Im sorry, but whether you like ralph nader or not, he is generally correct that Obama is your traditional democrat on most issue–especially those economic.

Be honest, is an advisory team of cutler, liebman, goolsbee, and furman the group that will–or even wants to–destroy entrenched urban poverty.

I too have worked in Chicago’s ghettos, and while I admire Obama’s past work here, you are lying if you think his policies are going to extinguish this scourge, despite Matt’s insistence otherwise. his past work neither immunizes him from criticism nor speaks to his current policies.

In general, he has shied away from speaking about the poor and urban poverty (much less than say Edwards). In fact, most of his rhetoric directed at the black poor is boilerplate admonishment on poor dietary choices and absentee fathers, wholly absent any nuance on why these problems occur (grocery stores, financial disincentives to fatherhood, the general depth of urban poverty). The kind of stuff white people love, and really love to see from a black candidate.

So whatever your thoughts on Nader, and many of them are warranted, this is a general critique you will hear in the black community about Obama’s quest for the presidency.

Argue if you will about the political purposes of it, but please don’t tell me he is the champion candidate of the black poor. Better than many. Yes. Better than John McCain. Of course. But that does not mean his policies should be stronger or that he is a great champion of the cause.