Yes, we all know by now that Barack Obama's middle name is Hussein. How ironic that the leading presidential candidate for the Democratic Party would have a middle name that is the same as the last name of the evil dictator that our troops brought down just five years ago.

Yet, we all know that in this life none of us gets to choose our names. While many on the right are having great fun endlessly repeating "Barack Hussein Obama" none other than Karl Rove is warning his fellow Republicans away from this course:

"The context was, you're not going to stimatize this guy. You shouldn't underestimate him," one of the executive directors said. Rove said that the use of "Barack Hussein Obama" would perpetuate the notion that Republicans were bigoted and would hurt the party.

I rarely agree with Karl Rove, but on this issue I think he is right on target. And that's why I hope the right-wing blogosphere and talk-show hosts continue to use Obama's middle name as often as possible. I'm sincerely hoping that Rush creates one of his famous parodies (remember "Barack the Magic Negro") and plays it over and over endlessly until November.

I know a lot of Republicans (hey, I used to be one until last month when I registered Democrat to vote for Obama) and I know most of them are not bigoted. But by pursuing this game of repeating Hussein at every opportunity they send a subtle message to all people whose color and ethnicity does not match the standard white Anglo-Saxon mold.

The message is that you're somehow different from the rest of us and you'll never really be accepted by us. In a country with rapidly expanding minority populations that puts the Republican Party at an enormous disadvantage in winning over groups that are absolutely vital to restoring their majority status in Congress and capturing the presidency.

Making fun of Obama's middle name may be good red meat for a Republican rally and fire up the base, but it's a turn-off to independent voters who will decide the presidential election and determine the balance of power in Congress.