Otherness and Sen. Obama

For once, I absolutely agree with Michael Crowley:

Peter Beinart argues that race is holding Obama back in the polls, and urges him to take a high-profile stand against race-based--and in favor of class-based--affirmative action to assuage white fears.

That might be a good start. But it doesn't do much about myths that he's a Muslim and a foreigner who doesn't love the flag, etc., and I suspect those things are tied up with the race question in a way that such an affirmative action gambit wouldn't remedy.

I have always thought that the "otherness" problem for Sen. Obama is a problem that candidate would face. He's just happens to be tied into "Muslim." No Black candidate would be considered sufficiently patriotic aka grateful for America.