stephen,
a couple of bones to pick with your asides.
“Of course, if it turns out Obama really can’t win whites (like he did in Iowa but not since)”
no one won any group in iowa — maybe 2% of the population votes in the surreal theatre that is the iowa caucuses, and those caucusing are the hardcore nuts. why both democrat and republican parties continue to let that hayseed state (and process) be the opening touchdown of the super bowl is beyond me, but that’s a topic for another day.
“it will be at least in part because the Clintons keep saying, “I’ve heard that Obama is black, you know. And according to some, that’s generating some racist attacks in the rainbow party.”
whether Clinton is playing some racial codeword game i don’t know, but i do think its unfair to dismiss voter concerns that Obama is a Manchurian Farrakhan. up until SNL decided to make fun of the press core maybe 2 months ago, voters knew literally nothing about Obama other than that he seemed nice. now, in those intervening 2 months, everyone suddenly learns his lifelong father figure is a wackjob racist black nationalist, he hangs out with a domestic terrorist that he calls a “local professor”, he owes his home to shady Machine fixer, he wife oozes resentment, and that Obama refuses to denounce anyone other Don Imus for their repulsive views (though in fairness to Imus, he was at least making a bad joke).
