. >> there's -- disparity between these groups. >> there is. i'm telling you, there's been real push back to that because this white house wants exactly as you said, about everybody, not about isolating people. it's about everybody. >> and frankly, i think to an extent, the poor have been demonized. many people in america think they're leeches on society. just, you know, sucking everything out of us. >> 3 million or 2 million job openings and 14 million looking for jobs. doesn't matter how good you are. whole bunch of people aren't getting them. it's a very interesting discu discussion. your headlines including videos of riots and looting in london. >> what's the secret for a safe kids lunch, how to skip the stomach ache. it's 44 minutes after the hour. yeah. 24 bucks

>> congressman peter king and tavis smiley and dr. cornell west on the national poverty tour. >> up next the political playbook. first, bill karins with a check on the forecast. bill? >>> good morning. you're going to introep deuce me with a smile today, mika, a gorgeous day. this morning one of the coolest mornings in a while, finally relief from the high humidity in all of the eastern half of the country for the most part. 66 in boston right now. we're 59 in pittsburgh. so a few areas a little chilly this morning. it's going to be a great afternoon with highs around 80 to 85 degrees and with a low humidity it's going to be fantastic especially in the shade. now as far as what we're dealing with in the middle of the country, that's where the trouble spot is. we've had some heavy rain this morning and severe thunderstorms from little rock down to greenville, mississippi that will continue to push south down through central mississippi. that's your travel trouble spot. also, oklahoma city has some thunderstorms to deal with. we're goin

host: tavis smiley? guest: as a member of the media, we, like everyone else have a standing request for the president. every so often, my staff on the radio, which are custom inviting the president to be on ourhow. since u.s., have known the press -- since you ask, i've known the president for many years, and prior to his being elected, and he came on my programs with regularity. once he was elected, and my critique, holding them accountable, it did not sito well with him. he has not, at this point, come on my television or radio program one time since he has been in the white house. this is the first president does not invited me to the white house for anything in my career. host: media events? guest: bill o'reilly, right wing brothers. i think the president h done that. he seems to be reluctant. wh he moves in to campaign- mode, it will be different because i'm not crying about that. i only answered it because you asked about it. at the end of the day my commitment is to justice for all, service for ot

my conversation with cornell west and tavis smiley.xas town that's bone dry from drought turns its desperate eye to what some call a disgusting water source. >>> later, your answer to today's talk back question is congressman peter king right to call for an investigation into a movie on the hundred for osama bin laden? these are tough financial times for many of us. especially important the millions of americans who are living in poverty. almost 44 million people were living below the poverty line in 2009. that's according to the most recent figures from the census bureau. talk show host tavis smiley and they have been critical of president obama, accusing him of neglecting the poor and are with us in the studio this morning. thank you very much for joining us. >> very blessed to be here. >> i'm going to start with you, tavis. what have you seen on the road when you talk to people and talk to families, what are they dealing with? what's poverty look like? >> the new poor in this country are the former middle class. it has been so easy

tavis smiley and dr. cornell west.en senator obama. >> enough with the speeches. now it's time to focus on jobs. now, we're going to focus on jobs. >> reporter: today, they do not sound so friendly. they say t ty have a message to the president from america's urnds class. >> they want to know that he's going to fight for them. >> reporter: their poverty tour pulled into the president's backyard today with a stop at d.c.'s central kitchen. here, formerly unemployed locals learn culinary skills. the goal of the tour is to highlight rampant unemployment and income inequality. and their view that the president is not doing enough. what is the white house view of this criticism? >> the president is focused on every american who is suffering. during these turbulent economic times. >> i know what the president is up against. i think too often he compromises. too often he capitulates. i think the republicans know that. i think they laugh when he's not around. >> he's got martin luther king's bust in the oval office. he weeps w

