He started out as a “post-racial” candidate, but Obama and his surrogates have found themselves time and again claiming that any criticism of the candidate and his record are racist. Such claims are nonsensical – but taken up by the slavering media supporters of the campaign as if they fell from heaven bound in leather with gold leaf on the edge of the pages.

The latest involves Sarah Palin’s observation that Barack Obama has had an ongoing close relationship with unrepentant terrorist Bill Ayers.

"Our opponent ... is someone who sees America, it seems, as being so imperfect, imperfect enough, that he's palling around with terrorists who would target their own country," Palin told a group of donors in Englewood, Colo. A deliberate attempt to smear Obama, McCain's ticket-mate echoed the line at three separate events Saturday.

"This is not a man who sees America like you and I see America," she said. "We see America as a force of good in this world. We see an America of exceptionalism."

Her reference to Obama's relationship with William Ayers, a member of the Vietnam-era Weather Underground, was exaggerated at best if not outright false. No evidence shows they were "pals" or even close when they worked on community boards years ago and Ayers hosted a political event for Obama early in his career.

Obama, who was a child when the Weathermen were planting bombs, has denounced Ayers' radical views and actions.

Well, I would dispute the characterization that they were not close – especially given that Ayers personally sought out Obama for the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, hosted campaign events, participated in speaking engagements, and otherwise worked closely with the Democrat candidate. While one can argue about the depth of their personal relationship, it was clear that they were close professional associates – and that Obama’s willingness to be so closely associated with an admitted terrorist indicates that he does see the world in a manner that is very different from most Americans. Either that, or he doesn’t give a damn about anything that doesn’t advance Barack Obama personally.

But racist? It the connection to race is so tenuous as to be laughable.

Palin's words avoid repulsing voters with overt racism. But is there another subtext for creating the false image of a black presidential nominee "palling around" with terrorists while assuring a predominantly white audience that he doesn't see their America?

In a post-Sept. 11 America, terrorists are envisioned as dark-skinned radical Muslims, not the homegrown anarchists of Ayers' day 40 years ago. With Obama a relative unknown when he began his campaign, the Internet hummed with false e-mails about ties to radical Islam of a foreign-born candidate.

Whether intended or not by the McCain campaign, portraying Obama as "not like us" is another potential appeal to racism. It suggests that the Hawaiian-born Christian is, at heart, un-American.

So get that – any pointing out that Obama might be different from Americans in his outlook or associations is automatically false and racist.

This marks simply one more goofy “racism” charge. They are cataloged over at Patterico’s Pontifications.

• It&’s racist to point out the connection between Barack Obama and a white man — who happens to be a terrorist.

• It’s racist to point out the similarity between Barack Obama and two white women — who are famous for being celebrities.

• It’s racist to point out the connection between Barack Obama and a black man — who happens to have run Fannie Mae.

• It’s racist to point out the connection between Barack Obama and a black woman — who happens to be his wife, and who said she wasn’t really proud of America until her husband was nominated.

And I’ve got to make an observation publicly that I have made privately to friends over the last few months as we have watched Barack Obama deflect criticism by redefining the entire concept of racism – if everything, including clear statements of fact and direct quotations of candidates, their friends, family members, and associates, constitutes racism, then the very notion of racism itself is meaningless. And that has the potential for making all but the most pernicious, outrageous forms of racism legitimate, because racism itself will have been devalued as an actual evil. Do we as a country really wish to see our society go down that path?

H/T Malkin, Hot Air