Have you seen seen the much-talked about cartoon on the cover of the New Yorker yet? Here's a description from the Right:

"It's got Obama in his Muslim dress with a turban, and he's there with his wife. His wife has a 'mad at the world' afro, circa 1968, she -- she's got bandoliers and an assault weapon, and there in their fireplace is burning the American flag. The New Yorker finally got it right." -- G. Gordon Liddy.

Regardless of whether you think this particular satire is offensive or funny or a failure, there's no doubt that it focused some attention on the kind of outrageous attacks that continue to be made against Sen. Obama's patriotism and faith. I believe many of these attacks on Sen. Obama, and on his wife Michelle, are proxies for race.

I remember watching Sen. Obama's major address on race on my second day on the job as president of People For the American Way. It felt like the start of a different kind of conversation about race in America, one that is honest, direct and respectful. It hasn't always turned out that way. We've seen plenty of ugliness, from anonymous e-mailers to national television figures, attempting to stir up and exploit the racism that stubbornly infects our society. And I am sure we'll see more of it between now and November.

But when I ask myself why this election is shaping up to be so ugly, I realized that the Right must think its only chance is character assassination. I think some of the stuff being thrown at Obama by the Far Right is a sign of desperation. Their old wedge-issue tactics aren't quite as reliable as they used to be. The country, especially the younger generation, is moving beyond its bigotries. People want to focus on solving the nation's urgent problems. When Larry King asked about the New Yorker, Obama downplayed its importance, saying, "But you know what, it's a cartoon, Larry." I think his instinct not to have the presidential campaign get mired in the muck is a good one.

For our part, we should not let this history-making campaign, or other signs of progress, keep us from being keenly aware of the ways that racism and other prejudice do still affect the lives and opportunities of millions of Americans -- and the role we can play in challenging bigotry and discrimination, and preserving the legal and constitutional principles of equality under the law for everyone.

Those principles are at stake this year, and that's why we're here. That's why the future of the Supreme Court is so important ... why we're so committed to defeating the Right's efforts to use gay rights as a divisive wedge issue in California this year ... why our African American Religious Affairs program equips and mobilizes progressive Black clergy and other leaders to resist these wedge campaigns and to bring their voices more effectively into the public arena ... and why in this election, as with every election, we'll be working hard to stop voter suppression and make sure eligible voters are aware of, and able to exercise, their rights.

If you have thoughts about the ways that race is being handled or manipulated in this campaign season -- or suggestions for what we can do about it -- e-mail me at Kathryn@pfaw.org.