Obama's Preemptive Strike

You've got it exactly right. Wesley Clark's comments were not impromptu, but undoubtedly pre-planned and maybe with the cooperation of the interviewer. It was intended to mitigate McCain's clear advantage as a service member, wounded prisoner of war, and patriot. Obama strikes out in all of those character assessmwnts.

In the same vein, Obana brought up suspicions that the Republicans would engage in racism, while citing no examples, so that in some people's minds, any criticism of Obama by the Republicans can unconscously be trace to racism.

On that subject, if I fail to vote for Obama, it must be for racist reasons. However, if black folks vote for Obama, they are merely discharging their obligation as a citizen, without any suspicion that the vote is race based.

Too clever by half, but the Republicans must anticipate and counter this strategy by the Democrats.