Obama Volunteers See Racial Vitriol First-Hand

Volunteers in Barack Obama's campaign have had to steel themselves against racism on the trail, even as the White House hopeful has repeatedly played down the anti-black sentiment his candidacy has revealed. Though the campaign maintains its travels “only reinforced Sen. Obama’s view that this country is not as divided as our politics suggest,” the Washington Post finds many anecdotes to the contrary.

From the Indianan who said, "I’ll never vote for a black person” to Pennsylvanians who uttered, “He’s a half-breed and he’s a Muslim. How can you trust that?” and even, “Hang that darky from a tree!” the bile has become old hat for on-the-ground campaigners. But Obama remains personally insulated, and has simply maintained that one can never win over every voter. (More racism stories.)