Obama evokes Niebuhr, black church

Expecting a speech, Americans instead heard a sermon. Drawing on
scripture, theology and the rising rhythms of black preaching, President
Obama was more pastor than politician at a memorial service in Tucson
for the victims of the January 8 shooting in that Arizona city.

It
was an aspect of Obama that galvanized his 2008 campaign but had
scarcely emerged since he entered the White House, according to some
observers.

"I was glad to see it back," said Martha Simmons,
coeditor of Preaching with Sacred Fire, an anthology of African-American
sermons. "I had missed that in his speeches over the last two years."
There are a lot of good speakers in politics, she said. "But it's not
the same as being able to hit that soul area. If you can tap into that,
you tap into something powerful and important."