. . . Barack Obama <a href=”http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/06/20/obama-theyre-going-to-try-to-make-you-afraid-of-me/-8043″>is the only one who keeps bringing up his “funny name” and that he’s black:

JACKSONVILLE, Florida (CNN) – Barack Obama told supporters that Republicans will “try to make you afraid of me” in remarks he made Friday at a Florida fundraiser. “The choice is clear. Most of all we can choose between hope and fear. It is going to be very difficult for Republicans to run on their stewardship of the economy or their outstanding foreign policy. “We know what kind of campaign they’re going to run,” said the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. “They’re going to try to make you afraid. They’re going to try to make you afraid of me. ‘He’s young and inexperienced and he’s got a funny name. And did I mention he’s black?’” In similar comments at a Chicago fundraiser last Thursday, Obama told supporters that Republicans would try to portray both him and his wife Michelle as “scary.” “They’re going to try to make me into a scary guy,” he said last week. “They’re even trying to make Michelle into a scary person. Right?” And so that drumbeat – ‘we’re not sure if he’s patriotic or not; we’re not sure if he is too black.’

His name and the color of his skin have nothing to do with his pledge to raise taxes, keep gas prices high, the socialization of medicine, his advocacy for failing public schools, his desire to meet with the world’s dictators, etc., etc., etc.

That’s what scares us. The funny name and his skin color are just distractions to keep the media from focusing on the issues in this campaign.