I read Obama's 1995 book yesterday, Dreams from my Father. This morning I created a new thread, carefully quoting from the book in a number of places. The management here moved it from this forum to the race forum. I will restate that it is your civic duty to read this book if you have any intention of voting for Obama. Written long before this campaign and his Senate run, it is surely more honest and forthright than the recent Audacity of Hope, which appears to have been created to "sell" Obama.

Well, I am not going to waste my time recreating my long thread only to have it moved again. Instead, I'll simply give you one quote from the book and ask two questions.

From pages 94-95 of Dreams [brackets mine]: "...one day [Obama's white mother] had marched into my room, wanting to know the details of [my friend] Pablo's arrest. I had given her a reassuring smile and patted her on the hand and told her not to worry, I wouldn't do anything stupid. It was usually an effective tactic, another one of those tricks I had learned: People were satisfied as long as you were courteous and smiled and made no sudden moves. They were more than satisfied; they were relieved--such a pleasant surprise to find a well-mannered young black man who didn't seem angry all the time."

Questions for debate:

As a candidate we know very little about, has Obama been giving the white US electorate a reassuring smile and patting us on the hand?

How do you know, one way or the other?