Erick Erickson (among many other right-wingers) is apoplectic over Obama’s response, here, to John McCain’s series of invective-filled, substance-free attacks on him.Watch it: more about “Political Radar: Obama: McCain Trying…“, posted with vodpodErick is particularly incensed by these lines (bolds in original):“Nobody thinks that Bush or McCain have a real answer for the challenges we face. So what they are going to try to do is make you scared of me,” Obama warned, “You know he’s not patriotic enough. He’s got a funny name. You know, he doesn’t look like all of those other presidents on the dollar bills.”“Barack Obama has finally pulled the race card against John McCain and the Republicans,” he fumes. “You know, Mr. ‘I transcend politics’ has finally, tacitly admitted he is just a typical politician by accusing those who don’t like him of being racist.”This is an old tune we all know the words to. Racism is almost never referenced directly; our American language has ways of expressing what needs to be said, while maintaining full plausible deniability. And if you are brazen enough to point out the euphemistic language, you are “pulling the race card.” It’s fine to use race, if you’re white, to gain advantage at the expense of black Americans, as long as you do it in the appropriate coded way. But pointing out the code is just plain rude.Getting back to Erick’s fumings, Obama has, of course, never said, or implied, that he “transcends politics.” That is just a lie. He has said that he wants to bring a new kind of politics to Washington, and by extension the country — one that rises above the very real historical, socioeconomic, and political divisions between us. He didn’t say eliminate the divisions, and he didn’t say ignore the divisions. He’s talking about a dialogue, not a finish line.Obama is certainly not the first candidate for political office to present himself as a uniter, or as someone who wanted to use the privilege of public office