This is what happens when you run a campaign based on distortions, lies and fearmongering.  This is what happens when you continually ask “Who IS Barack Obama?”, implying that he’s not “one of us”.  This is what happens when just about every commercial, every stump speech, every FW: FW: Fw: email claims that his opponent “pals around with terrorists” — insinuating, of course, that Obama himself IS a terrorist.

Say something enough times, and it starts to sound true.  Especially to easily swayed, gullible, lower-class folk like this woman.  “My friends”, this is what happens:

Kudos to John McCain for nipping this one in the bud. He started shaking his head as soon as the “A” word was mentioned, and quickly dismissed the notion.  As to whether this — along with the lynch-mob-esque cries of “terrorist”, “traitor”, and “kill him!” at rallies — will be a wake-up call to his campaign as to the effects of the rampant smears?  That remains to be seen.

My guess is: No.

How about a break from the political stuff?

Everybody’s heard… about the Word…

Watch the first 10 minutes of the full episode on Hulu to get the full, hammer-it-home effect.

A Special Comment from Keith Olbermann on Sarah Palin and her ties to “Domestic Terrorism”.

Hoooo boy, the hits just keep comin’:

Now, the problem here — I think — is that this entire Couric debacle is setting the bar for Sarah Palin so low, that any performance at Thursday’s debate that is the least bit watchable, without barnburning gaffes, will exceed expectations. And the resulting skewed perception will be: “Hey, she’s not that bad.” And the blame will return to the asshole Liberal MainStream Media elitists who dare back a Vice Presidential candidate into a corner and grill her on what’s on her coffee table.

Being away at a conference this week, I didn’t get a chance to see Tina Fey’s latest parody of Sarah Palin.  But, as CNN points out, this imitation provides twice the hilarity, given that the ridiculous, rambling, untrue words… are from Mrs. Palin herself!  This woman is proving to be a complete Post Turtle (illustration).

Great connection, great timing. I knew this girl (Miss Teen S.C.) was gold the minute I posted her.

… of both Vice Presidential Candidates, See-n-Say Palin and Foot-in-Mouth Biden!

Once again, Keith Olbermann knocks one into the upper deck with this Special Comment. He calls out the Republican Presidential campaign for exploiting 9/11 (despite being the party in charge at every level at the time of the attack) and John McCain for claiming to know how to catch Osama Bin Laden, but only at the end of next January, if he is elected president.

A personal note: watching the “tribute” videos at the RNC, Cindy & John McCain bragged about how they told each other they were older and younger than they were, respectively, when they met.  Tee hee!  Oh… wait… this is the party of FAMILY VALUES.  And they’re telling the entire world on the teevee that their relationship began with lies from each side.  The affair that began while John McCain was still married to his first wife.

The sheer hypocrisy, double-speak, fear-mongering, misdirection and outright lies of the Republican party and John McCain during this campaign are purely reprehensible.  And the white-hot focus on, and airtime devoted to, this superficial bullshit like “flag pins” and “lipstick” (and boy, what an ignorant, pandering oaf this Jane Swift is, eh?) only serve to insult and enrage every half-intelligent person in the country.

Do you agree?

As for the video, Take 8 and observe, this is a must-watch.

Un-be-lievable. The depths the McCain campaign is sinking to. Watch the ad:

“BARACK OBAMA WANTS TO TEACH YOUR 5-YEAR-OLD ABOUT SEX. DID I MENTION HE IS BLACK AS WELL? OH, AND A MUSLIM? We are the party of Family Values. And that family, especially the Palins, is growing bigger every day. Come join the team that fights for YOUR family. The only team with God on its side.”

Grrrrrrrrrrr…

Obama, you need to FIGHT back. Today. With more than just a statement from a spokesman.

1900 comments on this and counting on Huffington Post… in 4 hours.