As part of his stump speech, Barack Obama has been preemptively describing how the Republicans are going to use fear tactics to convince the “low information” crowd to vote against him in November. On June 20, in Jacksonville, Obama said it this way:

“It is going to be very difficult for Republicans to run on their stewardship of the economy or their outstanding foreign policy … We know what kind of campaign they’re going to run. They’re going to try to make you afraid. They’re going to try to make you afraid of me. ‘He’s young and inexperienced, and he’s got a funny name. And did I mention he’s black?’ ”

After Karl Rove-puppet Steve Schmidt took charge of the McCain campaign a month ago, the new team was reportedly biding its time, looking for an opportunity to use Obama’s statements to charge him with playing the race card — and, not for nothing, neutralize his warnings to voters about Republican scare tactics.

On July 31, Rick Davis, the McCain operative whose job Schmidt took, rolled out the new line of attack. “Barack Obama has played the race card, and he played it from the bottom of the deck … It’s divisive, negative, shameful and wrong.’’

The corporate media — which is quickly reverting to the depths of the pre-Katrina see-no-GOP-evil that was its hallmark in the 2000 and 2004 elections and, especially, during the run-up to Bush’s invasion of Iraq — is playing into the Republicans’ hand by pretending it doesn’t understand that, if anything, Obama was playing the “racist” card against the Republicans, which, based on their past performance and his ethnic background, he is entitled to do.

And no one in the media has mentioned the corollary to McCain’s attack, which is the fact that it was McCain, age 71, who was first to played the “age” card in the campaign — against himself:

March 2007: “I’m older than dirt, more scars than Frankenstein, but I learned a few things along the way.”

On “Saturday Night Live,” in May 2008: “I ask you, what should we be looking for in our next president? Certainly, someone who is very, very, very old.”

And:

“Controlling government spending isn’t just about Republicans and Democrats. It’s about being able to look your children in the eye — or in my case, my children, my grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren and great-great-great-great-grandchildren, the youngest of whom are nearing retirement.”

This is interesting because a Gallup poll last month found that 23 percent said John McCain’s age would make him a less effective president, while only 8 percent say Barack Obama’s race would make him less effective. Interestingly, 82 percent of Americans felt Obama’s race made no difference in his ability to lead the nation, while only 65 percent said McCain’s age would make no difference. Just 9 percent said Obama’s race would make him a better president, while 11 percent said McCain’s age would be a presidential asset.