I agree but I think 2) is not a disadvantage and 3) is not unconventional. Isn't Hilary and McCain trying to appeal to the middle as well?
Obama is a smart, smart guy. By discussing the Wright situation immediately prior to stating that he always knew his odds of winning were less than a conventional candidate, Obama surely knew that a good many people would tie the two together and assume that Obama meant that he felt his odds were less because of race. It is irrelevant whether or not that is what he meant. The timing of when he said it and the proximity of it to his comments about Wright will give some people the preception that this is what he meant. He either intended that vagueness or he needs to be much more careful about the structure of his comments.
look, I don't mean to fly off the handle but just like when people say racism allegation are serious, you need to back up your race card allegations also. especially after hillary has clearly played the female card with her "i think its time for a woman". now that's playing a card.
Along with Major's points, I'd also like to add his strategy for breaking Hillary's stranglehold of her well connected party machine and early leads over all Republican and Democratic candidate by winning caucuses and Red states (which Hillary brushed off) while gunning for draws or close losses in big states. That strategy's weakness is why Hillary is still seen to have a legitimate point for her survival, that she has won the large traditional Democratic strongholds that will make her electable in the general election. You're basing a lot of your impression of the Obama campaign in hindsight. This was a candidate who joined too soon and was predicted to implode before Super Tuesday. This was also a candidate who was known more from weird name and a vague (outside partisan eyes) '06 speech than being a 2 year Senator. Every time Obama has looked to become the dominant favored candidate, he's been knocked back a notch, whether it's NH, Super Tuesday, mini-Super Tuesday. Even now, when Obama has the delegate and popular vote lead, his position is still contested. I don't think any conventional candidate has faced this trial before. The Wright controversy has damaged his campaign to the point where his polls have slipped against Hillary. They haven't bounced back immediately after his speech. It's as legitimate to assume his laments were based upon race as it is the uncertainty on the outlook of his campaign and the Democratic party, BUT only if you're quick to judge based upon a short and selected timeframe rather his entire campaign up to now.
