If you think it's racist it's racist. End of story. There is no external reality to that.

That quote you tried to use, as did Dana Millbanks of the Washington Post and other such intellectual lightwieghts that wish to blur the truth, is taken out of context. The full quote is this, "It has become increasingly clear in my travel, the campaign, that the crowds, the enthusiasm, 200,000 people in Berlin, is not about me at all. It's about America. I have become a symbol of the possibility of America returning to our best traditions". Sounds a little different, huh? Try to be a bit more responsible next time. Otherwise you'll continue to seem like a Rush type.

Barack Obama uses the race card for three reasons:

1. It fires up the African-American base to make sure that they come out and vote overwhelmingly for Mr. Obama;

2. It works favorably for most Americans, who are not racist, if Obama can convince them that he is being mistreated;

and lastly what I think is the most effective reason is

3. It changes the subject when people are asking very legitimate questions about Obama's lack of experience and lack of leadership.

The prime example of #3 is when Obama's despicable surrogates manufactured irrational outrage at Hillary Clinton's evocation of Lyndon Johnson's role in passing civil rights legislation. Ms. Clinton was trying to ask the legitimate question as to whether Barack Obama has shown the leadership or the experience necessary to get things done as President. This was an issue that Barack Obama did not want to face directly (and he still does not), so his campaign aggressively tried to change the subject by saying that she was being racially divisive.

The stakes are even higher and the level of risk for both parties is heightened in the general election.

The risk is higher for Obama in the general election, because he now needs more than a strong African-American turnout and vote, whereas this vote was able to put him over the top in the Democratic primary.

The risk is even higher for McCain, because the Republicans are already tarnished with past racial antics in prior elections, whereas Hillary Clinton (along with Bill) had built a reservoir of good faith in the African-American community prior to these attacks.

I have been turned off hugely by Obama's use of race in this campaign, and I am turned off by his dearth of experience, by his caving in to Republicans on principles that he expressed during the primary and by his complete lack of leadership qualities. He is lucky to be running against such a poor candidate as John McCain, so he may win this election after all. I just pray that we, as a country, can prosper despite the frustratingly poor choice of candidates.

I thought Obama's point was valid and even instructive.

It makes you wonder what kind of saint one must be to be the first black to win the presidency. I don't think Obama will win. But evidently people want a leftist Jackie Robinson, who never fights back, who never calls out racism and ugliness, who always does what they want. No human can really do that. Even Robinson took a piece out of William F Buckley when he got the chance. Some people think any mention of race is bad. How CAN we talk about race when anti-Obama people accuse us of racism by even mentioning the elephant in room? He's black. It matters to a significant number of people.

You may disagree with me, but I was pointing out the perspective that people Obama needs to win might have. These are folks he hasn't won over yet and, let's face it, they are almost all "white" folks.

I think this is going to get very tough and ugly for many of Obama's black supporters. It's going to be an extremely hurtful race and much worse that anything they think the Clintons flung at Obama and -- what is going to get really frustrating -- is that they will see people getting away with it. The people Obama needs to win now are out of range form chastisement at Salon. They don't care what you think.

Yes, he is going to have to be like Jackie Robinson and he's going to have to do it while still seeming tough enough to be president. He is tightrope walking now, trying to do the racial equivalent or what Ann Richards always said women had to do: Dancing backward in high heels.

They are trying to paint him into a corner. If he complains about racism, he reminds people that he is black not biracial. If he acts assertive about racism, he arouses fears about angry black men. If he rolls over and allows himself to be stereotyped, feminized, and painted weak -- then he fails the leadership test.

Everything that Shelby Steele said, plus nightmares.

Short answer: You, or rather he, can't really talk about race. If he makes this about race, he loses. I know that this is not the historical redress people wanted. It's simple: If he attempts to have another conversation about race, he can kiss the presidency goodbye.

Wait until he has won -- if he wins. Then the conversation will be ongoing for at least four years.

thanks for mentioning McCain's comments about gooks. I found this chilling when I read it recently. Especially since it was as recent as 2000.

As for Won'tgetfooled again--I wonder what you mean by "most Americans are not racist." Do you mean that most Americans do not consider themselves racist? I keep watching this double-bind where to someone of one race something appears racist, where to someone of another race it does not. Is there no room for disagreement? Is every time a person mentions race are they supposed to run it through white people first to make sure it doesn't hurt anyone's feelings?

I don't mean to sound mean--and I am white--but when I read statistics on how the United States, how many years after the end of slavery and segregation we still do not spend an equal amount of tax payer dollars educating children of different races in this country...and I wonder--if we accept this system as it is (not to mention the justice system which prosecutes and punishes people of different races differently--no question about it) --are we racist? When I look at other examples around the world of unequal systems...I have to say that if white people benefit from the system as it is without trying to change it to be more equal for all people...that yes...most Americans who accept this unequal system and do not recognize the ways in which it continues to treat people unfairly--may in fact be racist. Whether they/we admit it to themselves/ourselves or to others or not.

As for the race card...I keep hearing about this card and wonder what this means anyway. If it means that anyone who mentions race and is not white will be condemned for bringing up the subject...if the "race card" is in fact a white tactic to make people of other races quit their complaining or be accused of "reverse discrimination.."...then perhaps it stands a good chance of winning this election for John McCain. I am willing to bet that anyone who makes a list of all the Americans in the history of this country who have benefited from "playing the race card" throughout our history...what do you think? Are not most beneficiaries of the American race card deck--white?

*just saying*