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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.

McCain walking it back

By Ta-Nehisi Coates
Oct 10 2008, 7:10 PM ET Comment

I would make a post about this, but TPM is basically all over it. Check out their coverage. I believe, as I did when this started, that these guys really are ignorant of the forces they're dabbling with. I don't think they actually believed that their crowds would start to actually resemble a mob. Also, sometimes things look worse when you see them on TV, than when you're in the moment. That said, I also believe, as I said earlier, that ignorance ain't an excuse. They need to cut the shit.

I don't think pushing the Ayers line is so bad, as in, arguing that Ayers is a despicable guy who Obama didn't distance himself from. I don't buy that line, but I'm not supposed to, I'm an Obama supporter. But when you start accusing homeboy of "palling around with terrorists," you've gone too far. Think about it logically--terrorists caused 9/11. And we basically believe that they are worthy of death. From that perspective, what do we think should happen to people who are friends with them? From that perspective, what do we think should happen to Barack Obama? Think there aren't some crazies out there who are connecting those same dots. These guys need to watch what they say.

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