heric said:

"First, while he said he heard provocative commentary in sermons with which he disagreed, he made clear that the recent controversial statements, though not described, were far beyond what he had ever personally heard."

Well, the problem with that one for Obama is no one seems to be buying into that part of his speech, which is essentially the same as the statements he immediately put out before the speech, except his core supporters.

Why?

While people probably accept that statement at face value, the problematic part is, they don't believe he didn't know about those incendiary speeches. You see the difference, and why some people think there are politically slippery parts to this speech & Obama's reaction to the Wright videos in general?

OK, so he wasn't in church those days, so therefore didn't HEAR the speeches. But to ask the American public to believe he didn't KNOW about the speeches, especially the one in the wake of 9/11--and especially a politician in the wake of 9/11--well, you can sure sow the seeds of doubt as to Obama's patriotism with that one alone.

It worked for Bush in 2004 to run on 9/11 and stay the course in Iraq, so why wouldn't McCain do the same? And why not have the McCain campaign surrogates hammer the point above home?

The other quote you mention, while it is true that a lot of change has come about in the US in terms of race, what Obama never addresses is class issues. And the picture isn't quite so rosy for poor people, working class people, or middle class people. I think people sort of find the whole "Obama speaks on race" thing to be mostly a "whatever" sort of thing, that isn't really speaking to what their main domestic concerns are right now.

Which isn't race, BTW. It's still "the economy, stupid".

Obama keeps talking about race and Iraq, and he will be toast before long for sure. Because we are already in a recession. Peoples' fears now are about an actual depression.

The economy is free falling, yet this is the quagmire Obama finds himself mired in--being on the defensive about race.

Does anyone here recall why we should feel reassured about President Obama's plans to rescue the economy and us from it?