There can be no question that US Senator Barack Obama's success in the Iowa caucuses ten days ago and his continued strong showing in the Democratic primaries has caught the imagination of many Bermudians.

That's hardly surprising in a majority black country, but Obama's general message has general appeal in Bermuda, which is still grappling with its own racial challenges. Sen. Obama's victory in Iowa and his victory speech ¿ one of the best ever delivered in recent US political history ¿ did set off some premature celebrations; notably Premier Dr. Ewart Brown's congratulatory message, which he said was on behalf of Sen. Obama's supporters in Bermuda.

That wording may have been careful, but the overall message was not, and Dr. Brown apparently did not consider what the effects might be for Bermuda if Sen. Obama failed to secure the Democratic nomination, let alone the presidency. In any event, it is notable that Dr. Brown has not sent congratulations to Sen. Hillary Clinton on her victory in New Hampshire, let alone to any of the Republican candidates.

To do so, of course, would set off a foolish train of continuous messages of congratulations and condolences for the next few months until the nominations are decided, and that's one reason why the message was ill considered, although no doubt genuine. Dr. Brown can perhaps be forgiven on one level; Sen. Obama is the single most likely African American candidate to become President of the United States who has ever come along, and even the Iowa caucus victory is something to be celebrated both in the US and here.

But Dr. Brown is also the leader of this country and he should remember that it is important for Bermuda to have good relations with whatever administration is in the White House. That means that dabbling in US elections is unwise. Politicians have long memories and Bermuda needs as many friends in the US capital as it can get. For someone who claims to be so well known in Washington, this was a naïve act.

Still, few can deny that Sen. Obama is an exciting politician who represents a new generation of politicians who are more interested in uniting people than in the politics of division, racial or otherwise. Sen. Obama and others, like Newark Mayor Cory Booker, have an inclusive message and talk little specifically about race. This has caused some unease among African Americans, but as a matter of electoral politics, it is essential. Jesse Jackson actually won 11 primaries in 1988, but had no chance of securing either the Democratic nomination or the presidency because of the narrow focus of his message. Sen. Obama can win both.

It may be that he can because he "allows" white Americans to vote for a black man without being made to grapple too hard with the legacy of US race relations that he lets white Americans feel colour-blind without having to feel guilt. But Sen. Obama may represent a generation that is genuinely colour-blind, that recognises the legacy of segregation without being consumed by it, and can bring people together to create a more just society.

Since his victory in Iowa, Sen. Obama had been subject to much closer scrutiny than he was beforehand and some are beginning to see the hand of racism in this. That seems unlikely, and compared to the Willie Horton ads and the like, any criticism that could be seen to be racially motivated has been mild and ambiguous.

But he is being subjected to closer scrutiny, as all candidates are in the US primary season. It is a gruelling experience, made all the more so in this election because the three leading Democratic candidates all have reasonably similar programmes. Thus the candidates' personalities, experience (or lack thereof) and character comes to play a bigger part, in which the slightest misstep can be costly.

What can be said about it is that it prepares the winning candidates for the demands of the job in the Oval Office. But it is a demeaning and sometimes humiliating process, as well as an extraordinarily long one. If Sen. Obama wins the nomination and the presidency, it would be a great day for America and for the world, but it should also be remembered that he is only human, and he will make mistakes.

Further, as Financial Times journalist Martin Luce noted, the main point of an election is what you plan to do after you have won it, and Sen. Obama will win if he can make the case that he has the best plan and is the best person to execute it.