Obama and Race

We need to remember this when it comes up, if and I hope, Obama loses the '08 race. Michelle Obama, wife to Obama, had this to say:

Michelle believes that regardless of race, American voters are looking for connection to a candidate.

But then she goes on to say...

Obama said that the media has presented distorted images of the black community in America.

So there she goes. Is there anyway we can evaluate the man and not the race? It looks very unlikely.