In a move unimaginable four years ago, Barack Obama has decided to use campaign resources to defend against the scourge that is the right-wing smear e-mail. The Guardian reports: 

Barack Obama is recruiting senior staff to a new unit which will combat virulent rumour campaigns on the internet that threaten to cost him votes in the presidential election against John McCain.

The unit is part of a huge expansion of Obama's campaign team as he shifts from the Democratic nomination race to the campaign for November's election.

Unfortunately, the article offers no further details on how the unit plans to counter the viral emails.

Whatever their approach, these staffers have their work cut out for them. Despite conclusive evidence to the contrary, an AP-Yahoo poll conducted April 2-14 found that 15 percent of voters think Obama is Muslim. While this rumor shouldn't be treated as a de-facto source of shame, it's certainly problematic from a political standpoint.