We begin with Mr. Frank Rich with The All-White Elephant in the Room. In form with wit and reason, Rich doesn't attempt to prohibit asking the "Wright" questions, but wonders why we aren't asking the "Hagee" questions. All of this, of course, wrapped in a delicious reminder that, yes, race is still an issue in America.

Oh, the double standard:

None of this is to say that two wacky white preachers make a Wright right. It is entirely fair for any voter to weigh Mr. Obama's long relationship with his pastor in assessing his fitness for office. It is also fair to weigh Mr. Obama's judgment in handling this personal and political crisis as it has repeatedly boiled over. But whatever that verdict, it is disingenuous to pretend that there isn't a double standard operating here. If we're to judge black candidates on their most controversial associates -- and how quickly, sternly and completely they disown them -- we must judge white politicians by the same yardstick.

It's a good read, don't miss it.

Second, Friedman (yes, gosh darn it, Friedman), asks "Who Will Tell the People?. "Tell them what?" you may ask. Tell them that our bullshit everything: foreign policy, political establishment, demeanor, participation... all of it, it sucks! We're falling behind, fast. He compares our airports and train stations to those overseas and wonders who exactly won World War II. Then he declares (listen, please, Senator Clinton):

I don't know if Barack Obama can lead that, but the notion that the idealism he has inspired in so many young people doesn't matter is dead wrong. "Of course, hope alone is not enough," says Tim Shriver, chairman of Special Olympics, "but it's not trivial. It's not trivial to inspire people to want to get up and do something with someone else."

And he finishes strong:

It is especially not trivial now, because millions of Americans are dying to be enlisted -- enlisted to fix education, enlisted to research renewable energy, enlisted to repair our infrastructure, enlisted to help others. Look at the kids lining up to join Teach for America. They want our country to matter again. They want it to be about building wealth and dignity -- big profits and big purposes. When we just do one, we are less than the sum of our parts. When we do both, said Shriver, "no one can touch us."

The lizardbox wonders if this inspiring awakening was caused by the green-pie incident.

Third, there's the woman I love to hate and hate to love: Maureen Dowd. In her micro-brewed piece, she starts and ends with Obama and his attempts to connect with... white voters. But the meat of this literary sandwich talks Clinton and Obama. Obama from humble beginnings now laboring for the return. Clinton, woman of the people? Not so much.

I hear many Clinton supporters repeat this line that Dowd attributes to Karl Rove and his Republican pack:

Karl Rove and other Republicans say he comes across as the snooty product of a Hawaiian prep school, Cambridge, Columbia and Hyde Park...

Well, of course he is, this Obama. What I rarely hear though is what kind of childhood and upbringing Senator Clinton had. Must be nice when your father pays for the house in cash.

You can argue this all you want, but this line from Obama's closing argument in Indiana and North Carolina rings true with Barack more than any other candidate:

Politics didn't lead me to working people. Working people led me to politics."

In his early twenties, he went to Chicago to become an organizer for $11k a year. Of course many would suggest that this was just another stop on his way to this run for the presidency since it is widely known that he plotted this path in kindergarten.

Last but not least, there's the editorial on Missing Records, from Senators Clinton and McCain that is. Missing are the McCain health records. Missing are McCain's tax returns prior to 2005.

As for Senator Clinton:

The public is still owed a more complete accounting of the sources and amounts of Mr. Clinton's speaking fees and business income. Still missing, too, is a complete list of the major donors who have been supporting the Clinton presidential library and foundation.

So, after the diversions of Wright, Ayers, flag-pins, and bitterness, on any given Sunday, may be this Sunday, we can talk about some issues that matter. May be we can talk about transparency. May be we can talk about serving the people and not pandering to them. May be talk about being honest with ourselves, and how we need inspiration, to challenge the good citizens of this country to regain our standing in the world. May be have a serious discussion about race outside the boundaries of the electoral process. May be...

Vote Hope 08