[SatinDoll]

It was a columnist from the Los Angeles Times who penned the expression, ‘Magic Negro’, to describe Barack Obama. ElRushbo just picked it up and ran with it!!

[G.Mason]

Right you are ...

On the March 19 (2007) broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, host Rush Limbaugh highlighted a March 19 Los Angeles Times op-ed that described Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) as "running for an equally important unelected office, in the province of the popular imagination -- the 'Magic Negro'" -- a term used by critics of pop culture to describe certain benevolent African-American characters. Limbaugh stated: "The term 'Magic Negro' has been thrown into the political presidential race in the mix for 2008. And the term 'Magic Negro,' as applied to Barack Obama has been done by an L.A. Times columnist, David Ehrenstein."

[Borges]

I believe Spike Lee actually coined the term.