obama's speech. will it help

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Alright - if I were Obama... or on his staff this is how I would have approached it (keeping the tone of the campaign).

The past week has been difficult. Pastor Wright is someone whom I have a great deal of affection for, someone my family has confided in, and this campaign trusts. But firstly he's a friend. Like everyone I have friends who do and say things that I disagree with. But I can't dismiss a friend for political expediency. The commments from those videos played over and over again, do not and never will represent any element of what this campaign or I stand for.

We are all Americans first. My ethnic background does neither qualify, nor disqualify me from seeking this great office, the same is true Senator Clinton. We run because we believe we have the plans and vision to drive this country away from fear and division and toward hope and unity.

But we cannot ignore race as a potent symbol of political struggle over the last 50 years, and social stuggle from the beginning. African-americans continue to struggle to stand-tall as equal partners in the enterprise of America. But victims we must no longer be. Americans of all races and religions are suffering under the tremendous threat our economy is under. African-Americans have suffered great persecution, but what do we make of ourselves, if we act as if we believe that persecution was justified. With hard-work and determination, any American can make a great life in this country. We have institutionalised poverty, and that is something that we must address, from the mountains of West Virginia, to the South Chicago projects. There are race specific issues, and I will do all I can, but I want to lift up people of all races and religions. But that cannot happen without a united desire and a united effort.

Something like that - humanise the Wright issue, neutralise the race issue as a broader inclusive one - speaking out to working-class white voters scared s**tless about the economy.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

There are subtle differences.