Who woulda thunk it?

Based on some of the polls released over the last week, I’m worried the McCain/Palin strategy of name calling and mudslinging (or is that a tactic?) is starting to gain a little traction with voters in swing states like Ohio. If you believe the robo-calls blanketing the country, Obama’s first action as president will be to firebomb a few red-state capitals around the country… replacing their charred ruins with Stalinesque, totalitarian regimes – in a joint strike with Hugo Chavez and the Castro brothers.

So far, Obama hasn’t fired back with everything in the quiver. He’s hit McCain over the head with his cluelessness on the economy and healthcare, but he’s mostly stayed away from the shotgun (mass-media), guilt by association charges waiting at his disposal. Does this mean Obama is hoping to ride the relative high-road into office? Is he counting on the Powell endorsement to blunt some of the blows he’s taking? If so, I wonder if Powell’s brand is damaged… to the point his endorsement will have little impact. I thought his comments on Meet the Press were devastating, but you know where I stand. Will anyone else listen? Will white independents see it as “the black guy picking the brother?” Will Powell’s connection to the invasion of Iraq (and his starring role as “Mr U.N.”) blunt his credibility?

If the “Obama is a socialist/terrorist” ads continue, and the small movement in the polls get bigger, will we start to hear about McCain palling around with convicted felons (Keating and Liddy)? Will we start to hear about how much the Palins hate America (re: the Alaska Independence Party)?

I hope the Powell endorsement resonates with undecideds. A lot of liberals would like to see Obama emulate McCain’s political equivalent of Sherman’s march to the sea. Hell, I’ve done it (talking with a few of my left-leaning friends). But I don’t want to see him to do it. I think we lose something if he’s dragged into this kind of fight.

But how do we fight back? Maybe we repeat the words of a distinguished General and former hero of the Republican Party… evoking his name… over and over again.

via Andrew Sullivan and Richard: