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Ta-Nehisi Coates

Ta-Nehisi Coates - Ta-Nehisi Coates is a senior editor for The Atlantic, where he writes about culture, politics, and social issues for TheAtlantic.com and the magazine. He is the author of the memoir The Beautiful Struggle. More

Born in 1975, the product of two beautiful parents. Raised in West Baltimore—not quite The Wire, but sometimes ill all the same. Studied at the Mecca for some years in the mid-’90s. Emerged with a purpose, if not a degree. Slowly migrated up the East Coast with a baby and my beloved, until I reached the shores of Harlem. Wrote some stuff along the way.
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Of presumption and racism

By Ta-Nehisi Coates

Jul 31 2008, 3:11 PM ET Comment

I don't really know if the presumption meme that people keep affixing to Obama is racist. Frankly I don't think it much matters. More importantly, I think Dana Milbank should own up to getting his facts wrong. I also don't get Harold Ford's angle. Why is he giving Obama advice? Didn't he lose? I kind of see the point about Obama needing to lose "the suit" and roll up his sleeves--but then not really. It sounds like the sort of warmed-over consultant-speak we see in the media all the time.



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