The media try and for the most part succeed in not mentioning it. The politicians in Washington can’t afford to say it, even if they think it. And most Americans, if asked, probably wouldn’t admit it publicly.
So I’ll throw it out here and see if it flies: Some, maybe a lot, of the viciousness of the opposition to the Obama administration is because he’s black. If he were white and named John Smith, there would still be the usual political and ideological opposition, but it would lack the virulence, the savage, hateful edge.
I’m not one of those bleeding heart liberals who go around playing the race card on behalf of every minority in the country. The minorities themselves do that quite well, and frankly it irritates the hell out of me. But I do think there are a significant number of Americans who, in their heart of hearts, can’t stand the idea that a black man is President. It may no longer be politically correct to admit it, and they may not even admit it to themselves, but that insidious seed of fear/hate lies deep in American soil and may never be totally eradicated.