MB Civic

By Michael Eric Dyson | Sunday, January 18, 2009 | The Washington Post

“…To understand what Obama does with language — how words crackle and sentences simmer, or sing, in his mouth — you can’t just turn to theories of rhetoric or listen to other gifted presidential communicators. You have to get a feel for black speech, whose best rhetoricians marry style and substance to spawn a uniquely earthy eloquence. I expect Obama’s inaugural address to reflect this speech in full, the kind of speech he heard for years from black preachers in the church pulpit. Because as much praise as he has justly received for speaking in a way that doesn’t assault the white eardrum or worldview, his rhetoric is firmly rooted in black soil….”…BS

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/16/AR2009011602312_pf.html