That is just so lame. Having watched his “State of the Black Union” confabs on C-Span, having heard him defend OJ Simpson, etc, the idea that Smiley isn’t liberal is just dumb. Now, one could make a very easy argument that he’s to the left of liberal — by a longshot. But to claim that the proof you’re a middle-of-the-roader and not a liberal is that you had Newt Gingrich on your show is astonishingly stupid. William F. Buckley had scads of leftists on his PBS show for years, would that mean Firing Line wasn’t conservative? Bill Moyers had conseratives on, is he not liberal?

His suggestion that because he criticized the Democrats for not doing enough for blacks means he’s not a liberal is even dumber. His criticism — going by his SOTBU gigs — is that Democrats should move the government further to the left to help blacks.

Oh, and he appeals to John Stewart as a voice of authority, ugh. I think Stewart is brilliant, but he’s a brilliant comedian.

I’m surprised the Post even ran the piece. It belongs in a bad college newspaper.