Adrian Walker

" Welcome back to while and before of -- forum on Martin Luther King Day. Monday January 21 2008. While we've had a full plate and offer some people out there it's a holiday you know not engaged in the daily commute. He your office might be shut all you might be attending when the special breakfasts a commemorative services for the doctor Martin Luther King the reverend Martin Luther King big big win for the patriots a big week for our governor governor Deval Patrick not only releases his budget on Wednesday. Think it's Tuesday night is going to be giving his state of the state address presidential campaign also to news involving John McCain Mitt Romney in particular on the Republican side park ambient -- and a little bit less. And on the democratic side you know full speed ahead to two thorobreds Barack Obama are in Hillary Clinton moving on to South Carolina my prediction know a week not quite a week in advance Barack Obama will win South Carolina I think he's going to defeat. Hillary Clinton and it will then be on to a super Tuesday for the two of them -- just one person's view but it's appropriate that we stop at a time like this because of the holiday because of the great history of -- Luther king in because we have the opportunity to join Adrian walker that we pause and just remind you you know every Monday we do -- with the globe columnist and -- the globe is great place to get the latest on local and national politics. Business and much much more can make it as convenient as possible home delivery the Boston Globe which I get is a great great pot of life here in the city in you can order now listen this ought to now at 50% off just call this number one. 888 my eight globe that's 1888 my globe and mention this special radio -- Go to the Boston Globe dot com slash -- Boston Globe. Dot com slash foreign some restrictions applied to 50% up for the bus envelope you've got to any better than that the only way you can do better than that is to join Adrian walker alive. On the air and that is what we are about to do them."

" Adrian doin' great long time no see how did bad I'm doin' fine he's not used in steak you very much San TU mania family Adrian I'm curious you over at the York convention center covering the about Luther king breakfast today you know what what's the assignment with three got two. Model of the king festivities and celebrations."

" That amount of practice today albeit metropolitan new okay premier the corporation. And then I'll give up critical."

" They go excellent -- we look forward to it agent. Let's -- let let's talk you've got to prospective on on on the doctor undocked amount Luther king that you know white America. Might like to think that we have but we really don't have the complete perspective because we're not African Americans. You your a sense of about Luther king his place in our history -- local history his place and -- nation's history."

" I have with the addition the group in -- I think the civil rights movement goes -- You know people revel in the bottom of revolution and there -- The prison let it is real or not well but it or equivocal this was listen. And who's fluent in relation to a significant norms of being. You'd probably -- most significant American ever ever of a public off."

" Adrian you grew up in Florida or if I recall Ian do you would have had some EL the alive would have had some overlap with doctor came before you was brutally assassinated in 1968 I think -- had -- So -- I'm I'm curious sitting around the the walker family table with mom dad brothers and sisters of alike. What was the -- you know what was the conversation what was how was he seen at that time was he seen. In political terms in any way was he seen -- and had a spiritual our spiritual terms."

" Well -- cult leaders broke -- and I think in I was the results. What I remember what that being with respect whatever in the -- now and you know what an emotional thing to know anything about it at. But it was recorder and what worked for a flat -- were there are. And we talked about art -- knows. Just you know how much the work of art but but it was belt relatives were in the but -- In 1950 where you know part of the movement after so -- it was --"

" Adrian forty years on how would you characterize you know -- I know it's impossible for us to kind of put ourselves it's in to -- of the king's shoes but. How do you think he would characterize the state of race relations today he would look at a presidential campaign. In which a black guy is as seriously contend that as anyone else -- and is as likely to win. Is anybody else how would he assess that in your -- opinion."

" I think he would decide about Barack Obama where we took our it was well for about. I think it would be good or perhaps at the -- of risk of improvement in the there's you know so much. It is and and very little not very relative. And I think --"

" cents you know as as we talk about the whole body of work. I'm curious when you were you know young man in college and beginning to think of careers in the like. Inevitably you would have had a greater exposure it's doctor king's work written as well as spoken. That you -- this get all little boy when really the bit the first memory might be the fact you saw your parents cry on the on the night he was assassinated what what would you sets of the the most significant and enduring legacy in terms of a speech or or thing you know all -- correspondent so -- a message in a theme."

