Does Obama think that he can back the entire white electorate into a corner, forcing them to vote for him or be anti-black? Here are his comments from yesterday in Springfield, MO referring to the what the McCain campaign is allegedly saying:

“You know, he’s not patriotic enough. He’s got a funny name. You know, he doesn’t look like all those other Presidents on those dollar bills, you know. He’s risky. That’s essentially the argument they’re making.’’ (1)

So Mr. Obama, do you think that is the argument that McCain and the rest of the white electorate that is against you is making? The only thing that we can really touch you on is that you don't "look like those other Presidents on those dollar bills"?

In reality, Obama is just pulling this argument out of thin air. The McCain campaign has said nothing of the sort, and no respected source has attempted to make his skin color the primary reason to vote against him. Mr. Obama simply wants to inject race into the McCain campaign where he sees it most beneficial to his own electability.

McCain made a very good point today in Racine, WI that applies here (I could not get a transcript on this but heard audio). He pointed out that the same old Washington style politics that Obama derides are also those which he practices. McCain points out that saying whatever you must to get elected, such as the previous Obama statement, is just the type of Washington politics that the American people are tired of.

As a side note, I believe that McCain's strategy of bringing negative attacks earlier in the race so as to start his own narrative is a smart plan. This frees him up to run a positive campaign after the conventions around Labor Day when the general election officially starts.

1. Cooper, Michael, and Michael Powell. "McCain Campaign Says Obama Is Playing the ‘Race Card’." NYtimes.com. 31 July 2008.31 July 2008 .