Skip Navigation
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.

Judd Gregg's looking at the front door

By Ta-Nehisi Coates
Feb 12 2009, 4:21 PM ET Comment

So MSNBC Marc is reporting that Judd Gregg is withdrawing his nomination as Commerce secretary. I think there will be people who will look at this as another failure of bipartisanship. I have a slightly different notion. Bringing Republicans on board will not be achieved simply by inviting them over for drinks--though that is a critical step. It will be achieved by being right. If the stimulus works, I'm betting that Obama will find himself with a lot more GOP allies in Congress.

Think on the Iraq War. Bipartisanship was achieved in a terrible way, in large measure because a lot of Dems were scared of being wrong. They feared a political repeat of Desert Storm. Obama doesn't need GOP support for this bill. He may need it later. What he needs now, is to be successful. Like I said, I'm not the best guy on the economy. But I feel better about my mans and them, then I do about the kids who claims teachers don't actually have jobs.

UPDATE:
No the taskmasters didn't make me change the credit. I'd just rather give props to one of my own.


Presented by

More at The Atlantic

The 10 Most Expensive Cities in the World (and How They Got That Way) The World's Most Expensive Cities (and How They Got That Way)
How the Westminster Dog Show Eclipsed a Legendary Track Meet The Legendary Track Meet That Lost Out to Westminster
The Oldest Cat Video of All Time? The Oldest Cat Video of All Time?
'Plug In Better': A Manifesto How to Plug In Better
Study of the Day: How We Really Read Restaurant Menus How We Read Restaurant Menus

Join the Discussion

After you comment, click Post. If you’re not already logged in you will be asked to log in or register.
blog comments powered by Disqus
Special Report
The Next Global Economies Reuters The Next Global Economies
Lessons from the BRICs — and a look at which developing countries are on the rise. Read more ›
View All Correspondents

The Biggest Story in Photos

World Press Photo Contest 2012

Feb 15, 2012

Subscribe Now

SAVE 59%! 10 issues JUST $2.45 PER COPY

Facebook

Newsletters

Sign up to receive our free newsletters

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)

Ta-Nehisi Coates
from the Magazine

Why Do So Few Blacks Study the Civil War?

Ta-Nehisi Coates is an Atlantic senior editor.

Fade to White

A filmmaker maps Austin’s shifting ethnic landscape.

The Legacy of Malcolm X

Why his vision lives on in Barack Obama