His race shields Obama from real vetting

Does Barack Obama’s race matter?

I recently asked a white liberal friend why he is such an enthusiastic Obama supporter.

My friend graced me with a refresher lesson about oppression of blacks in this country, especially before the civil rights legislation of the 1960s. He acknowledged that things are better now, though racial bias lingers. He said he still supports affirmative action and is thrilled to have an opportunity to vote for a smart, young, articulate black man for president.

Not a word about the issues, except the “mindless” war.

While my friend didn’t say so, I’m sure his vote for Obama will make him feel virtuous and “progressive.” And it will prove beyond a doubt that he is not a racist.

Here are two hypotheticals for my friend and other lefties:

First, imagine that, rather than a staunch liberal, Obama were a staunch conservative. Would white liberals and 95 percent of blacks embrace him as a political messiah, or spurn him as a traitor, a la Clarence Thomas?

Then, imagine the biracial Obama were so light-skinned that he could pass for white. Would he be a liberal darling who “transcends race,” or just another jug-eared politician with a dodgy past and a flimsy record?

Geraldine Ferraro had it right. Being black has served Obama well.

Thomas J. Laux
Albemarle County