Incoming Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson has been in talks with “Family Feud” host Steve Harvey about the changes he hopes to bring to America’s inner cities.
Like most in Hollywood, Harvey endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton during her bitter campaign against President-elect Trump. But after watching President Obama urge Americans to give his predecessor a chance, Harvey said he was eager to reach out to the next administration.
“I stepped from behind my microphone and I came and talked to the guy that is going to be the 45th president of the United States,” he told reporters following his meeting with Trump on Friday. “I did what I was supposed to do.”
The popular comedian said the White House worked with Trump’s transition operation to coordinate a meeting, and said Trump introduced him to his nominee for HUD secretary in the process.
“He introduced me to Ben Carson… and we’ve got to team up and see if we can bring about some positive change in the inner cities,” Harvey said, describing that as his “only agenda.”
“[Carson] agreed and he wants to do something. He realizes that he needs some allies in that department and he seemed really sincere about it,” he added.
Harvey said he has no intention of getting involved in politics, just that he hopes to “do some things from all of the major inner cities to see if we can bring about some change and help some of these young people out.”
“They have a plan for the inner cities, but they need help,” he said of the incoming administration. “So, we’ll see what I can do.”
Carson, in his confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee this week, said he believes the private sector should be more involved in tackling poverty in the U.S., and can be by investing more in “human capital.”
“The programs that have been enacted in HUD over the years… they’re good programs. But in and of themselves they’re not bringing about the elevation of large numbers of people,” Carson had said. “The place where there is a lot of money is the private sector. What we have to concentrate on is helping the private sector to recognize that, in the long run, the private sector does better when we develop our people.”
