So this crap passes for news?

Via Drudge, but I saw an earlier and similar version almost as ridiculous yet without the idiotic racism charge:

Palin's words avoid repulsing voters with overt racism. But is there another subtext for creating the false image of a black presidential nominee "palling around" with terrorists while assuring a predominantly white audience that he doesn't see their America?

In a post-Sept. 11 America, terrorists are envisioned as dark-skinned radical Muslims, not the homegrown anarchists of Ayers' day 40 years ago. With Obama a relative unknown when he began his campaign, the Internet hummed with false e-mails about ties to radical Islam of a foreign-born candidate.

Whether intended or not by the McCain campaign, portraying Obama as "not like us" is another potential appeal to racism. It suggests that the Hawaiian-born Christian is, at heart, un-American.

Most troubling, however, is how allowing racism to creep into the discussion serves McCain's purpose so well.

"So well." You heard it form the AP, folks. The Ayers connection is off limits. Not because he is a terrorist, while for the AP that is not so bad per se, it's because of the racial stereotype the AP decided is associated with terrorists. They're so far in the tank, I'm surprised not to find the HopeChange logo plastered all over the AP's website. You know, because it's practically racist not to openly support Obama.

There we go.