Don't let this get lost in the debate on race:

[guyanakoolaid]

That the goal of many people of many races is that there will eventually not be a need to give race such an elevated place in our lives at all. That ultimately it won't even need to be a topic of conversation anymore than the color of a person's hair or whether they are left-handed or right-handed. And that is exactly how Obama tried to run his campaign. He never talked about race, even though it's kind of been the elephant in the room, because ideally he shouldn't have to. It was only when confronted with angry remarks made by his pastor that Obama was forced to tackle the issue of race. And I don't think any of us will forget the crushing pancake tackle that it was. But let's not forget what Obama has done before this point, choosing not to wrap his message in race, showing us that he not only sees a vision of what America could be, but that he has the fortitude to try and live that vision.

[NanceGreggs]

1. Well said!

:kick:

[hisownpetard]

2. And welcome to DU!

[anonymous171]

3. The media has been trying to push a race war ever since Ferraro.

Better ratings.

[Igel]

4. I still haven't figured out what history I was asked to make on Texas primary day.

We've had younger male presidents, we've had dem presidents, we've had presidents who wore suits. Non-smokers and those who quit. Married with kids. From Illinois. Senators. Irish. Short hair. No glasses (contacts?) Who spent part of his childhood outside the continental US.

Perhaps we haven't had any who had an immigrant parentwere immigrants; dunno. But the fact I don't know means that he hasn't brought up how unique it would be.

That leaves asking me to make history by helping to elect a president who was black, or at the very least a presidential nominee who was black. I can't find any other meaning to 'making history' in the call he he recorded.

This means 'race' was a part of his Texas campaign before the Wright nonsense got to center stage.

Now, one could claim that he hasn't wrapped his entire message in race. But I live in a very small mixed-race enclave surrounded on one side by the Reliant Center, on one side by businesses, and on the other two sides by a very, very large AA community that stretches for miles. You sum up the demographics of my electoral precinct and you get 90% black, 5% Latino--mostly immigrant--5% white and other, the "white and other" being mostly college grad or college students. Obamaland. So the pitch doesn't have to be color blind.

So let's not forget what Obama has done before this point, choosing to wrap at least part of his message in race when it was convenient and safe.

But I leave out a possible intepretation of "making history". That is, it's vacuous, void of meaning: Essentially 'rah-rah' with no further denotative meaning. He doesn't mean 'make history' he just means something like "woo-hoo!" Empty blather. I have to admit, that's a distinct possibility. Just not a pleasant one.