thanks for tuning in to add on one verse is the mantra i got out of rhythm and i kind of i guess i'm tavis and find me on facebook and twitter as always you get me out of that out of reach of the man dot com this is not a protest from mordor on the phone and i. wealthy british. market finiteness. find out what's really happening to the global economy with max concert for a no holds barred look at the global financial headlines tune in to kaiser report on r.g.p. . download the official. i phone i pod touch from the i choose ops to. see life on the go. video on demand r.t.s. minefield comes and says features now in the palm of your. question. i tell marvin here broadcasting live from washington d.c. coming up today on the big picture of. the. world. bringing you the latest in science and technology from around russia. we've done the future covered. more news today violence as well this again flared up. these are the images coalitions and seeing from the streets of canada. shining corporations are today. giving an illegal under there in india i'm admitted to conduct the blood of the indian of

tavis smiley can't get president obama to sit for an interview. sitting well with cornell west. >> a brother like bill o'reilly can get interviews or tavis or rowan martin can't. it is not a personal attack, just a question of a pattern here in the white house. we want accountability. >> bill: interesting. we've been trying to get him on the factor for a machine. you have to walk the walk professor. or risk being labeled a pinhead. that is it for us tonight. check out the fox news factor website. spout off about the factor from anywhere in the world. oreilly@foxnews.com. name and town if you wish to opine. word of the day, do not be a nebbish when writing to the factor or doing anything else. we go the big debate coming up. should be a lot of fun this is

. >>> tavis tramgic and rare boating accident in lake tahoe that's taken the life of a south bay dentist46-year-old steven keller died after falling off a motor boat and on to the running propeller. it happened on tahoe's west shore. we bring in george kiriyama who spoke to a fellow dentist and friend of keller's. this was a family business with deep roots in san jose, right? >> reporter: very deep. many generations of families came to this dental office. many of the patients and staff here are stunned. they're having a tough time dealing with his death. he died over the weekend in lake tahoe as you said. he was on a boat with four of his friends on the west shore. as his friend was trying to dock the boat, the craft jerked forward, he fell off the back and into the boat's propeller, killing him. the keller name is known around san jose for dentistry. they have treated generations of many san jose families. he was known for treating his patients like family. we talked to dr. paul mitch from kansas tonight. he was a good friend of dr. keller's and says the death will be felt for a very lo

also, professor west announced he and talk-show host tavis smiley will begin a national poverty tour next month to sharpen the nation's awareness on what they call the failings of the president. african-americans at large agree with west and smiley. the president has dropped by more an 20 points with african- americans, from 77% last year to just over 50% this year. why? jobs. by the way, in 2008, the black volt for president obama was history making. 96% of blacks voted in favor of the obama-biden ticket, , over the mccain-palin ticket. question, what explains the disparity between net wealth for whites and net wealth for blacks? clarence? >> first let's distinguish between wealth and income. wealth includes income, property you own, your entire estates. the biggest fact or is real estate the last 25 years, from the mid-80s when we saw the real fruits of the 60s, with the doubling of the growth of black middle-class, we just began to acquire some wealth. how and other properties in a sense. then the 90s and the lasts decade of the housing bubble -- yeah, and also about a third of th

tavis miss lucy and she calls him mr. george coming right out of central casting. also was a young attorney who roosevelt would endorse. marisat george on the platform not displaying any emotion. walter george was not a die-hard reactionary our adversary of the president.rela 1933 he supported virtually allt of his proposals the national industrial recovery act, agricultural adjustment act, later he voted for social security, national labor relations actth and then george backed roosevelt all the way but then he castro'sll against key administration bills including housing bells court reform and executive reorganization. roosevelt began the talk to discuss the achievements of the world electrification administration and one ofbe the great new deal successes but before it to the free market economy left much of rural america literally in the dark. then he spoke about coming to new georgia for the first time in search of the pool of warm water where he may swim his way back to health. he came to love warm springs -- springs but told the audience there was onehe note

we would like your reaction to the overall subject of opening up more and more tavis subjects, which once zero but allowed democracy to kick in -- opening up more and more taboo subjects, at least to allow greater understanding of what is happening to us. there is a lunch out there for those of you interested. this lunch has no transaction cost whatsoever. [laughter] and today, there is such a thing as a free lunch. thank you all for coming. [applause] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011] >> thank you very much for being with us here on c-span. first of all, your reaction to the fed announcement today? >> it was not terribly shocking. they said instead of keeping interest rates very low for an extended period, as they have been promising for the last 2.5 years, they instead gave a specific date, which is the summer of 2013, so for the next two years, we will have that low-interest rate policy in place. that was not a shot. what was a shock is that they said growth is weaker than they expected to be, and it is

