I do not believe how dark Obama is is ,or should be an issue. Tristan's response shows that there is still part of America's populace that fears the Black. Being Black myself, I personally am happy that Obama has taken the oppotunity to even run. Having said that, Obama's recent statement that he, if elected, would pull American troops from Iraq, and possibly send them into Pakistan really was not smart. But that was not "Black" talking, that was "inexperience" and lack of knowledge of the politics in the Middle East.