The Obama campaign concedes the obvious:
Sen. Barack Obama’s chief strategist conceded that the Democratic presidential candidate was referring to his race when he said Republicans were trying to scare voters by suggesting Obama “doesn’t look like all those other presidents on the dollar bills.”
The comment had triggered a charge Thursday from Sen. John McCain’s campaign manager that Obama had “played the race card… from the bottom of the deck.”
Obama’s camp initially denied the remark was a reference to Obama’s race. . . “He was referring to the fact that he didn’t come into the race with the history of others,” Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said Thursday. “It is not about race.”
But Obama’s chief strategist, David Axelrod, acknowledged on “Good Morning America” Friday that the candidate was referring, at least in part, to his ethnic background.
When pressed to explain the comment, Axelrod told “GMA” it meant, “He’s not from central casting when it comes to candidates for president of the United States. He’s new to Washington. Yes, he’s African-American.”
That seemingly obvious reference sparked the first real fireworks between the two camps as backers of both candidates accused the other of trying to subtly inject race into the presidential contest.
Curiously, Axelrod also conceded that McCain’s “Celebrity” ad was not racist:
The Obama campaign made clear Thursday that they did not believe McCain was using Obama’s race, but accused the Republicans of “low road politics.”
(ASIDE: Will Josh Marshall and the New York Times retract their accusations of racism now? I won’t be holding my breath.)
For my part, I think it was a good ad. Obama has striking weaknesses as a candidate. He has no legislative accomplishments to speak of, is the most liberal Senator, is prone to gaffes, and has a bizarre inability to admit even obvious mistakes. But Obama is not a mere candidate, he is a phenomenon. His rallies resemble rock concerts or revival meetings as much as political rallies. When he travels, all the major anchors travel with him. Pop stars compose videos that sing his praises and recite his speeches. Indeed, many of his followers (including his wife) see him as a literal messiah.
For McCain to win, he needs to cut Obama down from a phenomenon to a candidate. That’s what the “Celebrity” ad tries to do: ridicule the Obama phenomenon and get voters to see him as a mere candidate. As a candidate, Obama can be beaten.
Of course Obama and his adoring fans hate the ad. Not only is it effective, but as the saying goes, “one easily bears moral reproof, but never mockery.”
UPDATE: It seems to be working.
UPDATE: Just for fun: more gaffes.
ANOTHER UPDATE: From the very mouth of the anointed one:
“I don’t think it’s accurate to say that my comments have nothing to do with race,” Obama said.
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