by Michael Kazin

Cass Sunstein is both right and wrong about the significance of Obama's race. He's correct, of course, that this is a man of exceptional intelligence, ability, humanity, and common sense. If, after reading Sunstein's post, you still have any doubts, read Obama's wonderful memoir, Dreams From My Father, or his recent speech about the place of religion in politics. However, his bi-racial, bi-continental parentage and looks certainly help him to stand out in a celebrity-choked marketplace. And his upbringing in Hawaii and Indonesia--not exactly centers of African-American culture--helped give him a perspective on the world different from that of most black politicians, or white ones, for that matter. So Obama's blackness helps him, in part because his specific identity is unusual among black Americans.