People from Wisconsin are different than other parts of the country in the same way that people from Iowa are. They are just plain nicer. I don't know why this is and I don't want to speculate but speaking as a person who has been calling all of the primary states it is noticeable. Maybe that makes them more willing to accept someone at face value.Maybe they just didn't know him yet?

Things have changed since those two primaries and the public knows Sen. Obama a little better now. They have heard his inspirational speeches quite a few more times and they have seen him in more debates,they have watched his handling of the bitter comments and the Rev. They see him looking tired and a little bored,they have heard him disrespect Hillary.He has lost some of his original shine.

The point I really want to make however, is that he has been neglecting his base.He has put no advertising $ in black media,he has avoided going to black events,he has completely ignored black issues.Where is Jesse Jackson? I always love what Jesse brings to an election cycle,always talks about poor people of all colors.Now, he has really disrepected a Pastor held in high regard in AA communities to appease his white supporters.I know he is doing this to avoid being relegated as a black candidate and the the AA community is supposed to wink and nod and understand.I'm wondering if they are not feeling so great about him lately. A number that has gotten very little attention is the one hundred thousand more AA votes his campaign was expecting in Philly which would have given him a much narrower margin in PA. We always see the percent of the vote he gets from people who have voted, but do we ever hear how that compares to number of votes available? Some people may just be staying home because no one has asked them to go out,it was just expected of them.

I have found a website that gives a different perspective of the way AAs are feeling, it is www.blackagendareport.com. It is a facinating read for someone who is wondering how at least part of the AA community is thinking.

I have been very curious about the AA reaction to the whole Rev. Wright controversy so I have been reading a few AA blogs. I have found them to be very interesting and enlightening.I would say from my reading( I know that AA blogs don't represent the majority any more than any other blog does).I have learned that the AA response to both Sen. Obama's candidacy and his denouncement of Rev. Wright is very complex. Many understand that he has stayed away from any discussion of AA issues and events as an effort not to become the black candidate,some resent it.I have learned that his campaign has not spent any money with AA media and that he has done very little campaigning in urban communities. Some are feeling taken for granted.

Many are cynical about his ever doing anything about AA issues if he were to be elected. Some are really disappointed in his handling of the Wright issue and feel he was forced to appease his white supporters. Rev. Wright is respected wihin the AA community as a person who speaks truth to power and as a strong voice for black nationalism.

Most of the criticism appeared to be an airing of family grievences and it appears that most will continue to support him at the polls dispite misgivings.Most of the commenters had their eyes wide open and were not blind to Sen.Obama's less than honest manipulations. Some were saying that they were not voting period. I know that his campaign was expecting a much larger turnout in Philly,like one hundred thousand more than they got. We never see any comparisons of votes recieved vs votes available

What cheered me was the fact that many understand the the Clintons are not racist and that they have worked hard for AA issues throughout their lives. Knowing this is not enough to weigh against the chance to make a historic vote for the first viable African American.

Jebldmm makes many good points about who played the race card and many of the AAs in the blogs think the same thing.