Obama’s Speech on Race

Earlier today, Barack Obama danced on a third rail of American politics – and survived. In fact, he triumphed.

Recently, the underlying identity politics of the race between an African-American and a woman began to boil over. Last week, Geraldine Ferraro, an advisor to the Clinton campaign, made remarks widely interpreted as racially insensitive; soon after, racially inflammatory comments by Obama’s friend and former minister began making the rounds on the political talk shows and the Internet. Some suspicious Obama supporters notwithstanding, it seems unlikely that this was coordinated by the Clinton campaign. Even so, the new overt focus on race began hurting the Obama campaign.

That’s when Obama decided to make a major speech on race at the Constitution Center in Philadelphia. This speech was a major risk – as a black candidate talking about race, Obama was in danger of alienating both white and Hispanic voters (that’s Anglo and Hispanic if you live in Texas). That’s a danger at any time, but this year, when many pundits are predicting that white males will break for McCain in the home stretch, and Hispanics appear friendlier to Clinton, the risk is especially great.

But Obama’s speech did just what it needed to. I’m not talking about whether I agree with the sentiments he expressed, or any other issue of my own voting preferences. I’m just saying that as a piece of political campaign strategy, this speech was spot-on.

In today’s speech, Obama moved successfully past racial divisions, folding them into the tried-and-true narrative of a multi-ethnic candidate and a multi-ethnic country with more common interests than divisions. In the most dangerous section of the speech, Obama spoke about whites who feel discriminated against because of affirmative action, outsourcing, and immigration. The prospect of a black candidate lecturing whites on discrimination must have terrified some of Obama’s advisors, but by validating these sentiments he managed to craft a message of unity and hope, two themes that have been integral to his strategy throughout this campaign.

Particularly important was Obama’s claim that we must engage in real, productive racial dialogue. Change through unity; justice for all. These themes have been winners for Obama from day one, and his speech today only strengthened and broadened these messages to an adult white voting demographic in which, some polls indicate, Obama’s support has softened.

Of course, this speech won’t affect some voters. They’ll continue to focus on small clips of Obama’s minister’s speeches, but those who obsess about one religious figure’s comments weren’t going to vote for Obama, anyway. Obama’s real audience today was working-class, undecided, white Democrats – the voters Obama needs to build victory in the closed Pennsylvania Democratic primary in April. If Obama can continue to focus on this message of change through unity, of recognizing but transcending the racial divide, he’ll get those votes.