In your reference to McCain's gruesome 2000 experience in South Carolina, I take it you're referring to the push polling and rumors that were disseminated by those working clandestinely for the Bush campaign, claiming that John McCain had fathered a Black/mixed child, using pictures of his adopted dark skinned Bangladeshi daughter as evidence of miscegenation, one of the cardinal sins of the old South. And of course these rumor spread like wildfire, picked up by academic hacks at Bob Jones University, one of the great bastions of entrenched racism.

The anatomy of a smear campaign

www.boston.com/.../the_anatomy_of_a_smear_campaign

It was despicable, and it cost John McCain South Carolina and probably the election, and it was hardly covered at all by the mainstream media, which could have exposed the truth, but for some reason chose to keep it hush-hush and allow the rumors to propagate, leading to the demise of the McCain campaign.

I remember a time when I had respect for John McCain, but the moment he decided to reconcile with the imperialist swine in this administration, was the same moment that I realized he'd lost all semblance of credibility, and finally and forever sold himself. The only reason he's getting support now is because the folks in the RNC realize that the band of losers and corporate flunkies they've been parading as the front runners just won't be able to cut it up against any of the Democratic candidates. You know they're really desperate when they're turning to McCain.  I wonder if John's Bangladeshi daughter Bridget will be campaigning with him in the south this time around, somehow I doubt it.

If it comes down to him and Barack Obama in the national election, I wonder how long he will be able to resist the Republican establishments insistence that he play the race card.  After all, Barack Obama is the product of miscegenation, that's a fact.  I have little doubt that the Republicans will resort to this tactic because at some point they'll have no other choice, probably when there 15 or 20 points behind in the polls.  I imagine that this will occur whoever the Republican nominee is, and I think that it's something America needs, I think this young generation of voters needs to see who their parents really are, and what still lies hidden in the heart of this country.

Who knows, perhaps if they get desperate enough some of the Clinton supporters might decide to use a similar tactic, they've already stooped near this low with the Muslim smear.  Somehow you just know that at some point it's going to get really ugly, it's just a matter of time now.  Personally I think such tactics can only help Barack Obama.

"Let all the poisons that lurk in the mud hatch out."

Amen AaronBBrown. I was a McCain supporter in 2000 and detested how the MSM allowed Rove to destroy McCain. This was the MSM's most criminal offense in my view. Perhaps even worse than the MSM's lemming-like acquiescence to Bush's Iraq War (although the Dems captiulated too).

Remember, McCain was the Obama of 2000. Independents flocked to him, and he was the most electable candidate who could unite the country. I hope McCain wins the GOP nomination this time.

But this is Obama's time. He only gets better and better. His ability to inspire and lead is breathtaking. I am a cyncial attorney who worked for Ross Perot in 1992 and was very active in independent politics in Florida. I volunteered a few months ago with the Obama campaign. Put aside your cynicism and allegiences to her royal highness. This time the Dems got the real deal!