Obama uses the "Bill Cosby" strategem

In his Father's Day message today, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama used the "Bill Cosby" strategem to try to garner votes.

As Cosby has done repeatedly, and been roundedly panned by the Jesse Jackson-Louis Farrakhan-Al Sharpton types, Obama tore into absent black fathers, who have abandoned their families and not taken responsibility for their children. This is popular with white folks, but of questionable merit in reaching black voters.

After the Obama team ruminated about it, they probably figured they had such an insurmountable lead among black voters--after all, where are they going to go?--that it wasn't much of a risk. Upper middle class blacks and wealthy blacks would applaud the sentiment, and of course, the abandoned Moms and children. That's a lot more black votes right there, than those of a few irresponsible fathers, who probably don't vote anyway.

But you better believe, it wasn't the black vote he was after. He was playing the race card, in a subtle way. The blue collar white males that he has been unable to attract, and who voted in droves for Hillary Clinton in the primaries, would love today's message. It plays right in to whatever doubts they have about Obama. It makes him look like a hero for tackling the perceived problems of his own race.

Remember, you read it here first. This wasn't some off the cuff, unplanned random comment Obama happened to utter. It was carefully vetted, and calculated to reach a target audience.