Democrats continue to play the race card from all angles.

Howie Dean called the GOP the "white party". This is not a mistake. He did not misspeak.

This is part of a plan. The plan is mostly directed at the largest non Caucasian voting group: Hispanics. He's saying: Look , THEY (the GOP) are not like you. They don't care about you.

It is also part of a plan to negate white fear of blacks in power. Here he is saying: Look, we are diverse and inclusive. They are not.

One can argue all one likes about the demographics of each party. The fact is that Dean continues to purposely inject race into the campaign out of fear and stupidity. The fear is that the Bradely effect will mean BHO loses a close race. This fear has some basis in reality. The recent polls indicate a race that is well within the margin of any Bradely effect.

It is stupid because seeing all things at all time through the prism of race inevitably cause one to miss other issues. The Democratic "leadership" wants to get ahead of the race issue because they believe it is a primary concern of white voters. This is dumb, unless 10-50% of White voters are lying to pollsters out of fear being tagged a racist. At most 5% are.

The weakness in BHO's poll numbers comes from the perception that he is effete and unqualified. Further, that he's been given an easy ride and that he is not "one of us."
This last reason has little to do with race (5%, I'd guess.). Colin Powell, Jesse Jackson, Carol Mosely-Braun, and the current governors of New York and Massachusetts all seem to have emerged from the American experience. Albeit from a different sub-culture than my own - but clearly part of the "family" as it were. Dr. King continues to be the best example here. His status as an iconic American emerged from a genuine and painful part of the American experience. Dr. King's narrative is about rising from within and then rising above.

Obama's "otherness" is not about his bi-racial background. It is about the way he deals with his own past and his own life. The vitriolic reaction to anyone investigating his life or even using his middle name is telling. They believe Obama's version of his life is all we need to know.

Why does this matter? All candidate's shape their narratives. Once again it goes to experience. Reagan told tall tales about his life. (He implied he'd fought the bad guys in Europe, when, in fact, he fought other actors on a soundstage in Burbank.) But he'd been a governor of the largest state. Clinton was the "man from Hope" - a town he left as a small child - but he'd been a chief executive for over a decade when he ran for President. Dole had been in the Senate since the Last Supper. Hillary had a lifetime in public service, an 8 year "job" in the White House and a full senate term under her belt. She also went before her state's voters and was re-elected. Federal elections matter because they are the final "check" on federal power.

Voters have 3 questions every four years: 1. Who are you- or What made you who you are? 2. What have you done? 3. What will you do? Obama wants the first 2 questions removed from the debate. In an overwhelmingly Democratic year the last question will get any Democratic candidate to 45%.

It may be "unfair" to demand deeper answers because of residual bigotry that can cost an election. But the non-bigots still need to know.

Democrats will continue to inject race. Economics and a desire for "change" may win BHO the election anyway. But unless Obama claims and explains who he is and why who he is negates his lack of experience the question "who is this guy?" will dog him...well into his first term.

McCain's celebrity ads evened the race out because they ask the salient questions in a pithy way, then answered them.

1. Sure he's famous but who is this guy really?
Followed quickly by:
2. He is not who he says he is.

I add quickly and sadly, his "narrative" does not even have to be true - it just has to be thorough. Right now his past is easily questioned and debunked, the result being discomfort with him.

Democrats are foolishly convinced there is a queasiness about Obama because of his race. Wrong. The queasiness stems from his lack of experience and his mysterious, contradictory, life story.