Several prominent Republicans are incensed at Senator Barack Obama for his use of race as an issue during the 2008 campaign.

"Don't tell me he isn't making race an issue," said President George W. Bush. "Every time he does a television commercial or makes a speech, there it is -- a black man running for President."

"If Obama isn't making race an issue, then why is he black?" asked Rush Limbaugh, noted radio commentator and white person.

"The emergence of a black man as a Presidential contender changes the entire campaign," complained Republican strategist Kate Obenshain. "If we trot out images of menacing black criminals to scare the hell out of suburban housewives, the Democrats will accuse us of racist pandering. It's nothing of the sort. It's just a fact that suburban housewives are afraid of imaginary black criminals. We don't own the media, you know. We just use it to cater to unfounded fears. Besides, Republicans are very adept at dealing with black criminal stereotypes. It's one of our strong suits, and now it's being taken away."

Chris LaCivita, who helped organize the Swift Boat media blitz, was livid. "Here's a guy who's never been in the military, never been involved in a financial scandal, and never had an extra-marital affair. Any time we smear him as cowardly or lacivious, someone starts whining about racial stereotypes. At least we nailed John Edwards. That's something."

Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, who isn't a Republican, but wants to be, stated: "Every time I try to paint him as a Muslim, someone brings up the race issue. It's not a race issue, it's a religious issue. Do you really want a Muslim in the White House? Or even someone who has a Muslim middle name? Would you want Louis Farrakhan in the White House? Well, Obama knows him. What if he invited Louis Farrakhan to dinner at the White House? What about that?"

Vice President Dick Cheney was unavailable for comment.

Here is how it works. First the press, either from the right or left, pounces on a public figure because someone associated with him said something the press deems unacceptable. Then other public figures start demanding that the associate be renounced, or they will be forced to denounce the pounced upon public figure.

It is the pounce, renounce, denounce game.

The latest pounce is on Barack Obama. Obama's minister said,"God damn America." It does not matter in what context the preacher said it. Context is for rubes. There is no time to include context in a TV sound bite.

Obama talks to his public relations people. Obama quickly gets to renouncing.

Louis Farrakhan said some nice things about Obama. Why shouldn't he? Louis Farrakhan seems to be happy that a black man might become President. That deserves some serious renouncing.

I have not taken a survey, but I will bet the ranch that there are a lot of black people who are happy that a black man might become President. I bet that some of them have criminal records, too.

So, we can see that Barack Obama has the support of black people with criminal records. Better get to renouncing, Obama.

Pounce, renounce, denounce.

The press pounced on Hillary Clinton the other day because Geraldine Ferraro opined that Barack Obama's popularity among black voters was at least partially due to the fact that Obama was black. Hillary renounced Ferraro. Ferraro resigned.

It is not just a game for Democrats. A Protestant minister who supported John McCain actually said some bad things about Roman Catholics. Imagine that. A Protestant saying something disagreeable about Roman Catholics. The press pounced. McCain renounced.

A few months ago, the press pounced on Ron Paul because a self-proclaimed fascist donated a whopping $500.00 to the Paul campaign. Ron Paul refused to play the pounce, renounce, denounce game, so he got denounced.

The man just has no political acumen. A man who will not play the pounce, renounce, denounce game has no business being President.