Whether it sticks or not, it *will* stink

Today's meaningless detours and distractions from anything that might be called "the issues" are especially instructive examples of Republican swarming tactics. Nothing is better than manufactured scandals that include prepubescent sexuality and high dudgeon over imagined slights.

The lesson: Republicans tirelessly throw anything and everything at their enemies in the sure knowledge that some of it -- even demonstrable lies -- will stick and what doesn't stick will still leave a residual stink. Expect a ceaseless barrage until the election.

So we have the "Lipstick On A Pig Controversy" being echoed far and wide, from Jake Tapper's musings, to Drudge, to Special Reports to juice up the cable news bore-a-thons, to endless attacks and defense on the blogs. And now McCain's got an ad up with the inevitable "sexism" charge.

Frankly, I don't think Sarah Palin is as intelligent or charming as a pig. And despite the woodies she's inspiring in folks like Pat Buchanan, I daresay Palin's not as succulent as any pig. She does, however, have a kind of low cunning. Maybe it would be better to find a hyena metaphor. (And please don't squeal "Sexism!" to me. I'd say the same thing if Palin were a man, except it would be wet panties on Ann Coulter.) At any rate, don't miss the video of McCain's own "lipstick on a pig" moment.

More serious and potentially more damaging to Obama is McCain's latest smear ad about Obama's legislation "to teach comprehensive sex education to kindergartners." Read all the details here; watch the ad here. The legislation in question is quite moderate, includes opt-outs for parents, emphasizes individualized curriculae developed on a school-by-school basis. Its most salient feature is instruction on, yes, the kindergarten level, in recognizing inappropriate "touching", i.e., pedophiles.

Of course, the facts of the matter will never gain the volume necessary to drown out the initial squawks. It will be another clod of dirt to hit and stick and stink.

Even better from McCain's point of view, the charges will likely result in long-winded explanations and apologies for misunderstandings from Obama. There's nothing that says "Leader of the Free World" than apologizing for, essentially, getting skunked.

I don't expect Obama or his campaign to heed his increasingly frustrated followers who are begging for some spine. One DKos diarist is screaming: "DON'T APOLOGIZE, Barack Obama!!!", "CALL THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN AT (866) 675-2008!!!! AND TELL THEM NOT TO BACK DOWN!", "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!" and "STOP PRAISING JOHN MCCAIN FOR HIS MILITARY SERVICE! He's not honorable at all, and he just called you a child molester, Obama!" [Emphasis and screaming caps in the original, boldface removed for readability.]

Will they listen? Are they ready to ditch a strategy that is dooming them? Are they ready to fight fire with a frakkin' great flamethrower?