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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.

Biden\Obama on 60 Minutes

By Ta-Nehisi Coates
Sep 1 2008, 1:46 PM ET Comment

It's worth watching, if you didn't miss it. They actually seem like they like each other. Also, Obama said something that really rang true to me, when asked why he didn't stress the historical nature of his candidacy more--"This is not a symbolic exercise for me. I intend to win." For me, that is the essence. For many, many reasons, the acceptance speech should not be a self-congratulatory moment for black folks. Perhaps, chief among them, is the fact that dude is still trying to win. When you've got 38 million people watching you, what's more important--Assuaging the concerns of the black left or trying to put a dagger in the McCain campaign?


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