Quick note from Dr. Boyce: After watching the recent blow up between Dr. Cornel West and Rev. Al Sharpton over the Obama presidency, I felt it important to bring some knowledge and common sense to the discussion. So, I reached out to Dr. Wilmer Leon, who is one of the most respected experts in black politics and political science in the country. Dr. Leon teaches at Howard University and is also the host of “Inside the Issues with Wilmer Leon” on Sirius 820/XM 169, “The Power.”
The interview (you can also watch by clicking here) starts a few minutes in (chalk it up to technical difficulties, as this is our first attempt at this). But when the conversation begins, Dr. Leon starts by explaining that the presidency is typically defined by two things: The personality of the president and events that occur while he/she is in office. As you tune in, Dr. Leon is giving examples of prior presidents, such as Abraham Lincoln, who were willing to be confrontational in order to get things done. Dr. Leon seems to imply that President Obama’s non-confrontational personality and inclination to be a consensus seeker can be an asset at times, but a liability when dealing with Republicans who are refusing to work with him.
The video is below, and even though the video quality is not as high as I’d like for it to be, it was still worth the conversation because the knowledge is quite valuable. Check it out!
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