CSPAN2 NOW--Shelby Steele now discussing politics, inc. Obama

[Gloria]

Steele brought up Obama's Reagan comments....none too flattering, wondering where the substance is...questioning what Obama's belief is...

Steele is author of "A Bound Man"--he thinks there's some decency in American today, he's taken advantage of that...but he hasn't told the country what he would do with power.....

[Gloria]

1. He says Obama figured out the strategy of bargaining at 14...

He found out that "if you're not angry, they'll like you..." He says he's done it all his life...

Says this is his Achilles heel...once you have to reveal yourself, if he starts to say what he really thinks...then he's just an ordinary guy...he won't be the guy to carry people's aspirations. That's one of the ways he's bound....tied to a strategy that will very likely defeat him...it will give him an initial burst of support, but eventually it will turn on him....

He points out his weakness against McCain....

If he gets elected it won't be because of him, but the need of white America for transcendence is so great....

Gee, another one seeking love like....Bill Clinton??

[Gloria]

2. Steele says he won't rise to the stature of MLK...MLK was a challenger...

he was very authentic...the individual was at one with what the country needed.....

Difference in night ant day between O and MLK...MLK was all substance; therefore, he had this tremendous moral authority.

[AX10]

4. Shelby is right.

[Gloria]

3. Darn, it just finished...wonder if it will repeat??

[Gloria]

5. Update: Steele was talking about Obama's "mask" when I tuned in...

then continued with the comments I managed to type up nearly verbatim as he was speaking....

[kikiek]

6. Unfortunately I don't see it repeating on C SPAN 2 today. Was it a Book TV show?

[Gloria]

7. YES, it was a Book TV thing at Cody's Bookstore in Berkeley, CA...

Announcer said for more info, go the bookstore website....

[kikiek]

8. Thanks I will. Sounds interesting.

[Gloria]

9. Here's the book title: A Bound Man: Why We Are Excited About Obama and Why He Can't Win

The description of the show...

http://www.booktv.org/program.aspx?ProgramId=9050&SectionName=Politics&PlayMedia=No

[kikiek]

10. Thank you very much.

[kikiek]

11. Did you get the sense he was just against him because he is conservative? I wonder if he

has ulterior motives. I personally want more information from the candidates on what they plan on doing. That is lacking this primary. Lots of promises about making things better, but not much on how.

[Gloria]

13. No, he seemed very even in his comments and the two answers he

was giving. What I typed were parts of his answers....

*****

By biggest problem is the "bargainer." We've already bargained away so much....what's left...unless we fight to make up lost ground...which is Edwards for me!

[0007]

14. Thanks for the info! Gloria.

[Goldfish]

12. I remember seeing Steele on Bill Moyers' Journal a few weeks ago.

His comments were very interesting. He regards Obama as a "bargainer"; a bargainer is one who reaches out to whites and therefore is regarded as less threatening to them. Other bargainers would be Oprah, Denzel Washington, Bill Cosby, etc. Traditionally, black leaders have been "challengers", e.g. Eric Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, etc. A challenger
makes whites feel somewhat guilty and uncomfortable about their historical connection with slavery and past unjust treatment of blacks. This is just my recollection of the interview and I was surprised no one brought it up on DU. Steele is also half black and half white, so he offers some interesting insights into Obama's experiences.

[Goldfish]

15. Correction!

I meant Al Sharpton, not ERIC!