George Maidrand

The Presidential election which will culminate in a victory for either John McCain of Barack Obama has always been about Obama. The Democratic challenger is an historic figure in American politics. Win or lose, his place in the lore of the nation is firmly established. As the first black candidate to head the ticket of a major party, Obama's quest will be widely viewed as a measure of how far the country has traveled in its determination to erase the images of slavery which have haunted a people since the Civil War.
Unfortunately, that circumstance is also serving as an unwelcome mirror of a people's ability to rid themselves of a blemished past. Every twist and turn in the campaign trail has been subjected to the prism of racism. Obama has benefitted hugely from the racial factor, escaping several pitfalls as national sensitivity strives to ignore challenges about relationships which could result in cries of racism being leveled against those who dare to question. For his part, an honorable McCain has walked a tightrope in efforts to avoid any hint of racism and rejected opportunities presented by those relationships. The race card, if, indeed, there has been one, has been played by the Obama camp rather than anyone else.
Yet race is the central player in this campaign. It is the great unknown dogging the election. Nobody quite believes the polls suggesting a firm Obama victory. And as the polls tighten down the stretch, three or four point Obama leads in various states become more and more suspect as analysts seek to unravel the mask of prejudice.
Obama must be worried about the validity of the gradually tightening polls. How else to explain the risky half hour infomercial on major networks Wednesday night? His campaign knew he could be accused of trying to buy the election. Knew, too, the lengthy talk could be viewed as presumptuous by an electorate already trying to come to grips with a candidate they don't really seem to know. On the other hand, a carefully polished final portrayal of this most carefully packaged candidate might just tilt those lingering undecideds into his camp.
They liked the risk/reward and went for the whole enchilada.
There is, however, the issue of experience. Polls continue to reflect more confidence in McCain's ability to lead based upon his decades of service to the nation than in Obama and his meager resume. Indeed, McCain had taken a narrow lead nationally until the economic tsunami struck a nearly mortal blow weeks ago. The electorate seems to have settled in with a calming economy, however, and one late poll for the first time even gave McCain a slight edge in his ability to handle the economy.
Would that the election could be decided by such issues. We likely won't be granted such an outcome. Black America is expected to vote in record numbers for a candidate it identifies with, and white America's response will be the subject of a national discourse on a nation's psyche regardless of an election result which could be relentlessly never-ending.