Obama Combats the Smear

News that Barack Obama has set up a website, Fight the Smears, to counter rumors that have swirled throughout the Internet - that he is a Muslim, refuses to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, wife Michelle's hate whitey statements - was a necessary response in a time when false stories left unchecked simply won't go away and have the potential to do significant damage to a campaign. This is particularly true in Obama's case because, unlike his opponent John McCain, he has been on the national scene a much shorter time and therefore can ill-afford having his political enemies defining him.