I think the first time I noticed "race" as a problem in relation to Obama in this campaign was when someone referred to him as "articulate" and it was interpreted as "articulate for a black guy." (Which I understand is because it's been used that way about other black people in the past, and certainly that makes it suspect, but still ... ) whereas the truth is that he's "articulate for a presidential candidate, regardless of race, gender or party."

I think race has been an issue since the beginning. Mostly because the press has been discussing whether race would be an issue since his memorable speech at the Democratic National Convention that brought him to a lot of people's attention.

What the press have been waiting for is an event or issue that would start polarizing people along racial lines. they've been anticipating it and practically begging for it, because they needed something to fill that vacant and "pregnant" spot in their pre-planned narrative.
And now they've decided that the Reverend Wright issue is it. And they're making damn sure this is it. So that they can follow with a pre-planned narrative of "we weren't ready yet" which is more comfortable than "we were ready, and we went there" which is a continuing narrative that will require the press to change some of their fundamental assumptions about the Status Quo of America.
It might require them to rethink what news are most important to Americans.

The press (and I'm probably grossly over-generalizing here) likes a multicolor america as long as its face is a comfortable , familar white. The press likes to think that america is less ready for change than they are, that the little nuggets of social issues, civil rights issues and racial and gender equality issues they cover is more than enough to cover the needs of their readers.

But if America actually elects a black president, then the perspectives of the press seem positively backwards. 

(Okay, I know this whole bit is a lot of over generalizing, but I'm thinking in terms of theories of journalistic reality as a form of socially constructed narrative with certain "necessary" points that have to happen, politics and reality being forced into a sort of pre-determined "arc" without the participants necessarily planning it that way or being aware of it as it happens . A little "out there" , I know.)

Great article in this week's Rolling Stone titled "Hillary's Flimsy Case: The myth of the 'battleground' states, and other frequently asked questions from the campaign trail".  Before anyone thinks it just an article slamming Clinton, it also sees some troubling warning signs for "politics as usual" from the Obama camp.  Really interesting reading.

Joe, Tom - yes, and that's why we'll beat McCain!  Also - Hillary can't be like McCain, because McCain is one of those old-fashioned human Republicans, and Hillary is one of them new-fangled GWB inhuman models!

And Knut - I agree with your thoughts - but the cautious optimist in me thinks America is finally ready to move past that.  (then I see this bogus "Wright" scandal blow up and realize... uh, maybe I should hedge my bets...)

See?  It's aumusing when the funny man says it on the boob tube.

When that becomes the fate of our nation?  Funny becomes suicidally depressing.

Though... if we're going to go that route... what I really want is President Michael Bluth, Vice President Earl Hickey, Secretary of State Betty Suarez and Attorney General Dale Cooper!  And Rod Serling in charge of the nation's cornfields!

Geoff, was it because McCain is not an evil moron who's being lead around by the PNAC?  That would be my guess.

Honestly, McCain isn't the moderate that people make him out to be - you'd get a full Republican presidency out of the guy, but at least he wouldn't go further than that, which has been one of Bush's problems.  Yeah, yeah, give your rich friends a tax cut, ok, that we expect, but wait!  For the love of god, you retarded ape, don't use the US Constitution as kindling for your barbeque!  Nooooo!!!!!

Good man, David!

I think I've heard of a few other Irishmen who like him ok - there's this guy:

And Sir Bob Geldof gave Obama a subtle thumb's up too!

Wow - this race isn't just making me feel proud as an American - but also proud to be part Irish, too!    Yay, Ireland!

"I think I've heard of a few other Irishmen who like him ok."

It's just because he's Irish, isn't it? ;-)

My grandmother always had a soft spot for Mondale herself, back in the day, but that may be because she was born less than 5 miles from Mundal.