Harvard Professor Extols Obama's Talents
President-Elect's Outreach May Surprise Some
POSTED: 5:08 pm EST November 5,
2008
UPDATED: 8:21 am EST November 6,
2008
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CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- President-elect Barack Obama has ties to a prestigious university in the Bay State.NewsCenter 5's Pam Cross reported that Obama is a Harvard Law School graduate and was the first black president of the Harvard Law Review. One of his former professors said Obama's outreach would surprise people.
Harvard Professor Extols Obama's Talents"You always imagine this is going to happen, but you never know if it will," Professor Charles Ogletree said. "The spirit of America was evident last night."Ogletree spent the last 20 months advising Obama."He has been up and down and over and out, but he just kept a smooth pace I saw him with 20 years ago, and that it was makes it so great. People saw this continuity. At Harvard Law School, he was just nice, smart. He was someone who was hard to dislike because he was so engaging with people. He was so accepting with people," he said.He pointed to Obama's breakout 2004 speech at the Democratic National Convention, which called for unity. Ogletree said that was an outline for an Obama presidency."It also was a speech about including people. Barack Obama is going to lead from the center -- not too left, not too right, but just right in the middle so that he can represent all of America," he said.Ogletree looks at America's civil rights history and said that Obama fulfilled a prediction made by Bobby Kennedy 40 years ago -- that an African American could one day be president."How poignant is that -- that another Massachusetts guy is able to see and imagine this happening and how remarkable is it that it happens here on our watch in 2008, so it's time. It's the right time," Ogletree said.He was first professor for Michelle Obama and said that if you asked him years ago, he would have expected her to seek public office before her husband.
Harvard Professor Extols Obama's Talents"You always imagine this is going to happen, but you never know if it will," Professor Charles Ogletree said. "The spirit of America was evident last night."Ogletree spent the last 20 months advising Obama."He has been up and down and over and out, but he just kept a smooth pace I saw him with 20 years ago, and that it was makes it so great. People saw this continuity. At Harvard Law School, he was just nice, smart. He was someone who was hard to dislike because he was so engaging with people. He was so accepting with people," he said.He pointed to Obama's breakout 2004 speech at the Democratic National Convention, which called for unity. Ogletree said that was an outline for an Obama presidency."It also was a speech about including people. Barack Obama is going to lead from the center -- not too left, not too right, but just right in the middle so that he can represent all of America," he said.Ogletree looks at America's civil rights history and said that Obama fulfilled a prediction made by Bobby Kennedy 40 years ago -- that an African American could one day be president."How poignant is that -- that another Massachusetts guy is able to see and imagine this happening and how remarkable is it that it happens here on our watch in 2008, so it's time. It's the right time," Ogletree said.He was first professor for Michelle Obama and said that if you asked him years ago, he would have expected her to seek public office before her husband. Copyright 2008 by TheBostonChannel.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
