McCain Experiencing Amnesia

Even in politics, there are certain "unwritten rules" that are very rarely violated.  These rules are difficult to define, but people seem to know when they've been crossed.  In the 2000 Presidential Election, the Bush campaign crossed the line when they engaged in "push" polling--calling voters and asking questions that have no truth, but planting ideas in people's heads, i.e. "did you know that John McCain fathered an illegitimate black child and his wife is a drug addict..." Bush's team did this in South Carolina right before the 2000 primary, leading McCain to decry dirty campaign tactics.  In 2004, the attacks on John Kerry's military service were produced by the Bush team from 2000, now infamously known as "swift-boat" tactics.  At the age of 72, maybe McCain is experiencing some age related memory loss, because he has a political team full of the people that opposed him in 2000, and unsurprisingly, they are running the same type of campaign.  Many political veterans believe McCain's team has run the most negative, truth-distorted campaign in modern political history.  With too many examples to cite them all, I will simply list the most recent "swift-boat" move from the McCain camp.  Starting last Friday, the McCain camp has decided that with time running out, poll numbers getting worse by the day, and a relatively successful history throwing the kitchen sink at the opposition, it is time to flat-out lie about Obama.  Sarah Palin said that Obama "...pals around with terrorists"--referring to Bill Ayers.  Ayers was a founding member of a left-wing group, The Weather Underground, that resorted to using bombs in their campaign to end the Vietnam war.  The Weather Underground bombed the Capitol Building, Pentagon, and Post Office; the bombs were homemade, and while causing damage, they weren't aimed at people.  Obama was 8 around this time, and by the time he met Bill Ayers, Ayers was a Professor of Education at the University of Illinois.  Ayers has been accepted by many boards, schools, and other institutions that respect his educational knowledge--a Ph.D. in Administrative Education--and Palin isn't calling all of these other people and institutions friends of terrorists.  Obama, and many others, have publicly said they disagree with Ayers former tactics, and that is all they can do.  There are no warrants out for Ayers, he has been forgiven by the law, and now he is doing his best to improve society.  Obama has served with Ayers, and many others, on the boards for 2 charity organizations, and when Obama first ran for office, Ayers held a gathering at his home to collect campaign donations for Obama--that was in 1996.  Ayers supports Obama now, but Obama isn't using Ayers in any way to help his campaign.  Opinions legitimately vary when it comes to Ayers and his past, but he is a man that does good today, he has been exonerated by the law, and using the word terrorist invokes far different images.  Palin and McCain are distorting the situation in a way that crosses ethical boundaries, and in doing so, undermining their case for office.  They may be losing, and desperate to mix things up, but they should do this by criticising Obama's policies.  Obama has responded by talking about McCain's efforts to protect deregulation during the Savings and Loan Scandals of the early 80's--something that is far more pertinent considering it is very similar to the economic crisis today.  At the end of the day, McCain will lose, and Obama will have a difficult situation awaiting him when he takes office, but at least he will get there with his dignity intact.  McCain has become everything he has ridiculed in the past, he crossed all sorts of boundaries and lines he used to respect and recognize, and unless he really has amnesia, he is killing his own, well-deserved, good reputation.