BY MARC COOPER

Now that McCain-Palin have reverted to an overt form of McCarthyism as a last-minute ploy, repeatedly labeling Barack Obama as a “socialist,” it's only logical to expect that the last few days of their campaign will become overtly racist.

Those who know me, know very well I'm hardly scandalized by the notion of socialism. And if Obama were such a thing, I'd be an even bigger supporter of his.

But the use of this term by a political nitwit like Sarah Palin and by a decaying cynic like John McCain has a transparent and sinister intent. In this case, the GOP ticket has taken the simple, very American principle of a fair, progressive income tax, and twisted into a specter of communism.

This will fail, of course. Each day brings a new smear tactic by McCain. And each day he loses yet another battleground state.

So sometime around the middle of next week — perhaps earlier– the McCain campaign will have but one arrow left in its quiver.

Race.

McCain campaign manager Rick Davis has as much as tipped his hand.

Joe McCarthy, meet Jim Crow.

Don't know about you, but this flood of crud has got me really motivated.

Thanks to this latest onslaught of smears, I feel very strongly that such despicable and dishonest elements should be kept as far away as possible from the levers of power. When such craven types as Peggy Noonan starts to get queasy over her own Republican ticket, you know something really stinks.

So, here's my decision. It's a firm but hardly altruistic choice. I've decided I will spend the last 5 days of this campaign in Nevada where I can help turn one of the remaining swing states against John McCain and Sarah Palin (and still play poker at night!).

I hope you will join me.

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