Well, rather earlier than expected, the right wing has reintroduced Bill Ayers to the campaign, with this ad linking Obama to the radical lefty/former US government overthrower.
The ad isn't by the McCain team per se, but by something called the "American Issues Project," which is spending $2.8 million airing it in Michigan and other key states. I can't tell whether it's effective. It just depends on what people are willing to believe about Obama. Maybe a lot. I remember when Hillary first ran for senate in 2000, the New York State GOP tried to tie her to al-Qaida, a then little-known tendency that had just bombed the USS Cole in middle eastern waters.
Most people found that one a little much, and it backfired. But she'd been first lady for eight years and was far better known. Obama needs to know that a lot more like this is coming. This particular ad insanely overstates their relationship and of course tries to make it sound like Obama endorsed Ayers' activities when Obama was a little boy learning how to hit a baseball. At any rate, he'll need to turn these very attacks into a McCain negative. Tricky thing to do, but possible.
