I don't know if the way Barack Obama is handling detractors' criticism of his "blackness" is the best way or the only way, but I wonder why so many of the man's critics don't understand that a a black candidate can't win a national election by appealing solely and directly to his race. That would be a waste of his $30+ millions, right? In this week's cover story, Newsweek examines Barack Obama's unique campaign, and explains the tightrope he has to walk — pleasing black voters and not looking like a sell-out and appealing to a broad spectrum of white voters at the same time. It's not an easy task. Actually, there's a good chance it's impossible.

From his earliest days as a politician, Obama has made a career out of reconciling opposing sides. He's been able to assuage some conservative whites, who have been surprised by his lack of grievance and encouraged by his pragmatism. And he's accomplished that, for the most part, without alienating African-American supporters. The story of how he has walked that tightrope reveals a lot about what kind of politician Obama is, and how he might perform in the White House. It also says something about how far America has come—and how far it has to go.

Newsweek has an anecdote about how celebprofessor Cornel West went from ranting about Obama's questionable blackness to, after a few intimate conversations, signing on as his unpaid advisor. When the primaries get closer and the top candidates are given an opportunity to provide more than just soundbites, the same thing might happen with a few more of his harshest critics.

[Newsweek]