Al-Qaeda would celebrate an Obama victory, claims subhuman homunculus

In our feature on the Iowa caucuses, I described Rep. Steve King (R-IA) as a "xenophobic Golem look-alike who once unironically called Joe McCarthy 'a hero for America.' " It occurred to me later that perhaps these words were a tad harsh for the controversial congressman.

No longer. Not after that pitiful war-lusting pervert one-upped himself Friday in asserting, "If [Obama] is elected president, the radical Islamists--al Qaeda and their supporters--will be dancing in the streets in greater numbers than they did on September 11, because they will declare victory in this War on Terror."

I grew up in King's district in uber-conservative northwest Iowa, so I am (unfortunately) well-versed in the troll's lunacy and the clinically insane base to whom he panders. I realize that to take the time to refute this blatant, crazed fear-mongering is to lend his shattered worldview more credence than it deserves.

But such garbage is worth noting, because it illustrates an increasingly familiar phenomenon benefiting the McCain campaign as of late. Act 1: a far-right GOP whore parlays Obama's middle name into Obama-as-Muslim-terrorist inneundo, thus injecting the languid conservative base with a much-needed shot of adrenaline. Act 2: John McCain swoops in and disavows the comments, which causes moderates to swoon over his above-the-fray campaign and "independence."

It's a brilliant racket, and I suspect we'll see it played out with greater intensity and frequency in the coming months should Obama secure the nomination.