Obama strategy

There's been a lot of talk in the US of the role of race in the presidential election - for the first time in the campaign. What we do know is that:

• McCain likened Obama to Britney Spears and Paris Hilton in an attack ad
• Obama told some rallies that McCain was going to try and scare them by highlighting that 'he didn't look like the other presidents on the dollar bill'

So who benefits? The consensus is no one, because it's silly season and we're about to all watch the Olympics. The polls are now neck and neck after Obama had apparently a nine point lead last week. So perhaps McCain's ad has worked.

However, there was a protest by three African Americans at an Obama rally today who were suggesting that Obama wasn't talking enough about black America. This follows on from an attack on Obama by Jesse Jackson.

So perhaps it's actually an attempt by Obama to shore up his base before the last two months before the general when he will have to reach out to those middle American voters with whom he's yet to 'seal the deal'.