Americans should take pride that the promise of Jefferson’s masterpiece—“that all men are created equal”—is now underlined by the fact that an American who happens to be black is just a few steps away from the presidency.

And if Barack Obama wins in November, he will “preserve, protect and defend” the same constitution that once declared black slaves equal to three-fifths of their white masters. It has taken time, but we are indeed building a more perfect union.

To many, it is Obama’s rich biography that is so attractive. He reminds us that his father was “born and raised in a small village in Kenya,” his mother is from rural Kansas, his grandfather served in “Patton’s army and marched across Europe.”

“My story,” he says, “is part of the larger American story.”

Indeed, in his background, many of us see America at its best—a land of many races and many faiths and many cultures, a land united not by creed or color but by a commitment to freedom and opportunity, a land where people are judged by who they are rather than what they are or where they come from.

Yet I am left with the distinct impression that, despite all of his inspiring rhetoric about unity, Obama sees America as many, not one.

Just look at his website, which has special sections for Asian-Americans, Pacific Islanders, African-Americans, Latino-Americans, First Americans (Obama’s term for Native-Americans), women, environmentalists, veterans, people of faith, students, and lesbians, gays, bisexuals and the transgendered.

It’s disappointing to see America splintered into so many ethnic, racial, gender and lifestyle shards—especially since just four years ago, Obama told us, “There’s not a black America and white America and Latino America and Asian America; there’s the United States of America.”

Too bad he didn’t stick with that.

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