" And the most. Ignorant or and most wrote. This letter from all the moral balance them. -- those were in critical part of for all. Where is. Quote and I'll let you know important and it's important that -- the -- the -- Rock and or in one way or my parents with a lot of work. But I and and civil rights movement lot or."

" You'd you'd I don't know what I meant to have want to get to the Barack Obama over again because of the -- the phenomenon that he is on not just in. Not just in pure racial terms but the political phenomenon I mean. He he wins IOR and that's I mean that's is white is that's why -- you love find any did very very well -- Hampshire and that's pretty damn white as well so this of does that really a political reality to this as well Israeli incredible. Racial statement that attaches itself to Iraq's candidacy. In time and time again I'm told that Iraq really feels people with a motion and hope and inspiration based on the power of his oratory. I spent I gotta tell the -- I spent a good proud of the weekend. Listening to a couple wartime speeches by Winston Churchill to ducked -- but Luther king's address on the mall in Washington I believe was in August of 63. And then Barack Obama's. -- to address to the Democratic National Committee here in 2004 which was really the introduction of him to the nation. In which fellow Democrats say did you see the speech that he he had the speech wasn't that amazing I've got to Italian Adrian it. His speech Barack Obama speech doesn't hold a candle. Doesn't even begin to hold a candle. To -- Luther king speech to new I mean in and I just kind of an old fashioned white guy -- You know -- a previous generations and that oratory back then was oratory and oratory today is just. --"

" Well. That the conviction that broke while it is that the public oh -- it has you know I think that it is so. You know because when it Obama is up to work -- emotional Mexico or work or -- and situation while. And it is -- our our. For work the department of them."

" Yeah I mean -- who listened to literally. 45 times to -- Luther king's speech might have some excerpts we're gonna play -- you know often on for the rest of the the rest of the hour that we had. Now let me jump because we've been talking about Barack Obama your longtime observer of politics at the local scene national scene. Tell me who what you as we have seen hundred that's fire on what you expect over the next couple weeks in the South Carolina areas Saturday for the Democrats. And other Republicans are now down in a full fledged despite in Florida with super Tuesday looming for everybody right around the caught up what's Adrian -- take on all of us."

" It an effort and we should all gotten out of the eviction of but -- throw up."

" I was open."

" And I I do think that a bomb went up there. Vote for them -- well and the anything about it is for in the rip them in the Clinton north now in the template. Now -- isn't it. And and I think above have a ritual of wouldn't hurt so I think that -- nomination but there're -- Apart the republic of nobody knows what. Once -- is one of the prime I think -- the although you know that's another thing -- it is the pretty much on what -- went South Carolina. That's right -- it would and the question as. Iraq and that's the."

" And -- an -- you know rumors abound this morning at least that Fred Thompson has gone back to Solomon Washington and is probably likely. Two Bob -- capitulate in some fashion within the next you know day -- two a couple of days. Do you think that's a block of votes. That transfer is that is that just spread you know every air although all the surviving candidates grab a little a little piece here a little piece that."

" I think it's run it and -- rebel journal Europe and fro with half of it goes in another apple were at a but I you know for -- China's ministry of -- one of Elwood Edwards. I think Drupal block out there orders Marc -- reform and it will open your."

" Well you know are taking the lead lead inevitably to talk of vice presidential tickets and I realize how dangerous that is on January 21 be talking about something that won't happen probably for seven Don months. Several lifetimes in politics. You imagine that -- thought Hillary would be the win the nomination but that Iraq is really giving her a run for the money in ways that a lot of people did not imagine several months ago. Is there any possibility of that becoming a ticket or is that who much new history. Too much symbolism for the American people woman and African American saved ticket does that give kind of the old resentful crowd too many too many things the punch out."