with tavis smiley also a well known black thinker.bama's team reached out to cornell west and invited him to meet with the president. cornell west declined. went on to say a beer summit won't help our issues. he had very strong words to say about his long time friend and he is president obama. and he is none to happy about it. is cornel west wrong? there needs to be more time for the president to germinate? >> it's jobs and the economy. at the end of the day the president or anyone else in elective office is going to be judged in terms of a paycheck in my pocket. in terms of my welfare and my well-being. it's going to be the same with the president and it's going to be the same with congress and it's going to be the same with the candidates running against him. that's not an unrealistic expectation from anyone when you are coming into these communities asking for their support. >> i think it's important to point out. 80% is nothing to sneeze in the african-american community. and there is no republican candidate. >> laura: they should

tavis smiley has said the president has forgotten about the poor. cornell west has called the president of black mascot of will -- wellst. wall street oligarchs. and a black puppet of corporate plutocrats. what is the white house view of this criticism? >> i would say this president is focused on the economy every day and he is focused on those who are struggling. every economic measure he has proposed and every one that has become law because of his leadership has geared-been geared toward helping those folks who were in the greatest stress because of the recession that we were in, the great recession, worst since the great depression and those who are struggling as we emerge from a. his focus on the most vulnerable communities was evidenced when he negotiated with congressional leaders last year on the tax cut extension deal by insisting that, in addition to the payroll tax cut that he insisted be in it so that every american family -- working american family would have on average an extra $1,000 this year, he insisted on an extension of the earne

cornell west and tavis smiley, with a speech on jobs. >> enough with the speeches about now it's time to focus on jobs. now, we'll focus on jobs. they want the president to focus on jobs. >> reporter: just 41% of americans approve of the job the president's doing. in another poll, 73% think the country is on the wrong track, as the president prepares for some r&r. >> i know everybody deserves a vacation. but this is a time of crisis. the president should be in washington. >> reporter: is there any concern about the impression that the president going to martha's vineyard for nine or ten days might leave with the american people? >> i don't think americans out there would begrudge that notion that the president would spend some time with his family. >> reporter: and that house the first family rents, it suffered a small kitchen fire this week. when it rains, it pours. the second republican presidential debate will be tonight. and then, of course, on saturday, george, the straw poll. >> and you'll cover it all for "this week" on sunday. jake, thanks very much. >>> joining us now, matthe

specifically, tavis smiley called -- said the president have forgotten about the poor.alled a black mascot of wall street. what is the president's view of the criticism? >> i would say that this president, again, is focused on the economy every day and is focused on those who are struggling in this economy. every economic measure that he has proposed and every one that has become law because of his leadership has been geared towards helping those folks who are in the greatest distress because of the great recession we were in and those who are struggling as we emerge from it. his focus on the most abominable communities was evident when he negotiated with congressional leaders late last year on the tax cut extension deal by insisting that in addition to the payroll tax cuts, that he insisted be in a so that every american family -- working american family would have on average an extra $1,000 this year. he is the -- insisted on an extension of the earned income tax credit, an extension of the child tax credit, which disproportionately help those in need. it is why he in

. >> on "washington journal," tomorrow morning, we will be joined by tavis smiley and cornel west to their poverty toward traveling to more than one dozen poor communities over the next week. we will focus on the role of the credit rating agencies with jason stein, head of -- and jules kroll. "washington journal" is live on c-span every day at 7:00 a.m. eastern. >> and a few moments, john koskinen on standard and poors downgraded the u.s. credit rating. and of little more than an hour, an event depicting a simulated disruption of the global oil supply. after that, from "washington journal," a discussion of the downgraded u.s. credit and we will be aired a forum on what can be learned about the debt reduction from the french and american revolutions. >> freddie mac chairman john koskinen says that standard and poor's met in "sound decision" to downgrade the credit ratings of the u.s. and the krajina and freddie mac. he was informed before making a speech pretty also talked but the overall economy and housing market. it is a little more than an hour. minutes. >> thank you very much. i'