By Michael Steele, on Thu Oct 20, 2011 at 8:30 AM ET  Over the years, I have had the privilege of being “in the room” with quite a number of amazing people. From presidents to philanthropists to ordinary folk who did extraordinary things, each has left an indelible mark on America’s history. But more important than how history views these individuals is the immeasurable contributions that many have brought to the black experience in America.
Most recently I was honored and pleased to find myself in the green room at MSNBC with Harry E. Johnson, president and CEO of the Washington, D.C. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc. He was about to go on TV to talk about the dedication of the memorial — a stunning accomplishment and testament to perseverance — and what it means to the nation, but most especially to African Americans. Johnson shared with me that many who walked through that narrow entrance to the memorial have just stopped and wept when they came face-to-face with the towering figure of King.
As Johnson and I parted, it got me to thinking about how gifted we are to have individuals who rise from within our nation’s experience to define and to set in stone (figuratively and, in King’s case, literally) a uniquely American story born out of success and failure, pride and prejudice. Political fights between red and blue, right and left, may roil about us, and we may experience tough economic times, but we don’t have to reach too deep into history to see that this great nation still has unlimited potential. Indeed, our history teaches us that today’s hardships can build the character of one person or an entire people.
 Which brings me to another individual I’ve met “in the room”: Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. I consider it a rare privilege that I have had the opportunity on several public, and some private, occasions to see and to speak with Justice Thomas. From his full-throated laugh to his silent acquiescence to the fact that he is not accepted by most in the black community, I have found his story — and his sharing of it — to be both a genuine and an important representation of the black experience in America.
Read the rest of…
Michael Steele: Are We Ready to Understand Clarence Thomas?
By Grant Smith, RP Staff, on Tue Oct 18, 2011 at 9:15 AM ET
A recent Rasmussen poll has Herman Cain beating President Obama in a head-to-head match-up. [Rasmussen Reports]
By Grant Smith, RP Staff, on Thu Oct 13, 2011 at 1:30 PM ET
The CEO of Gibson Guitar Company says the raid by Federal Agents is “governmental overreach.” [Reuters]
The NASCAR Hall of Fame will open a temporary exhibit at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. [RacingWest.com]
Blackberry’s outage spreads to the United States….developing. [Washington Post]
Does anyone have a grip on the GOP? [New York Times]
By RP Staff, on Thu Oct 13, 2011 at 10:01 AM ET If you are new to the site — introduced to The Recovering Politician by today’s NPR/”Q” broadcast of an interview with contributing recovering politician Jeff Smith — welcome!
Here are some handy links to Jeff’s most popular pieces:
You may also like to read our most popular pieces, all written by former politicians gone good:
Or, if you need a good laugh, our most hilarious pieces:
For media requests and individuals interested in contacting Jeff to be made aware of future book events and speaking engagements, please email jeffsmith2006@gmail.com. To follow him on twitter, go to twitter.com/JeffSmithMO
By RP Staff, on Wed Oct 12, 2011 at 12:30 PM ET  National Public Radio’s “Q”: A popular program — produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Company that reaches hundreds of public broadcasting stations in the U.S — just broadcast a 20-minute interview with Jeff Smith about his career and popular posts here at The Recovering Politician.
Click here to listen to the fascinating program.
By Artur Davis, on Thu Oct 6, 2011 at 12:30 PM ET  We will know about 13 months from now if he made the right move from the standpoint of his presidential dreams, but his choice seems right for the voters who elected him in 2009.
For some reason, the Christie speculation never focused enough on the fractiousness of New Jersey politics and the disruption and mischief his in-state adversaries would have caused his campaign. Unlike their counterparts in Perry’s Texas, New Jersey’s Democratic legislators have real power and the undoing of Christie would have become their primary obsession. Give Christie credit for knowing this.
 As for the race, with Perry imploding and Cain implausible, Romney has one real thing left to fear: the cascade of independent conservative expenditures that are going to link him to tax hikes, and Obamacare, and social liberalism, for a Republican base that still does not know the details of Romney’s Massachusetts record.
(Cross-posted, with permission of the author, from Politico’s Arena)
By Grant Smith, RP Staff, on Thu Oct 6, 2011 at 12:00 PM ET In Memory of Steve Jobs: 1955-2011
Today the RP pauses to remember the life and enduring legacy of Steve Jobs. [Wired]
By Grant Smith, RP Staff, on Thu Sep 29, 2011 at 1:30 PM ET
Herman Cain’s Florida straw poll victory has many political junkies re-assessing his chances. [The Fix]
“Big Brother” is….Facebooking you? Just how much data-mining is going on at the world’s most popular social media site? [Forbes]
A Libertarian-In-Chief? Texas Congressman Ron Paul beats President Obama in a recent poll. [Yahoo Finance]
A famous reality T.V. star from Alaska laments that politics has begun to resemble her world. [The Atlantic]
As scorn for voting grows, protests are surging around the world. [The New York Times]
By Grant Smith, RP Staff, on Thu Sep 22, 2011 at 1:30 PM ET
Don’t mess with Texas: Can Governor Rick Perry save the Big 12? Should he? [The Atlantic]
Al Gore says “new iPhone out in October.” No mention if there is a global cooling app. [Associated Press]
Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt testifies before Congress. He swears Google continue to not “be evil.” [Reuters]
Kim Kardashian weighs in on the Troy Davis execution. [CafeMom]
By Grant Smith, RP Staff, on Thu Sep 15, 2011 at 1:30 PM ET
Show me the love: President Obama tells crows “if you love me” you’ll help get the jobs bill passed. [Breitbart]
Rupert Murdoch’s son James is called to testify before members of Parliament one more time. [The Financial Times]
“Is it weird enough yet?”: Thomas Friedman weighs in on the climate change skepticism of Republican Presidential candidates Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann. [New York Times]
NASA finally unveils it new rocket to replace the retired space shuttle. [PC World]
Texas Governor Rick Perry casts himself as a man of faith. Some argue this means he is also casting himself as an anti-intellectual. [The Washington Post]
The winning bidder for a lunch with Warren Buffet was hired at the lunch to work for Buffett. So, who is this mysterious investor and what does his hiring mean for the future of Berkshire Hathaway? [The Wall Street Journal]
|
The Recovering Politician Bookstore
|
Over the years, I have had the privilege of being “in the room” with quite a number of amazing people. From presidents to philanthropists to ordinary folk who did extraordinary things, each has left an indelible mark on America’s history. But more important than how history views these individuals is the immeasurable contributions that many have brought to the black experience in America.
Which brings me to another individual I’ve met “in the room”: Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. I consider it a rare privilege that I have had the opportunity on several public, and some private, occasions to see and to speak with Justice Thomas. From his full-throated laugh to his silent acquiescence to the fact that he is not accepted by most in the black community, I have found his story — and his sharing of it — to be both a genuine and an important representation of the black experience in America. 
