I saw Pat Buchanan try to do this several weeks back, on Dan Abrahm's MSNBC show, and of course there was talk of Obama's supposed "elitism" a while back. The Republican strategists probably realize that trying to portray Obama as a neo-Sharptonite, agreeing with the silly Reverend Wright, can't succeed, and also that crude racism is not possible, so they seem to think that vague hints at notions of the "exotic" might work. Obama himself realizes this, on some level, which was demonstrated in yesterday's speech, where he talked about how his opponents are attacking his name, the way he looks, etc., but he should have come right out and said that they are trying to make him look like some sort of oddball. If he did, the ludicrous McCain camp's recent claims about Obama using "the race card" would not be possible. On the other hand, it looks like that claim is backfiring on them anyway. In any case, the McCain's camp's attempt at a vague notion of Obama being too "exotic" seems like a stupid idea. Americans, in general, are too literal-minded.