The new Associated Press guidelines on election coverage have been controversial, due mostly to the role of Washington Bureau Chief Ron Fournier, a probable Republican and admirer of John McCain. Fournier's new rules allow more of a reporter's voice in wire reports, less caging about "fairness", and generally ask that AP writers say it like it is. What that led to earlier this year annoyed liberals to no end. But at some point the race shifted in Obama's favor, and the AP followed suit. Last month they ran a devastating analysis piece on how John McCain lies about everything—that piece was instrumental in changing the McCain media narrative for good. But the selection of Sarah Palin has really sent the wire service right into the famous tank. This weekend they called Palin a big racist! The headline: Analysis: Palin's words carry racial tinge. AP writer Douglass K. Daniel says Palin's new post-debate smear-y stump speech was basically disgusting. The speech (a second draft was just released for use today by the way!) accuses Obama of "palling around with terrorists who would destroy our own country," a veiled reference to former Weatherman Bill Ayers but left vague enough to insinuate, say, Osama bin Laden. In other words, Palin is now a big cute racist email forward disguised as a candidate for Vice President. But because no one takes her seriously at all anymore, all she'll manage to do is hurt McCain's credibility even more, and leave him even more open to charges of acting dishonorably. And he'll get even angrier! By the third debate (if McCain shows up) he won't even shake Obama's hand. Just watch! Previously: The AP wrote the best-lead sentence-ever on Governor Palin: "ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Less than a week after balking at the Alaska Legislature's investigation into her alleged abuse of power, Gov. Sarah Palin on Monday indicated she will cooperate with a separate probe run by people she can fire."