I remember being told that if you want to be black and respected, you have to be twice as good as the white guy.
I think Obama demonstrates this.
He's not just smart. He's uber smart. He's got an analytical sense, and a remarkable (and not remarkable because he's half-African) command of the poetry of the preacher, of the orator. He's run good campaigns. He surrounds himself with good people. He's a writer.