I'm at Langston room at Busboys and Poets. Tariq Ali is about to talk about his new book "The Obama Syndrome: Surrender at Home, War Abroad". To enter the room - which has a mural with MLK, Gandhi and such - one must walk beneath a portrait of Obama pontificating from a podium. The restaurant continues to feature banners from the celebrations of Obama's inaugural with peace symbols and hearts. The collapse of art over the last several years has perhaps been the worst aspect of events. Obama syndrome indeed.
