As the moment of the inauguration approaches today, my mind keeps traveling back to an argument I had when I was a second year in college.
In a political science course, I got into a disagreement with a guest lecturer from the local peace and justice center, who was leading a discussion on the future of race relations. I remember her asking me, as a way of demonstrating the abject lack of progress in race relations, whether I thought there would be a black president in my lifetime. The tone of her question radiated the sense that, unless I answered "no," I was a naive fool who understood little about America.
And, of course, I said "yes" -- not because I was trying to be contrarian, but because I genuinely believed it to be true. I remember her shaking her head sadly from side to side and smiling ruefully. I bet Mark Penn shook his head the same way early last year.
I hope, when Obama is sworn in, that she's smiling for a different reason.
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