The realization recently hit: I voted for Barack Obama because of his skin color. For a thoughtful, responsible voter, the admission was mildly jarring. Not that I regret having done it. I couldn’t be more proud. I’ve never based my vote on superficial matters. I voted on the mandate, never the man (or woman). Now I must admit that I mainly voted for Obama because he is black, like me. This is not to say I didn’t like what he articulated for our sagging economy, our schools and for organizing the chaos of the Iraq war. But I have to...