That Didn't Take Long

In a move surprising exactly no one with an IQ above freezing, Senator Obama has announced that he's black and scary:

JACKSONVILLE, Florida (Reuters) - Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama said on Friday he expects Republicans to highlight the fact that he is black as part of an effort to make voters afraid of him.

"It is going to be very difficult for Republicans to run on their stewardship of the economy or their outstanding foreign policy," Obama told a fundraiser in Jacksonville, Florida. "We know what kind of campaign they're going to run. They're going to try to make you afraid.

"They're going to try to make you afraid of me. He's young and inexperienced and he's got a funny name. And did I mention he's black?"

Cassandra observes:

For an ostensibly post-racial candidate raised by a white mother (mind you, this is the half of the parental equation which actually cared enough to stick around and make sure he was fed, clothed, and received an education) Barack Obama sure spends a lot of time talking about being black. It's almost as though he were trying to convince himself - or us - of his street creds. I don't get it.

Sure you do, babe, sure you do. This is precisely like any discussion respecting a fundamental tenet of the Unreformed Church of Secular Orthodoxy, such as AIDS or Global Warming. If they're looking for funding, then AIDS is so contagious it's about to spread to the general population via doorknobs or handshakes. But if it's time to bash some homophobic parent who questions whether it might be a good idea for their HIV positive dentist to wear gloves, then it's virtually impossible to catch. Similarly, an active hurricane season is another catastrophic consequence of man-made global warming, while a relatively calm season is merely a statistical blip.

So here's the thing: If you want to vote for Barack Obama because he's black (despite the fact that he is without experience, credentials, or new ideas), then that's great. But if you think you might vote against him because he has the most left-wing voting record in the Senate, then you're a racist.

Is that clear?