Ronald Walters, a University of Maryland political scientist who helped run two presidential campaigns, complained: "You pick up the paper ... and you see a picture where he's surrounded by all whites. That's sensitive to black Democrats. It raises questions about the lack of blacks and Hispanics in his inner circle."

The Rev. Joseph E. Lowery, former president of Southern Christian Leadership Conference, noted: "What [Democrats] usually do is wait until the last minute and try to stir up interest in the black community, which would be a serious mistake. They tend to take us for granted."

Admittedly Ignorant

The attacks are coming even from Kerry's handlers, the Post revealed. "A source close to Kerry's campaign said his closest advisers do not understand the political dynamics of energizing black voters."

Kerry, like other Democrats, has vowed to push for the party's platform of racial set-asides that discriminate against whites, Orientals and Arabs, so it's difficult to determine which voters he is trying to attract aside from the lily-white pseudointelligentsia blame-America-first crowd.

Editor's note: