But look how far Kerry got. Obama has more of a personality and is even more smooth talking than Kerry. His father may have been a Muslim, but Obama never was that I know. His parents are dead, so I doubt that they will be an issue.
My point is, there is no solid substance to the Barack Obama. If he were an unabashed Muslim, that would be something to support or contend against depending on how it informed his worldview. If he were an urban black, that would bring with it a solid cultural experience to apply leverage either for or against. If he were concretly religious--or concretely
irreligious for that matter--not hazily and vaguely religious-sounding, he would be sufficiently opaque to get a good measure of.
As it is, Obama is superficial person, glib and well-educated, who trades on an appearance of substantiality. There's nothing of true significance there.