Preachergate

I was seriously concerned over the weekend about last week's revelations about Obama's preacher. It was exactly the kind of thing that could derail the whole thing.

But yesterday, Obama proved again that words do matter. His speech was fantastic. He criticised the minister's statements, but didn't toss him under the bus. He also acknowledged that racial worries are a two-way street and that circumstances have been right to foster racial suspicion on both sides of the street.

On the Daily Show last night, Jon Stewart said "At 11 o'clock am on Tuesday a prominent politician spoke to the American people about race as though they were adults."

That is the best way I have heard to describe the appeal of Obama.