Obama Speech Reaction
I rarely get to say this, so here goes: I agree completely with Andrew Sullivan.

I don't frankly understand why, much less how, anyone could hear the speech any differently, unless encrusted with a cold cynicism that is intractable. But alas, many do. My Hillary-supporting friend, no cynic she, who once claimed merely that Obama supporters were blinded to our deep-seated sexism, now has a more anti-Obama slant. I believe the exact quote yesterday was "He's a black separatist and he's lying through his teeth. You don't sit cheering in that church for 20 years without feeling the same way." So, there you go.

Somehow, he's got to overcome this. His speech was thoughtful and unprecedented. But what he needs now are some positive poll numbers (I'm getting the sneaking suspicion that a large group of potential voters have now simply struck him from the list) and a bit of a change of the subject. The line he is trying to walk in this race discussion is a fine one. He wants to acknowledge some difficult truths, but doesn't really want to make the discussion central to the campaign, as you can see by the end of the speech, when he encouraged us to show that we were moving forward by focusing on other things: the economy, the war, health care.

So, yes let's talk about race finally, and let's demonstrate our progress by not talking about race so much. I understand what he's saying, but it's a tough balancing act.