An inconvenient truth. The McCain campaign released this ad on June 22nd:

To recap: the McCain campaign releases an online ad replete with dog-whistle racism. Obama, nearly a month later, references it, and once he references it the McCain campaign pounces and accuses Obama of "playing the race card."

And the press, who don't know innuendo but do know a good soundbite when they hear one, repeat the charge over and over.

And the Democratic campaign is slow and flat-footed and uncertain in its response. (To wit: When pressed to explain the comment, Axelrod told Good Morning America it meant, "He's not from central casting when it comes to candidates for president of the United States. He's new to Washington. Yes, he's African-American.")

Where have I seen this movie before?

Then again, at some point John McCain is going to have to decide if he wants to play the hero or the victim in this election. He can't have both.

H/T Digby.