We got a glimpse of what the general election will look like if it is Obama vs McCain. Right wing attack dogs (Cunningham and the Tennessee Rep Party this week) will portray Obama as a a guy with a funny name in a funny foreign looking dress. The subtext is that he is some kind of foreign agent, part of some nefarious plot to take over the country. McCain will say how "shocked, shocked" he is at the smear. Both McCain's denunciation and the original smear will get aired over and over on every TV channel. Result: every bigot in the country hears the message. And Obama will have to thank McCain for denouncing the smear.
At the same time McCain will pick a legitimate fight with Obama over the war, which Obama will parry quite easily. The purpose is to make McCain look like he is a real stand-up guy, above the dirty tricks that are doing the real damage. The canard that Obama is a crypto-terrorist will spread.
How to counter this strategy? What can Obama do to hold McCain accountable for the tactics of his supporters?I am afraid that merely accepting McCain's apology is not enough. Repeat a lie over and over and some of it will stick.