As opposed to...

say...dragging out white and black liberals who will agree with the president?  Move along, no room for agendas here.

Crooks and Liars bemoans the fact that conservative media can find black conservatives who will criticise our black president.

They seem to think it is a travesty when black commentators do not reflexively agree with a black president.  Well, given that a white commentator who disagrees will be considered racist, I am thankful that some individuals of color are willing to be critics.  Of course, C&L see nothing wrong with panel after panel on news shows that are trotted out to further a liberal agenda.  Further they assert that the black commentators are unfair when they suggest Obama should not talk about race, that they are saying "How dare our first President of color think it's his place to talk about racism, or what he experienced first hand."

I suspect for most the point is that it is no more seemly for a black president to, first and foremost, adopt a side in this discussion - to become a "black president" - than it would be for a white one to do so - to have prioritized his race in the discussion - his "whiteness".  He is the president of all the people and was elected via votes cast by many of the white Americans he now seems to discount and demonize at his earliest convenience, who he specifically marginalizes when he becomes Martin "35 years ago".  Talk of race and racism - absolutely.  But, regardless of color, approach American issues as a black or white president and you have now become the president of a certain group.  Politically this happens all the time - racially, this device has been decried for decades.