Tavis Smiley is still whining over Obama not attending his State of the Black Union affair.

He just won’t let up.

I had the pleasure of watching Tavis Smiley’s entire production of the ”2008 State of the Black Union” on CSPAN in its entirety–and as usual, it was quite entertaining. But while I thoroughly enjoyed the show, I failed to see the urgency of having Senator Barack Obama in attendance.

I could see it if the scholars, politicians, and community leaders in attendance were actually involved in a sober discussion of the Black condition and ways to move the community forward, but that wasn’t what it was at all.

What it generally turns out to be–and it was true to form this year–is a cross between the Def Philosophy Jam, an infomercial for Tavis Smiley Enterprises, and a Southern revival meeting (“Say amen, Black folk”).

That’s not the appropriate venue for a man who’s trying to convince America that he’s a serious contender for President of ALL of the United States. So I don’t blame Obama a bit for not attending.

Admittedly, every year there are serious people with serious things to say in attendance, but every year there are also a host of people in attendance who are flamboyant, grandiloquent, and simply love to hear themselves talk.

There were moments in this year’s proceedings, for example, that sounded more like a mack-man’s convention than anything else. While I enjoyed it, I also enjoy Thelonious Monk, but there are literally millions of voters across this land who share neither my taste in music, nor my understanding of the polyrhythmic pronouncements of Michael Eric Dyson, no matter how profound the underlying message.

Thus, Senator Obama had to ask himself a very serious question–Do I want to be elected president, or simply hold up a raised fist for Black America? How would you answer that?