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Senator Obama's statement at a Jacksonville, Florida fundraiser last Friday is being heralded as a brilliant political move by many in the MSM. It was, in fact, a shameless and unjustified insult to all Republicans, and all Americans.

The man who claims to be a different kind of politician deployed a dirty trick worthy of his upbringing in Chicago's Daley-machine. It was a sad moment in American politics, and counterproductive to all the progress that's come in race relations since the era of Obama's hero, and a hero to us all, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King.

As the party's presumptive standard bearer, McCain owes himself, and Republicans, a stern response to the Illinois Senator. And soon.

If you missed Obama's statement, you can read American Thinker's Rick Moran's blog here, and view the video here.

McCain's general silence in the face of him, and millions of Republicans, being called racists, does not, in this instance, provoke confidence in McCain from those of us who are outraged by Obama's sleazy tactics and demagogic antics.

If anyone from the McCain Campaign reads the American Thinker, here's a suggestion as to how your candidate might respond, and soon.

McCain calls a press conference with one announced purpose: To respond to Obama's Jacksonville statement. The explanation for its delay is that McCain wanted to give it serious though before responding. Without introduction, the event begins with a playing of the video of Obama's statements, with a transcript of his words projected on an adjacent screen since the audio quality is not great.

At the close, the video screen goes blank. Obama's words remain projected. McCain speaks.

Ladies and gentlemen of the press, thank you for coming. My comments will be brief as I address the incident in the video you just watched. After my statement, I will not answer questions. The next words on this matter, if there are any, will come from Senator Obama.

In that portion of his comments you saw delivered to his followers at a gathering in Jacksonville, Florida, Senator Obama declared that the Republicans would run a campaign against him that would be based on fear. In comparison, he claims his campaign is based on hope.

The clear accusation he made, not just against me, but against all Republicans, is that we are racists. There is no other reasonable way to interpret his statement. He said we Republicans have already "showed our cards."

In fact, Republicans have "played' no racial "cards" against Senator Obama, nor do we intend to. I believe he knows that. Perhaps he mistakes us for comments he faced in his primary race for the Democrat nomination. If so, that's a matter to be resolved between him and those within the Democratic Party.

But I'm familiar with his former Democrat opponents and believe he would have just as hard a time substantiating his claim of being the victim of racist cards played by them as it is impossible for him to support that smear against my campaign, and Republicans in general.

As you know, I have thick and scarred skin. I am not easily offended. And I don't solicit a personal apology from Senator Obama. But I believe he owes one to the millions of patriotic Republicans who are not, nor have ever been, racists. In the realm of hope and fear he mentioned, I hope he takes my words seriously, because words do matter. And his were unjustified and offensive.

While I've had my differences with the current Republican administration, as well you know, I would remind Senator Obama that the last eight years have witnessed African-Americans assuming very high appointed offices in this nation, far beyond any positions held by African-Americans in former administrations, both Democrat or Republican. In my administration, that record of inclusiveness will continue, and be enhanced.

At the close of his comments Senator Obama said, and I quote, "The American people recognize that old stuff hasn't moved us forward." The old stuff to which he refers is actually his use of a straw man representing mythical events that have not happened. It's precisely his "old stuff" that has not moved us forward. And it is he who, in his comments in Jacksonville, used the type of 1950's race-baiting language that represents an America of the past. One from which we, thank God, have moved far beyond.

Therefore, to conclude, I call on Senator Obama to renounce his comments in Jacksonville, and apologize not to me, but to all Republicans, who he labeled as racists, and to all Americans, because we all deserve better from our presidential candidates.

Thank you, and good day.

If John McCain intends to be Commander in Chief, his defense of us starts here, and it starts now.

It's Time McCain Picks Up The Glove