Perhaps it is about race

The media excoriated Geraldine Ferraro. Her crime? She suggested to the Torrance, California Daily Breeze:

"If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman of any color, he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept."

That was nearly six months ago. Amidst the hoopla, she had to resign from her position in the Clinton campaign.

What Ferraro said was not racist in the manner of Archie Bunker or Robert Byrd. Her analysis was spot on, which leads me to believe that a big chunk of this election is in fact about race.

First let me say that Barack Obama meets the constitutional qualifications for being PotUS. But what has elevated him to one of two (electable) in the nation? What has set him apart as the candidate who seemed to have a lock as President #44?

Is it leadership experience? No.

Is it extraordinary heroism or exceptional accomplishment? No.

Is it, as we have heard so often, his ability to unite and build bridges? Consider this. According to the National Journal (here and here), who was the most liberal voting Senator of 2007? Barack Obama. In each of the last three years, his record tilted further and further left as he went from 16th in '05 to tenth in '06, and finally earning his laurels in '07. Number three this past year? Joe Biden.

So is Barack Obama a unifier, bridge-builder, centrist? No.

Authored significant legislation, chaired committees? No, and you guessed it, no.

Can he give a speech? Yes. Masterful.

Is he a smart man? Yes.

Would he be a viable candidate for the Vice-Presidency? Superb (if leftist ideas make you giddy ... an interesting take on that point here)!

But what is it that has vaulted him to #1 on the leftist hit parade? Could Ms. Ferraro be onto something? Is the left so bereft of ideas that they would opt for surface over substance? Considering the threatening rhetoric coming from the left (note an early post), that seems to be the case. Dennis Prager launched from a similar shore in his column today (here) noting the troubling comments being bandied about should the Republicans retain the White House.

If Obama's ideas, platform and political solutions weigh superior to McCain's, vote Obama. If his leadership qualities and proven abilities exceed McCain's, vote Obama. If his actual ability to work across the aisle impresses you over McCain, then vote Obama.

If you're voting for him out of novelty, if you're voting for him because he is black or because he would be the first black president, you are a racist.