Tomorrow the second big race of the 2012 election will be underway, and pundits say it could be decisive in picking a GOP nominee. But they're always saying a certain race is decisive. How else will they get you to tune in? Elections are a full employment program for political journalists.

The first big battle of the Republican race to the nomination is occurring tonight, in a midwestern state that is, let's say, far less racially diverse than the nation as a whole. With that backdrop it's a good time to discuss how politicians talk about race, when they do, and how they talk about it. Racism is now a dirty word in the U.S.

Last week we noted the unusual decision of the U.S. Supreme Court to issue a stay of execution for a death row defendant in Texas based on racial bias introduced into the original court hearing.

The U.S. Supreme Court this week stepped in to stop the execution of a black man, Duane Buck, because an expert testified at his trial that he would be, essentially, more dangerous to society because of his race.