I thought that Richard Cohen's piece was excellent and very much to the point. I am not familiar with the author, so I read it without having any idea that he might have a right-wing (or any other) bias.

I might add that I've been supporting Obama all along, and expect to vote for him in November, but I do not believe that he walks on water, or even that he is all that radiacally different from other politicians. (I am holding out hope that he'll be at least somewhat more creative and open to new ideas than most, and certainly that he'll prove to be more honest and intelligent than the current incumbent.)

One issue that Cohen addressed that resonated with me is how unfairly Ms. Clinton has been accused of "racism" for some of her remarks. For example: Her mention of LBJ's role in the eventual implementation of civil-rights legislation was never meant, and should never have been characterised, as arguing that a "white person" needed to be involved in addition to Dr. King ~ the pertinent fact is that a politician and officeholder needed to be on board before the demands of the movement could be translated into law.

I also agree with Cohen that there is more racism in this country, not less, than what is admitted by poll respondents. But I don't go as far as some do in seeing every vote or opinion for any opponent of Obama to be rooted in racism, any more than I see every instance of disenchantment with Hillary as misogynistic.

Ideally, women and black men should be, and want to be, considered first and foremost as human beings, and (in the context of elections) simply as candidates. And, like every candidate, they have to accept that some individuals will disagree with them, rightly or wrongly, simply on the issues. There is no reason to take it personally when a voter prefers one's opponent, and it's just as wrong to characterize such rejection as prejudice against one's group identity (race/gender/whatever) as it is to characterize it as "personal."

And, yeah, we ALL need a vacation from this exercise in excess.