Email Author Ta-Nehisi Coates

2004 Stories by Ta-Nehisi Coates

• Bloc Like Me

  published November 2, 2004

  Two days before the presidential election, Ingrid Holmes walked into the Greater Grant African Methodist Episcopal Church to hear John Edwards's... More >>

• Lazy Bums

  published October 19, 2004

  CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer was discussing Game 7 of the American League Championship Series last week, when all of a sudden he had an... More >>

• Talking Point

  published October 12, 2004

  David Corn is not at the top of Karl Rove's call list, but after each presidential debate, he's had a chance to be right in his lap. That's... More >>

• Moderate Rock

  published October 5, 2004

  Alan Schroeder has a modest proposal for the Commission on Presidential Debates. "I think if Oprah moderated a presidential debate, the whole... More >>

• See Bush Twitch

  published September 28, 2004

  Last night's debate on foreign policy was supposed to be President Bush's show, a chance for him to strut his stuff about the war on terror and... More >>

• Cheney Stops News Cycle Cold

  published September 28, 2004

  Before Dick Cheney uttered one sentence in Tuesday night's vice-presidential debate, he scored an impressive victory—namely, he managed to... More >>

• Black, White, Read

  published September 21, 2004

  For news outlets covering the conflict in Sudan, the killings, rapes, and razing of villages boils down to one factor—race. The Washington... More >>

• Brown-Skin Lady

  published September 14, 2004

  Last spring, sales reps from Essence began spreading the news to ad agencies: The matron saint of black female self-esteem was birthing a... More >>

• Playing Trumps

  published September 7, 2004

  Donald Trump knows the power of a name—his name. By plastering his moniker on casinos, hotels, and condos, Trump has made it a synonym for... More >>

• The Daily Grind

  published August 31, 2004

  For four days last week, Republican delegates were bombarded with leaflets, pamphlets, and circulars. The sheer amount of paper being handed out... More >>

• Let's Run the Tape

  published August 24, 2004

  On Sunday morning in Manhattan, a producer for the German network ZDF turned to Stefani Jackenthal, handed her a DVCPRO tape, and said, "Go."... More >>

• Four More Years?

  published August 17, 2004

  Mother Jones's first issue of 2003 sold 29,000 copies at the newsstand—at the time, a personal best. Jay Harris, publisher of the... More >>

• Egotistical Bastards

  published August 10, 2004

  Deep in the Broadway offices of VH1, Gabriel Alvarez and Elliott Wilson, two-fifths of the Ego Trip brain trust, are debating an issue that... More >>

• Sex, Lies, Death

  published August 3, 2004

  If only to verify our existence, every so often media announce that the sky has fallen on black America. The latest cause célèbre... More >>

• Helping the President Crank the Media Handle

  published August 3, 2004

  Rusty Propeller Award for Clumsiest Attempt at Spin: "We actually misnamed the war on terror,” President George Bush reportedly... More >>

• When Music Moguls Attack

  published July 27, 2004

  When the Republican National Convention comes to town this month, Russell Simmons's Hip-Hop Summit Action Network will be hoping to shine a... More >>

• Crouching Stanley, Hidden Gangsta

  published July 20, 2004

  I reserve the right to be a nigger. —Aaron McGruder Stanley Crouch is a gangsta rapper. Throughout his career, Crouch has... More >>

• Puff Piece

  published July 13, 2004

  For rapper-producer–fashion mogul–Restauranteur–Broadway actor–marathon runner Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, the 2004 election is... More >>

• Block the Vote

  published July 6, 2004

  To: Federal Election Commission From: Black Guy Re: People who should be disenfranchised I am 28 years old and I've never voted... More >>

• Mushmouth Reconsidered

  published July 6, 2004

  In 1988, Bill Cosby elevated himself from black middle-class ambassador to bona fide Race Man. And he did it the old-fashioned way—with cold... More >>

• A Whiter Shade of Harlem

  published June 29, 2004

  On a recent Tuesday night in Harlem, Jim Haughton stood before a worried group of 20 or so and talked old medicine for an older malady. "Nowadays... More >>

• Cosby Rips Into Black America Again

  published June 29, 2004

  This is the season of ranting. From the left we have Fahrenheit 9/11, a heavy-handed broadside from Michael Moore, the man who put the... More >>

• Doing It With R. Kelly

  published June 8, 2004

  R. Kelly has always been the wrong man for pillow talk. Crass and crude, a Kelly anthem is the anti-Viagra. The man has pipes on loan from God and... More >>

• A Nation of Millions

  published June 1, 2004

  James Bernard is determined that his latest foray into political activism not end like his first. In 1984, a young Bernard volunteered for Jesse... More >>

• Ebonics! Weird Names! $500 Shoes!

  published May 18, 2004

  I never got Fat Albert. Dumb Donald wore a lampshade for a hat, Russell dressed like a bag lady, and Bucky appeared to be the victim of a... More >>