You are confused when you say that Obama drew first blood regarding racial politics. Obama is the last person to want race to become an issue. Why? Because he has nothing to gain by it and everything to lose.

Any allusion to the issue of race by Obama are defensive in nature. They are constructed to help keep race from being used against him. To draw racial first blood, as you describe it, would be an attempt to use an opponents race against him, or your own race to help yourself. Obama did not either.

This issue isn't whether McCain is a racist, its whether he or his campaign and surrogates are cynically leveraging the racism in others. This is what Bill Clinton was trying to do against Obama at key moments in the Dem. primary. No one believes Bill Clinton is racist, but he WAS perceived as attempting to blow the dog whistle of closet bigots. African Americans immediately recognized what he was attempting. It left them very surprised and deeply disappointed in the first "black" president.

For a more obvious example of the tactic I'm talking about just look at the history of Sen. Strom Thurman. Here was a man who's long political career was based on appealing to bigots and segregation-ism, all while having secretly fathered his first born child with a black woman. Hypocrites such as this are more contemptible than sincere bigots.

To those liberals who wish to read race-free, kick-ass analysis, check out Media Matters' Eric Boehlert, the Daily Howler's Bob Somerby, and Salon.com's Glen Greenwald. You will rarely, if ever, see the aforementioned giants accusing John McCain of playing the race card. They leave that to gossip-mongers such as Arianna Huffington, Bob Herbert, Keith Olbermann, Josh Marshall and the like.

I'm sorry to say, again, that you are confused. You seem to have missed my point entirely. I'll try to restate it.

I'm not suggesting that McCain has bigots in his campaign. He may have none. My point is that his campaign is exercising a strategy to leverage the fears/bigotry of susceptible voters.

McCain's campaign has rapidly degenerated to cultivating multiple forms of voter fear and bigotry. McCain can and should be held accountable for this strategy.

Lastly, by surrogates I mean, right-wing talk radio, the guy who opened a rally for McCain awhile back who kept emphasizing Obama's middle name, GOP strategist hacks on TV, GOP state party organizations, the jackasses on Fox News, etc, etc, etc. Fear/hate mongers all.

Oh, and one other point. You are also wrong when you say "The issue of race is a double-edged sword. Anyone can stand to gain or lose from it."

This is obviously false. In a nation where only about 10% are black, and with a history of having enslaved only blacks, being a black candidate does not cut equally both ways. Any positive is far outweighed by the negative.

No Points. It's amazing how one can be so cynical on one hand and so naive on the other. I don't go for points - (but thanks for researching the 3rd party quote!) I stake out my own territory, following my conscious and trying to work out the issues.

These people (Fox, talk show hosts, etc.) are not "surrogates". Educated people really should try to know the definitions of the words they utilize.

Last thing: don't make excuses or pander to an entire culture. That is the most hypocritical thing I've ever read. You demean African Americans with your patronizing attitude. It's not "them" and "us". We're all "us".

Well, ya got me pardner. I'll fess up that I'm saving up enough points to get one of those purple plastic penile Elvises. Or maybe you could lend me yours?