Simply scandalous — coming from a Republican. If McCain was eight points up and Harry Reid was out on the stump talking about how Maverick’s insane temper might just lead us into a nuclear war, or the left was putting out 527 ads about how his POW experience makes him a tad too unstable to trust with the button, well, that’d be good ol’ hardball politics. Before the next predictable wave of fresh outrage descends, refresh your memory with the facts: Not until fairly recently did The One refine his blanket invitation to meet with the world’s scummiest leaders to exclude Ahmadinejad. His aides finally figured out that gladhanding a notorious Holocaust denier and Jew-hater probably wouldn’t be good for Obama’s image, so at some point we segued from “I’ll meet with anyone” to “I’ll meet with certain Iranian leaders.” Here’s the guy, presumably, whom he has in mind. Feel better?

All that said, I still agree with Ross Douthat. As a left jab, the attacks on Obama’s character via Ayers, Wright, etc., are fine. But we’re down big on points right now and need an economic right hook. Where is it?