by Farai Chideya

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All of the presidential candidates are trying to stake their turf and get their endorsements lined up. And we're not talking (as we did last week) about O.J. Simpson giving his opinion.

On an extended-length political segment today with Ron Christie and Mary Frances Berry,
we talked about why the evangelical Christian group endorsements are going to a mix of candidates. This week, GOP candidate Fred Thompson got the endorsement from the National Right to Life Committee. Late last week, former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani got the endorsement of Pat Robertson. But none of the Republican candidates have had a consistent record of opposing abortion rights ... so why did Thompson win the group's support?

Meanwhile, on the Democratic side, Sen. Hillary Clinton has staked out healthcare as a key issue; and former Senator John Edwards has announced plans dealing with poverty and Katrina relief. So what's Sen. Barack Obama's turf? Well, today he announced his plans regarding technology. A transcript released in advance of his speech at Google headquarters said, in part:

"I'll put government data online in universally accessible formats. I'll let citizens track federal grants, contracts, earmarks, and lobbyist contacts online, and let you review and comment on legislation before it is signed. And I'll ensure that every government agency is meeting 21st century standards by appointing the nation's first Chief Technology Officer."

Speaking of the Senator, a question: Is he running a campaign that appeals more to whites than blacks? That's the theme of a Wall Street Journal article titled "White's Great Hope."

In it, author Jonathan Kaufman says:

"Sen. Obama and a new generation of black candidates are running campaigns that make whites feel good about themselves."

Kaufman also points out that, at this stage in the game, Sen. Hillary Clinton is polling higher among African Americans than whites.

Do you think there's a "feel-good" aspect to the Obama campaign for white voters? If so, is it anything the campaign should worry about? (And should the campaign worry about the poll numbers with African-American voters?)