Obama will have trouble getting beyond Rev. Wright

First I want to state that I believe Barak Obama has a good heart and I take him at his word that he wants to get beyond racial identities. He has condemned the words of his pastor without condemning the man. I expected that and see no hypocrisy in this. That in itself is going to make it tough to get beyond it. Here are the reasons.

1. He is unknown. By me saying I believe his words I am relying on my judgement to be able to judge people. That is really all we have. Senator Obama has a very short track record. He is a third year Senator. Very little public service before that. For right or wrong we know Hillary Clinton and John McCain. For good or bad their lives are an open book. When they say something controversial we can look at a lifetime in public life and make an educated guess as to whether that is consistent or inconsistent with their values. Senator Obama has a harder time simply because we don't know him.

2. He is a progressive through and through. Whether you call him liberal, progressive or even socialist he is that in every fiber of his being. What we know is that progressives believe that they have the answers and should be put in charge of setting the course for the rest of us. Note he is capable of seeing beyond the words of his pastor who has made villains of whites and the nation as a whole. He sees the good in him. People who disagree with him politically don't get that benefit of the doubt. People who would turn more to the private sector are seen as paying off special interests. Those of us who believe in free trade are seen as exporting jobs. Those of us who believe that the private sector is to be relied on for improving health care are accused of being in the pocket of the health care lobby. Howard Dean has said that the difference between liberals and conservatives is that liberals care that children go to bed hungry at night. While Obama has not gone to the extent his implications are the same.

3. He sees groups and not people. Whites have had to decide for a very long time whether or not to accept evil action from their 'own kind'. Far too many whites for far too long did not speak out against evil. Slavery, Jim Crow, Bull Connor. These are all the shame of whites looking the other way. In recent decades more and more whites pronounce evil when they see it. Prominent blacks must do the same. They must teach that calling the United States the UN-KKK-A is not something to disagree with it is an evil sentiment. Where is the difference between this and the whites who proclaimed blacks less than a whole person? Increasingly whites set themselves apart from the neanderthals that still harbor racist views. While I understand I cannot identify with the feelings of black America, the people who consider themselves leaders must encourage excellence and not victim hood. They must do this for the preservation of the young black men that are tearing themselves apart. To group all whites into the KKK of the Jim Crow south is not only not fair, it is not productive.

Barak Obama must continue to run a non race based campaign. I believe this is his intention. he also must run a group free campaign. I do not believe that is his intention. The Democratic party is so immersed in group-ism they can't help themselves. He must fulfill what we expect of a president, he or she should inspire us to be better than we were yesterday, not put your hand out for what the country can give them. He won't be able to that and it may cost him. The polish is off from his exterior. Now his substance must come through. I don't think he has enough to shine through. He has no new ideas, no new inspiration. You may as well substitute his speeches with George McGovern. There are no discernible differences.