Palin unleashes "Swiftboat" tactics during California rally

Sarah Palin showed up in Carson, California yesterday with one goal - to unleash a vicious, dirty attack on Barack Obama. The McCain campaign's last desperate Hail Mary pass is to tie Obama to "terrorists" in their hope of scaring up votes. The Bush Administration has ruled on fear for the last eight years and Palin-McCain seem content to carry on with the tradition. Palin told a crowd at the Califorina rally:

"I was reading a copy of The New York Times. I was really interested to read in there about Barack Obama's friends in Chicago. Our opponent is someone who sees America as imperfect enough to pal around with terrorists who targeted their own country."

Palin is referring to William Ayers, a 60s radical who participated in bombings of New York City Police Headquarters, the U.S. Capitol and the Pentagon. Ayers later become a college professor who lived near Obama's neighborhood and served on the same board for a foundation focused on school reform in Chicago in the 1990s. The McCain campaign's assertion is guilt by association because Obama lived in the same place and crossed paths with Ayers. Nevermind that Obama waas eight years old during Ayers radical activity.

Using a tried and true Republican smear tactic (remember Willy Horton and the Swiftboat Vets), Palin-McCain will continue to denigrate Obama so they don't have to address their own faltering campaign, Palin's incompetence, McCain's erratic behavior, and their complete lack of new ideas.