Y'KNOW, THAT JOE McCARTHY HAD SOME GOOD IDEAS

Think the Palin/McCain campaign has been practicing McCarthyism lately? Apparently, according to old-school right-wing blogger Orrin Judd, the campaign isn't practicing enough McCarthyism. Judd thinks McCain should do an obvious imitation of McCarthy tonight -- as a debate tactic.

Judd cites an online petition in support of Bill Ayers, signed by a few hundred educators and others. Then he says:

There's your debate moment: Senator Obama, I hold in my hand a list of names [may as well give them the full McCarthy] of American educators who call upon us to forget about Bill Ayers "passionate participation" in "movements" and his refusal to disavow his personal terrorist campaign....

So, I wonder if you could clarify your position here: Should we just forget about Mr. Ayers's terrorist bombings, even though his only regret about them is that he didn't do enough or are these educators somewhat out of touch with American values, which require repentance before forgiveness?

Am I reading this wrong? Is Judd joking? I don't think he's joking. And just to clarify: That "[may as well give them the full McCarthy]"? That's Judd's line -- I didn't add that.

This is really the desk-jockey equivalent of the bloodlust currently manifesting itself at McCain and Palin rallies, where attendees shout "Terrorist!" in reference to Obama and "Kill him!" in reference to Ayers (or Obama?). Judd's fantasy, and the fantasy of a lot of other right-wingers, isn't that McCain will persuade voters that Obama is the lesser choice -- it's that he (and his running mate) will hold a show trial in which Obama is shown to be a person unfit to live among civilized people, and thus drive Obama from public life. It's political eliminationism.