As usual, Digby says it better than I can:

Here's a piece of McCain campaign manager Rick Davis's press release from last week:

Barack Obama is the biggest celebrity in the world, comparable to Tom Cruise, Britney Spears and Paris Hilton. As he told Congressional Democrats yesterday, he has become the "symbol" for the world's aspirations for America and that we are now at "the moment ... that the world is waiting for."

Only a celebrity of Barack Obama's magnitude could attract 200,000 fans in Berlin who gathered for the mere opportunity to be in his presence. These are not supporters or even voters, but fans fawning over The One. Only celebrities like Barack Obama go to the gym three times a day, demand "MET-RX chocolate roasted-peanut protein bars and bottles of a hard-to-find organic brew -- Black Forest Berry Honest Tea" and worry about the price of arugula.

Yet, despite all of the fans, paparazzi and media adoration, the American people still have questions: Is Barack Obama prepared to lead?

This press release is, of course, supporting a McCain attack ad depicting Obama as a massive celebrity and associating him with the likes of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton. As wingnut attacks go, though, this press release swings for the fences. Not only does it hit on many of the classic effete, liberal-elitist themes -- love from the Euros (200,000 in Berlin); fussy, non-manly eating habits (organic tea and arugula); and obsession with appearance (trips to the gym) -- it manages to throw in a couple of good-ol' racist GOP dog-whistle tactics.

Now, what do I mean by GOP racist dog-whistle tactics?

Apparently, the myriad violations of the Constitution carried out by the Bushies warrant an investigation. But criminal prosecutions? Convictions? We wouldn't want to be rude.

From Salon.com:

Aug. 4, 2008 | WASHINGTON -- On the campaign trail in April, Barack Obama was asked whether, if elected, he would prosecute Bush administration officials for establishing torture as American policy. The candidate demurred. "If crimes have been committed, they should be investigated," he said. But he quickly added, "I would not want my first term consumed by what was perceived on the part of the Republicans as a partisan witch hunt, because I think we've got too many problems to solve."

Too many problems to solve, indeed. Like torture, for instance -- and also unlawful imprisonment, warrantless spying, war profiteering, an illegal invasion, election theft, voter fraud, politicization of Cabinet departments, signing statements, the outing of covert agents, and on and on and on ...

And here's the would-be President, worried about what might be "perceived on the part of the Republicans as a partisan witch hunt." Because that would be, y'know, rude.

Senator Obama seems to be developing into a deliberative center of gravity, as a number of massive political objects – Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki, French Prime Minister Sarkozy, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and the White House – have swung inexorably into his orbit. All these august personages, either implicitly or explicitly, embraced his 16-month timeline for withdrawal of US forces from Iraq.

 TPM Muckraker has the dirt on the Office of Professional Responsibility and Inspector General's report on the politicization of the Justice Department.

Among the stringent Bush-era requirements for employment at DOJ: "What is it about George W. Bush that makes you want to serve him?"

And let's not forget, "Why are you a Republican?"

I love the Internets.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuQD4-QjV0o

Satire, y'all.

Still figgering out how to embed video. Stay tuned. 

So, Sen. McCain gave an interview with Katie Couric on the CBS Evening News last week. Pretty standard stuff, right?

Sure, except that CBS cut up the tape such that McCain appears to be answering one question, but is really answering another. And because they must have been on a roll, CBS did St. John one better and spliced in heroic still images of him visiting American troops, and footage of American soldiers in action in Iraq.

No, really. Here's video of McCain's bogus answer and the actual interview playing out together in real time, on a split screen.

Enough already. Welcome to the launch of the new Abe and Joe Show blog.