Thanking C-Span for airing the forum for nine years, talk show host and author [Tavis Smiley] presented the annual State of the Black Union beginning February 22 in New Orleans. Reclaiming our Democracy, Deciding our future was this year's theme. Smiley began the forum urging the nearly 5000 people who attended to purchase his "Covenant" book series where the latest edition, "Accountable: Making the Covenant Real" talks about leader accountability.

"We're all in this together for the nation's sake," she said pointing to the riff between her and Barack Obama supporters.

"I've had enough of "the hand wringing, finger pointing, and grim statistics."

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