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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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The best candidate for RNC chair...

By Ta-Nehisi Coates

Dec 26 2008, 1:18 PM ET Comment

Is clearly this guy.

RNC candidate Chip Saltsman's Christmas greeting to committee members includes a music CD with lyrics from a song called "Barack the Magic Negro," first played on Rush Limbaugh's popular radio show.
There's also a tune called "The Star Spanglish Banner." Get it? Negroes!! Spanglish!! No?? Clearly you're too PC. Seriously, where do people get this idea that the GOP is racist? It really is one of the great mysteries of our time. Oh well. Saltsman's got my vote. Even if he believes I shouldn't have one. He's still got it.

UPDATE: As you guys can imagine, I haven't been checking in as much. This got nasty pretty fast. I don't know if this convo is still going. If it is, do us all a favor and give Thomas the respect he deserves. Seriously. The venom helps nothing.


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