Some recent New York Times headlines:

• MCCAIN IS TRYING TO DEFINE OBAMA AS OUT OF TOUCH
• MCCAIN CAMP SAYS OBAMA PLAYS ‘RACE CARD’
• NAZIS PLAN ‘RETALIATION’; TREATMENT OF GERMAN PRISONERS BY ALLIES IS CRITICIZED

Oh, sorry. That last one I came across while researching another topic a couple of months back on the Times Web site. It’s from May 29, 1940, and it merely confirmed what I already knew: If you accuse somebody of what you yourself are guilty of, it makes it doubly difficult for them to respond. Also the accusation, regardless of its truth, becomes the story.

So it didn’t matter the way the Nazis mistreated its prisoners and citizens. It didn’t matter that McCain is the one who is playing the race (or racist) card. It didn’t matter that McCain, who’s never used a computer, and has never held a non-government job, is the one who’s out of touch. Accusation becomes story. End of story.

When will the mainstream media wise up? When will they refuse to let a political campaign’s talking points become the headline?

And after The New York Times did McCain’s bidding on its front page, day after day after day, what does McCain do? He attacks The New York Times. For its editorials. Accusing him of, you know, taking the low road and playing politics with race.

Those should have been the headlines.