@Doug, Cedarford

Whatever the letter recommending Obama in connection with “Harvard,” the center of gravity of my comment was Obama’s de facto position as editor of the Harvard Law Review, and his conspicuous–to those going looking for it–lack of a record as a legal scholar.

@Doug

The Cornel West ref re: Obama has its merits. Actually Cornel West in his recent outing against the Duke lacrosse team demonstrates that he’s a semiliterate re: the English language. That didn’t stop Vanderbilt from hiring him away from Duke (in the midst of this “seasons of the troubles”) which meant that Vanderbilt out-bid Duke monetarily. Lovely.

On the other hand, Obama is not a semi-literate, which is I suppose in some twisted way is part of his appeal. He beautifully articulates vapid (but gramatically correct) verbal noises.