Chez Chesler

According to an AP story, the central Japanese city of Obama (population 32,000) has adopted its namesake candidate, who has never visited.

Obama gives good speeches and has a good voice, so I want him to do well. And, of course, we share the same name," said Seiji Fujiwara, a hotel executive and leader of a local support group established earlier this month for the Illinois senator.

Isn't that racist, calling an African-American well-spoken?  Isn't that just a codeword for articulate, because as Joe Biden found out early last year, it implies that unlike white people, it is surprising that African-Americans are articulate.

I wondered about that reasoning by Eugene Robinson, or Jesse Jackson.  Would it be off-color or suggestive if someone compliments a white candidate because that implies this particular feature is notable because it is rare in whites?

Labels: race Japan Obama