Editors across the nation have for years counted on AP to provide us with the news like a basic meat-and-potatoes diet. Which is why Ron Fournier’s unimstakable bias in his reportage on the 2008 presidential campaign is such a profound betrayal of the AP’s mission. As a monopoly — every single daily newspaper in the country now relies on the AP for its basic news services — the AP has a profound and unmistakable duty to avoid even the appearance of bias. Fournier’s reportage some time ago began reeking of bias, made worse by his dalliance with the McCain campaign last year and his footsie-playing with Karl Rove. And his recent work attacking Barack Obama makes the stink worse than meth lab’s.

Blue Texan and I were chatting yesterday about how to have some fun with the McCain Housing Crisis at the Democratic National Convention this next week, and we hit on the idea of getting keys on a ring — anywhere between seven and 12 of them, depending on your preference — attach a McSame logo to it, and then jingle them freely throughout the convention.

Well, at least we now know the Obama campaign is not going to be a repeat of 2004. We can squabble over issues and tactics, but this is a tough ad. And it’s on the money. I think the “Obama is an elitist” meme may have met its antidote.

Hey, ask any Republican: John McCain is just a good ol’ average Joe Six Pack. Ask the Assrocket dude: “I can relate, though. For example, if a reporter asked me how many ties I own, there’s no way I could answer. Just like McCain, I’d tell him he has to ask my wife. Likewise if someone wants to know how many Wii games my kids have.” Because, you know, most of us just change our houses like we change our ties. Toss around the domiciles like so many video-game cartridges.

For years, progressives have been at a singular disadvantage when it comes to the money/media infrastructure needed to wage effective political campaigns. Here in Washington state, we’ve seen that manifested in the free ride afforded the building-and-development industry’s lobbying arm, the Building Industry Alliance of Washington, which has run amok waging negative smear campaigns against Democratic candidates and bolstering their own hand-picked Republican, Dino Rossi.

This year, progressives are fighting back.

So the latest WSJ/NBC poll  (the same one showing Barack Obama’s lead slipping away) also shows that Americans think John McCain is running a negative campaign. And they’re right. It isn’t just opinion, it’s quantifiable fact.

Darcy Burner didn’t quite get the victory in Washington’s primary election last night she was hoping for — but it was close: Dave Reichert outpolled her only 48-45 percent.

David Zucker was on Fox’s Hannity & Colmes program last night, whining about how liberals all think conservatives are bad people — because evidently this somehow justifies making a film depicting liberals as bad people. And out of Sean Hannity’s mouth came this nugget of wisdom in response: “I think — I think they think we’re evil.”

A few weeks ago it was “presumptuous.” Now we’re seeing “audacious” as the new word of choice among the wingnuts to describe Barack Obama.

Whatever you do, don’t let Michelle Malkin and her horde of flying monkeys hear about Henry Cejudo, the Olympic gold-medalist wrestler.