It's that Rev. Wright issue. It reminds me that race is still Obama's handicap.
A few months ago, a good lawyer friend of mine told me that some of his contemporaries weren't voting for Obama because they fear that, once elected, black activists such as the Revs. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton would have open access to the White House. Now, these are not the sentiments of so-called "working-class whites" who, we're told, haven't connected with Obama. These are college-educated professionals clinging to this irrational notion.
Blacks are widely viewed as a monolithic people. Apparently, we share the same passions and frustrations. Therefore, when Wright speaks, he's speaking for us all, including the black presidential candidate.
Racial hang-ups are still deeply rooted in this country. How much has really changed since 1988, when an ad featuring a black convicted murderer, Willie Horton, scared voters away from Michael Dukakis? Yes, I'm excited about Obama's chances, but I fear the obstacle of race.