Obama says Republicans will be racist in opposing

Reuters/NY Times:

Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama said on Friday he expects Republicans to highlight the fact that he is black as part of an effort to make voters afraid of him.

"It is going to be very difficult for Republicans to run on their stewardship of the economy or their outstanding foreign policy," Obama told a fundraiser in Jacksonville, Florida. "We know what kind of campaign they're going to run. They're going to try to make you afraid.

"They're going to try to make you afraid of me. He's young and inexperienced and he's got a funny name. And did I mention he's black?"

He said he was also set for Republicans to say "he's got a feisty wife," in trying to attack his wife Michelle.

"We know the strategy because they've already shown their cards. Ultimately I think the American people recognize that old stuff hasn't moved us forward. That old stuff just divides us," he said.

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This is rank silliness. There are too many good issues out there to run against Obama on. His race through the Democrat echo chamber has made him blind to his vulnerabilities. He is misreading the polls on the war. Only 30 percent support his cut and run strategy. He will be exposed on this point as the campaign goes forward and his willful ignorance becomes more obvious.

On energy he is stuck with the Democrat demagogues on the wrong side. They think they can repeal the laws of supply and demand and demonize oil companies but that is not selling this time. Nearly 60 percent of voters want to see the restrictions on drilling removed.

The same 60 percent of voters oppose the Democrats tax increases. With all of these substantive issues for Republicans to campaign on, it does not matter what color Obama is. His speech just indicates how out of touch he is with voters.

BTW, his campaign finance idea may backfire on him too. The Boston Globe indicates that his fundraising was way down in May.