That North Carolina GOP ad? More than 172,000 views since Tuesday, with who knows how many who have now seen it replayed on cable news networks.
Also revealing is, as Instapundit’s reader noted, the response: Jeremiah Wright is ipso facto racially divisive and thus out of bounds for a political ad. So is showing Osama bin Laden, the Obama camp insists in response to a Hillary Clinton ad. So is quoting Obama’s statement at the San Francisco fundraiser about “bitter” small town Americans “clinging” and whatnot.
Stephanopolous asking Obama about Bill Ayers? Out of bounds. Asking him about why he doesn’t wear a flag pin? Not fair, not permitted, and making the whole debate “something akin to a federal crime” in the eyes of the New Yorker.
Asking more than eight questions about Tony Rezko? That’s just being unreasonable.
I can’t believe that Obama and his fans in the press have led me to near-total agreement with the new campaign strategist for Hillary Clinton, Geoff Garin:
Let me get this straight.
On the one hand, it’s perfectly decent for Obama to argue that only he has the virtue to bring change to Washington and that Clinton lacks the character and the commitment to do so. On the other hand, we are somehow hitting below the belt when we say that Clinton is the candidate best able to withstand the pressures of the presidency and do what’s right for the American people, while leaving the decisions about Obama’s preparedness to the voters.
Who made up those rules? And who would ever think they are fair?