Will the Big Lie Campaign Prevail?

It has been said that the only problem with combatting people who lie first is that the lie usually stays ahead of the truth. Today's case in point:

"Campaigning on her own, the Alaska governor (Palin) also said Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama "wants to raise income taxes and raise payroll taxes and raise investment income taxes and raise business taxes and raise the death tax.

"But John McCain and I know that's not the way you grow the economy," she added.

In fact, independent groups such as the Tax Policy Center have concluded that four out of five U.S. households would receive tax cuts under Obama's proposals."

Yes, the charges are false but our entry on Ohio makes it clear that the lie is ahead of the truth...at least so far. Today the Obama campaign issued a very tough ad quoting a variety of major news organizations (AP, Washington Post, NY Times) who have criticized the McCain strategy, but one is forced to wonder if this deeply imbedded misperception about tax policy can be changed in the seven weeks until the election.

And how does Barack Obama maintain the mantle of "a different kind of politics" when he---or at least his surrogates---are fighting it out in the trenches with steadily escalating charges and countercharges.? This is the kind of question that doubtless brings a smile to Steve Schmidt & Co. at McCain headquarters.

-Richard Holcomb