From Talking Points Memo:
God Bless David Gergen! Really--he was on This Week and said (check the video or transcript for exact wording), "When McCain's camp calls Obama "The Messiah" and "The One", he's really calling him "uppity." I'm from the South, and we understand what that means. That's code." Jake Tapper looked like he had been pole axed. Donna Brazille knew what he was talking about, of course. But GS, George Will, and Tapper had to be bluntly told the the way the world works by Mr. Blandly Bi-partisan....
Video below the fold
I really think most white journalists who aren't from the South do not understand the "dog-whistle" campaign that's going on. African-Americans and white Americans from the South understand it. And racists understand it. Unfortunately, it's done subtly enough that most of the TV talking heads don't see it so they blame Obama if he mentions it. Which is why, unfortunately, he really can't mention it.
This is a no-win for Obama. If he or anyone else even dares to point out the obvious (that there are a lot of racists out there who won't vote for Obama solely because he's African American and that there are Republicans stoking this racism) it just boomerangs back on Obama. He can't win this argument because the McCain campaign and Republican party have plausible deniablity. A lot of this stuff is so subtle that it can't be PROVEN to be racist so it just blows back and hurts Obama. It's unfortunate but that's the way it is. No discussion of race or racism helps Obama in any way.
He just needs to rise above it and hammer McCain on the issues. The racists will do what they do regardless.
Obama really is the Jackie Robinson of presidential politics. Unfortunately Jackie had to put up with a lot of sh** he should not have had to put up with. But he proved himself on the field and shut them all up. That's what Obama is doing and has to continue doing.