– pals with a complete nut (Wright) who has racist, hateful ideas
– pals with an avowed, unrepentent terrorist (Ayers) – he launched his political career in Ayers’ house, and served on boards with him
– pals with Hamas’ reps in the US – he just canned an adviser who met with Hamas last week
– pals with corrupt Chicago pols (Rezko) who helped him start his career

At some point, you look at the people he’s decided to be close to and start wondering – if not about his beliefs, at least about his judgment.

Do I think the Wright Matter casts some doubt on Obama? Sure. But does it define Obama completely? Not to me. Clearly it does to right wing talk radio, which is why they’ll be banging on it for the duration. Or until a better bit of dirt comes along.

I’ve said before it’s pretty clear that the relationship with Wright was clearly through Michelle Obama. (Christopher Hitchens suggests the same thing.) She will also become an Issue before this thing is over. She already is, thanks to one dumb thing she said. More will come out. Her college thesis, for example.

And let’s not forget that the left-wing attack squad already has dirt on McCain’s spouse as well. Even though it doesn’t stick.

There’s crap everywhere. Which is what my post was about, fwiw.

Now, imagine that a white person with whom McCain had a 20 year, close personal relationship said that. Do you think he’d get a pass? Why are people so willing to expect less of Obama? If you truly want to be beyond race, then hold him to equivalent standards.

The man who was the Clinton campaign’s number one advisor has PR clients including a major international corporation that actively influences US policy (MSFT) and a foreign government that is lobbying to influence US policy. And his company is still a key contractor for the Clinton campaign.

Where are the calls to give Mark Penn a fair trial, then hang him?

Does the Media have a built-in filter to “ignore the PR flack” even when the PR flack is, himself, a story?