Some good and cogent thoughts on your part there, BB. ;-)

Jeri - "it's not so innocent. If people can be persuaded to see Obama as the Black candidate, it will distract from the issues and it will be divisive. That's the opposite of what he's about and it undermines his whole platform."

Right. No, it's not so innocent at all. It is, I think, a continuing attempt on the part of certain established interests (both on the liberal and conservative sides of the equation) to "divide and conquer" and carry off the spoils in the confusion that ensues among a divided people. If people in general were to get past seeing others on the basis of race and would just look at others as individuals...then those established interests would lose one of their most valued playing cards...the "race card". They don't want to lose that card. It profits them to keep the pot at least simmering at all times, if not boiling.