I guess the below is as reasonable a bar for Obama's speech tomorrow as anything else I've read so far. From an editorial at the Kansas City Star:

What Obama should tell white Americans in speech on race, Jeremiah Wright

By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Board

Barack Obama's speech on race Tuesday should be aimed straight at white Americans, especially Democrats.

Obama's goal: Persuade them the first black U.S. president could be a healing, not a divisive, force in Washington.

On Monday, Obama said he wanted to give the speech partly to defend longtime pastor Jeremiah Wright, whose inflammatory remarks attacking America have spread around the nation the last few days.

"I think the caricature that is being painted of him is not accurate, and so part of what I will do tomorrow is to talk about how these issues are perceived from within the black church community for example which I think skews this very differently," Obama said, according to CNN.

That's a tall goal.

As Obama and his supporters -- black, white and otherwise -- know fully, many people are questioning how much the Democratic presidential candidate knew about Wright's stances.

Obama's early replies -- he wasn't there for the vituperative remarks and he didn't agree with them -- falls short of what many people would expect from him.

After all, Obama has been a member of Wright's church for 20 years. His explanation fails the test of credulity: How could you not know about the vile comments spread by Wright?

Wright's defenders miss part of the point, too.

I'm among those who would of course defend the right to condemn America, especially the offensive treatment of black people for decades in this nation.

Then again, if Wright were speaking the truth about how black people feel right now -- which is part of the defense used by Wright's supporters -- then why is Obama distancing himself from the remarks?

Obama has said Tuesday's speech is something he's wanted to deliver on race and politics.

He could score a huge victory if his speech clearly explains to white Americans how race would factor into his service as president.

Yael T. Abouhalkah is a member of The Kansas City Star's Editorial Board.