By JODI KANTOR
Published: July 30, 2008 N.Y. TIMES
CHICAGO - The young law professor stood apart in too many ways to count. At a school where economic analysis was all the rage, he taught rights, race and gender. Other faculty members dreamed of tenured positions; he turned them down. While most colleagues published by the pound, he never completed a single work of legal scholarship.
At a formal institution, Barack Obama was a loose presence, joking with students about their romantic prospects, using first names, referring to case law one moment and "The Godfather" the next. He was also an enigmatic one, often leaving fellow faculty members guessing about his precise views.
Before he outraised every other presidential primary candidate in American history, Mr. Obama marched students through the thickets of campaign finance law. Before he helped redraw his own State Senate district, making it whiter and wealthier, he taught districting as a racially fraught study in how power is secured. And before he posed what may be the ultimate test of racial equality - whether Americans will elect a black president - he led students through African-Americans' long fight for equal status.
and his birthday is Monday 8/4/2008
Happy B-Day Buddy
Next one you'll celebrate with a different address!
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Comments: 36
I am astonished that you published this article! It's about time that the American electorate begin to the understand that Candidate Obama is, at the very least, a study in contradictions. I am more astonished that you found this article in the NY Times. If you remember that paper had been severly critisized for being too "left leaning" to present an unbias view or equal time to both candidates.
The author, Ms. Kantor, is "borrowing" information from an article entitled "Making It" written by Ryan Lizza for the New Yorker. I haD learned about Obama's particpation in "gerrymandering" his own district from the Lizza article. The Lizza article is a revealing protrait of the candidate and HE NAMES NAMES.
From what I have been hearing from the "talking heads" in the mainstream media (i.e., CNN, MSNBC) about Senator Obama's apparent arrogance and insincerity, it signs like other journalists may be catching up to Lizza. Sounds to me like the honeymoon may be over as the battle for the POTUS heats up.
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Thanks for your comment
All of a sudden we have standards, qualifications, experience and other things we barely if eever had for a president.
New Yorker
I read the article you referenced
I fail to see the connection you are insinuating
It matters not. He will be better than what we have had for the last eight years and I will welcome the change.
Is anyone perfect? My dream team would have been Gore and Edwards but that did not happen and may not have succeeded.
This is a brilliant man. I am hoping for the best and expecting better than what has been with us for a good long while.
I will show this to a friend. He will likely have better comments on this. Obama has my vote and is going to win.
Isis
and one of the most boring to take
He's a better man than me
Senator Obama does have a charm and ease with the people. His capability and agenda can only be judged, however, if and when he takes the oath. That's the only way any of us can know if someone is a good President. The proof is in the pudding, so they say. We will find out after the November election. Then we can evaluate by actions, rather than promises or sugar coated words from either candidate. That's the way it's always been and will continue to be.
Hmmmmmm.............Fox News, anyone?
You are beautiful
the article was widely seen seen as praising Obama on many fronts.
Gee. Some people really got it backwards.
But I'd rather have a Constitutional Law professor
than someone from the group that brought us Gitmo
and water boarding!
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Chana Two well written poems. Thanks. I read 1/2 of his first bio. He writes well.
Jerry P I love FOX news!! What more could you ask for then 'Fair and Balanced'? :) :) You too Fred. I saw that little cheering section response :)
I think it a good article to print. He is a very notable man. I do not agree with his politics so of course I won't vote for him. When he first started running I loved him. I was happy he was such a likable, trustworty Black guy. I wanted to cheer for all of us. The Blacks because it would be so fun to have a Black man finally be president. The Whites ... for the same reason :) It's kind of a badge that says we really are doing better at choosing people by the content of their character. (Although of course I still wouldn't vote for him:)
I've changed now. I am afraid of who he might really be. And about his immaturity. I won't go into the details ... most of you all love him. You've heard it all before. I'll just say I hope he is all he portrays himself to be. (Although of course I still wouldn't vote for him:)
I'm holding out for McCain to decide he is too old and Condoleezza Rice to take his place!!
Good article Fred.
if she hadn't showed me that side of her that was a stooge for "W" dubya!
Besides she's going back to academia
1. Americans need a better way to deal with healthcare.
2. Iraq is more of a hinderance than a help--how do we draw down if not get out all together.
3. It's the economy--how do we fix it?
He'd have a serious problem. Because of who he is and what he represents, he offers at minimum a symbolic step toward America genuinely reconciling its bloody and divided history with its minority citizens, but specifically African Americans. Also because of who he is and what he represents, everything he says and does is subjected to interpretation under the lens of this same history. You ever tried talking to someone who's righteously indignant or suffering from a guilty concious or both--that's America when it comes to race, class and gender issues. I think he's doing pretty well navigating the tightrope.
Whew! Anyway, he's still the presumptive nominee.......
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Obama is a newbe and McCain is a has been
Or a rhythm of physical matter called into being from a pattern of another that is much larger and can not be seen by the human eye but just as actionable. For based on his loose academic structure it seems to me that he is being driven by something larger than his own intellect.