Juan Williams: Tavis Smiley And Cornel West 'Threatened' By Herman Cain (VIDEO)

Juan Williams and the rest of Fox News' "The Five" harshly criticized Tavis Smiley and Cornel West after their fiery clash with Bill O'Reilly.

In part of the conversation, West told O'Reilly that he and GOP contender Herman Cain had "trivialized" the racism that he believed still permeated throughout the United States. On Wednesday, "Five" co-host Greg Gutfeld responded, saying that Cain represented progress.

"Right on, brother," Williams said. He continued, "West, Tavis Smiley, those guys are threatened by the success of Herman Cain." Williams added that Smiley and West were "the same people who criticized President Obama" and said that he believed Cain could actually win a large percentage of the black conservative vote. "...when Herman Cain says they can win a third of the black vote, that blows them out...It is possible that a man from the south with real economic experience...a gospel singer, church-goer, would appeal to black social conservatives. And there are a ton of black social conservatives."

Williams was even more critical than co-host Eric Bolling, who is generally well to the right of him. When Bolling started to say that West and Smiley had "done a lot for the movement," Williams cut in, "now you're just trying to be nice."

WATCH