Reflecting on a previous post about Pearson's analysis of Obama
Recently I had the privilege of meeting the US President Barack Obama. This made me reflect on a previous post from 2008 which I've copied below... Post of 15 May 2008: Noel Pearson’s essay in the Monthly offers an intriguing analysis of Steele’s insight into contemporary race relations in America. There are several compelling paragraphs that refer to responsibility, opportunity, and how uplift occurs in dominant-minority populations. After reading the essay I was disappointed at what I saw as deficiencies in Pearson’s core argument. Pearson argues that Obama has not pursued strongly enough the radical centre that integrates core notions (or a contemporary understanding) of responsibility. Pearson contends that Obama should ‘radically revise’ his account of such issues at the Democratic National Convention in August. Obama is being misrepresented. My observations are that he has pursued the radical centre by offering a style of politics that is untested a