" I think it's that the demise and I think if unlike -- others I think they don't help much relationship. Well -- then -- senator Obama political. Amusement park city because. But it worked -- the idea that would reflect well. And we can beat him in bill -- or we have a and if we took up our apartment."

" True well it's had to it's had to speak about how -- advanced as a nation when it median yesterday's pay BR paper of the globe it's really have a -- an article taken from the times. Five states Adrian this fall we'll have on the ballot brought to you by which is named ward Connelly proposals to ban affirmative action they in Arizona. Colorado Missouri Nebraska and Oklahoma. And a year she anti drive she's at coach share and a national spokeswoman of they age group that defends affirmative action says it's going to be extremely difficult for the defenders of affirmative action to win. Because you have the presence of Hillary Clinton. In a Barack Obama serious play it's not fringe players like Ron Paul and Mike rebel. These are the thorobreds in -- race in the iPod that most people think has the advantage. And so anybody who is proponent of affirmative action is instantaneously put on the defensive."

" It's good to spurred to act. On the belt but at their orders at a that it sort of them are on which a president. A little -- One former in in the public ever but -- well there were."

" Now it's any any no we inevitably that in -- might be one of these journalists the journalists in the moderated to cover upcoming presidential debates this is going to find its way into. That discussion. I think the Democrats -- my observation over the years is they did they've become pretty defensive pretty quickly about it. -- from a defensive position is never you know never comfortable for sure."

" it. Its position in the in the general election of of error on the one or."

" Sure and I think -- of these have been historically red states although Colorado the inching closer and closer close at blue state status and with. These incredibly close run elections with every state becomes a crucial I want to get back to -- Luther king if I can't Adrian you've been great with its time. My sense of of Martin Luther King. Kind of asked do you know you -- yet the -- on him as you know the little boy grown up first of many young man and then take and you measure of the ms. If you develop professionally is self and it may be a kind of a greater assessment of his his role in this contribution to American society. There are people who write two days is that would suggest that really a lot of how a lot of of moral claim that he bad that. But Luther king made on all of us really it was derivative of scripture. And that he was not shy about faith that he embraced -- proudly in -- Root pleaded all the speeches were references to scripture different biblical figures and and passages of alike. Does that type of overt spiritual and religious claims and and oratory played today are we become. Hostile to the type -- religion that Martin Luther King thought was absolutely essential to progress."

" This article little bit more if that would work this. No religion that with a -- with a in the rose what the -- it was quite. People are our -- little world where art with a go to the it was. In a way that art -- And -- it a lot hour or so. But I think it has its work. It was because it would -- work for the and that -- and you know the moral or work. And -- what."

" Injured one last question again and take you for a while all the time they've given us Morocco bomber in the last debate that I -- was on the stage with the Hillary Clinton John Edwards and it was out Las Vegas. I just in advance of the caucuses which are held over the weekend. He was asked the question I can't remember the specifics of the question but he he ended up his answer ended up in the enveloping. This issue black fathers. And abandoning their children and not being you know not having a presence in a role in -- is in a life and I thought. Very powerful very powerful answer the political side of -- said gee that's like Bill Clinton sister soldier moment. A nice way to kind of reposition the way people think. Yet you know forget the kind of the political and somewhat. Cynical assessment of what I thought it was just -- incredibly powerful and not overdue statement but a necessary. Statement what. From your perspective what is the challenge that lies ahead two black America specifically young black males even more specifically. About beginning to assert and assume a larger and larger responsibility in the lives of the children."

" It's sort of built like you know we have went. Let -- a pretty obvious that. And I apart Obama. Oh well not allowed -- on and ethnic or on the."

" I thought so too and with that Adrian walker will let you go we know you have a busy busy David great to. Join us and give us for a political insights but more appropriate daily to the day upon which we speak the day we commemorate all all day -- with a national holiday -- read sites and yet take of Martin Luther King his contribution to American men and and really world history so appreciate the time that you spent with us today Adrian and enjoy the rest of the day"