Obama's in a no win situation. If he leaves the attacks unanswered things will only get worse. Pat Buchanan called him "exotic" last week. Try to fight back and you'll get accused of play the race card, labelling all your critics bigots. Laura Ingraham and pretty much everybody on FOX is doing that now.
In all fairness, Obama's life experience is "exotic" in the fact most Americans have grown up in different countries. Likewise, McCain's life experience in not what most Americans have seen.
My life experience is "exotic," compared to most of the people on board. 
I live 650 kilometers from where I was born. My life experience is exotic compared to 90% of people in the world.
Calling him "exotic" is not offensive in & of itself, though the people who watch Pat Buchanan would probably equate "exotic" with "un-American," which they would equate with "terrorist." Still, sly move on his part. This hostile takeover may yet become interesting.
