The X Factor

So last week in SLATE, Jacob Weisberg published an opinion that if Obama loses, racism must be the cause. His thinking is that the generic "Democrat" is running so high in the polls yet Obama is neck and neck with McCain. Actually he's still up about 4 points, but I haven't seen the polls since McCain's very high-rated speech last night. So even though America wants a Democrat, they fear the dark man.

I'm not sure I can buy into that argument. John Kerry, though not always recognizably human, was not black either and he had a pretty good theoretical shot. The Republicans are really good at taking qualified people and turning them into demons with or without racism. Not that they haven't used that arrow too but its certainly not the only one in the quiver. 

Both candidates could run the country, both are honorable men. Obama happens to be a little more clear-eyed about the war in Iraq, and a little less hooked up to the people who have been running us into the ground for the past eight years, so I'm for him. But "a little more" and "a little less" doesn't help lure the swing voters. 

It will be interesting to see who wields the club of racism more in the next couple months. It might not come up at all... depends on who gets the most desperate the quickest!