How Obama deals with racism

Election day is almost here and with most polls (depending on who you ask) showing Barak Obama having a lead, it seems that the issue of race might not have been a problem for him. Why is this? Is it true that the country is not as racist as it used to be? Probably, but if we examine the Obama campaign's actions we see that while Obama appears and identifies himself as black, he has gone out of his way to act "white" and non-threatening during this campaign. For example, in a Time magazine article a few months ago where readers send in questions, one question asked weather he liked a certain type of music. Obama skirted the question and said that he was "not hip" anymore but that he used to be, but can't be while running for president. Basically this means he is saying "yeah, I may like R&B, rap, or any other kind of traditionally "black" music, but you won't hear about it while I'm running for president." Also, much has been said about Obama's eloquence. This, too, is racially motivated. He needs to appeal to the white mainstream by not "sounding black". That doesn't just mean no "Ebonics" but it also means he will not talk like Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson with their occasionally blustery speeches. Speaking of those two, Obama has not associated with these men at all during the campaign. This is because the mainstream media knows these men as "black activists" and people generally do not like them for that. Obama has stayed away from the issue of racism as well, for that very reason. While he constantly talks about the middle class, you will not find him saying anything about the ghetto or any other racially charged term. The campaign wants to make Obama seem like he will not put black concerns first before white concerns. Of course, the stories of his white mother are another method of this strategy, as well. We have heard her story countless times, but not much at all about his black father. The only thing the campaign would allow to convey that could be construed as being "black" is the fact that Obama plays basketball. Still, basketball is a hugely popular sport and as Michael Jordan has shown in the past, it is a way that the white mainstream can embrace and love a black individual.