Attack McCain, Guys!

Ross gives some free advice to Democrats:

Do not attack [Palin]. Stop referring to her as a just a small-town mayor and a neophyte governor who's unqualified to be President; in fact, stop referring to her at all. Attack John McCain, John McCain, and John McCain. Attack him all day, all night, and on weekends too. Behave as though Sarah Palin does not exist. Pray that the media will find some Palin-related scandal even more shocking than the perfervid theories aired this week (they'll be looking for one, no doubt), and in the event that they fail to do so, do not under any circumstances allow yourselves to be drawn any deeper into a debate (which the McCain campaign plainly wants to have) over the relative qualifications and accomplishments of Barack Obama and the Republican vice-presidential nominee.

I agree with the basic point here.

The entire political import of the Palin pick is what it says about McCain. And the Democratic candidates have been very shrewd in their handling of Palin so far.

But the fourth estate is different. Our job is to ferret out the truth, regardless of its political impact. An almost total unknown must be examined as closely as we can. Because McCain didn't vet his veep, others will have to. Because McCain barely interviewed the person he thinks should take over the government if the worst happened to him, the press's continued, aggressive questioning of her is essential. This is still a democracy. The people, including the press, do not owe leaders deference. They owe the people deference - and a willingness to provide any relevant facts the press asks for promptly.