I believe a huge step has been made, and not just on the fringes or among minorities.

There are articles out there saying people are afraid of Obama. I suspect some of that fear is racially based.

I've also posted that there are virtually no derogs on Obama on the order of McCain's. Obama had to be near perfect, graduating from a prestigous law school near the top of his class.

I think that if Obama had graduated 942 out of 947, had dumped a disabled wife for a wealthy heiress, if he had a history of philandering, and lived a 7 residence life-style he would never had a chance at the nomination.

All "they" have on Obama is the Rev. Wright and Ayers. Now, do Roman Catholic politicians want to be held to all the statements of all the Popes? Or even this Pope? I doubt it. And Ayers is a professor at a public college, active in Chicago politics, hard for an up-and-coming Chicago politician to avoid.

Conservatives, obviously, would not frown on an association with Ollie North, a self-confessed perjurer and traitor, or Poindexter, the same, but hollar their heads off about Ayers. (Obviously there is no more futile effort than trying to point out to a Conservative that one of them could be wrong.)

But a giant leap forward has been made. Congrats to Obama, Michele and all of the rest of us.

Arf