They KNOW it is not racist and they know who exactly the “code words”, that people like Palin uses, identify as part of Obama’s base - them, the elite media and the elite academia; and Obama’s close alliance and association with them.
They are playing the “race card” because they know it is them, not “Blacks” that Palin observes as against us and the people identify with it - identify with the media and academia as NOT “one of us”.
And that pisses them off, because they know it’s true.
Obama said that McaCain is a “typical white person” who has bigoted feelings toward blacks. NPR concurs.