Unreal Debate

In the real world of political ads, McCain and his surrogates are shouting ugly insults at Barack Obama. He is accused of saying that US airstrikes have killed innocents. This is true and McCain said it, too. They say he was on a committee with a professor who used to be a Weatherman 40 years ago. And…?

How nonsensical these attacks are is demonstrated by the inability of McCain to repeat them to Obama’s face.

What sort of allegation won’t hold up in a debate? A flimsy one. One with the form of propaganda.

McCain’s nasty personal attacks on Obama were apparently felt by his campaign to be inappropriate to a live appearance. They feared such smears would look mean in the mouth of a presidential aspirant.

But then why does it not look mean for McCain to “approve” the scurrilous smears?

Does he think we cannot see him?