Phil, there is indeed such a thing as the Godless Americans PAC, and if radical atheists supported Kay Hagan, it is not a “religious test” for the Dole campaign to point that out.

Of course, if there were some unsavory (or, at least, unpopular) association on Elizabeth Dole’s part, the Hagan campaign wouldn’t have to run an ad to point that out — the Charlotte Observer would make it front-page news and treat it like a legitimate issue that “raises questions” about the Republican.

One reason Republicans are always blamed for negative politics is that the news media serves the negative-attack function for the Democratic Party (think of all the national reporters who flew to Anchorage to dig up dirt on Sarah Palin) whereas Republicans have to do it themselves.