Speaking of weasels, the NYT has a front-pager today about the return of Jerome Corsi, the guy who brought us the lie- and error-filled John Kerry hit job "Unfit for Command" in 2004. Seems Corsi's, with a little boost from Simon & Schuster's Mary Matalin, has released a new piece of political agitprop, "The Obama Nation," presumbly filled with similarly high-quality "scholarship," as Matalin laughably deems Corsi's work.

If I were on the Obama campaign, with all that money at my disposal, I'd go ahead assign someone to pick this book apart, distortion by distortion, lie by bald-faced lie before it becomes a hot topic of conversation. (Contract out the work if you don't want to bother with it in house.) Politics being what it is, Corsi will eventually get plenty of play on the Right, with much of the chatter trickling out into the broader political discussion. And seeing as how many Americans still somehow believe that the political garage printed in books is more truthful and accurate than the political garbage pacakged in other, more disposable media, Corsi's "scholarship" could do a fair amount of damage if Team Obama isn't primed to fire back the moment it becomes necessary.

If Team Obama never has to whip out its defensive research, great. But if 2004--and Corsi--have taught Dems anything, it's that, when dealing with conservative smears, delay means death.

--Michelle Cottle