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Not just a test for Obama

In-your-face race talk of Rev. Wright means voters have to grapple, too

May 1, 2008

One concern about Barack Obama is that he's never had to run the gantlet of sharp knives that come out in high-stakes national political fights. Now the knives are out. Obama is being sorely tested by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright imbroglio. But Obama isn't the only one who will be tested now that Wright's views on race and America are out there for all to hear. The nation's voters will be, too.

For the first time, a black man is the favorite for the Democratic nomination, which would make him one of only two people positioned to become the next president. That's uncharted territory. How he handles the issues of race, religion and patriotism dredged up by Wright's remarks will give voters a view into the heart of the candidate. How voters handle them will provide a view into the heart of America.

Early on, many voters voiced hope that the Obama campaign would transcend race - that the nation could consider a black man for president without rummaging through its racial baggage. It wasn't to be.

The way to get past the issue of race is to work through it. Wright put one black man's anger and ambivalence about the country on display. The test for voters is to sort reaction that is relevant and revealing from that which is irrelevant and demagogic, and to reject appeals to race-based fears.

This is a campaign of firsts. Hillary Clinton could become the first female president, John McCain the oldest new president. Both candidacies challenge voters to move beyond tradition. But race occupies a singular place in the nation's history, so Obama's candidacy requires a greater leap of faith. How Obama handles that challenge will reveal a lot about him. How voters handle it will reveal a lot about us.