If you thought the Swift Boating of John Kerry was pretty bad, fasten your seatbelt because the great Republican slime machine is revving up to slap Barack Obama, the untested babe in the political woods, on both sides of his head.

Veteran Washington operative Charlie Black got the ball rolling yesterday, saying that his guy John McCain would benefit from a terror attack on the U.S. because the GOP is somehow perceived to be better on national security than the Dems.

Never mind that Black brought to mind the horrible images of 9/11. Charlie plays hardball. It’s a stretch to attribute Black’s remark to a “slip of the tongue.” Sticking to script, Black expressed regrets, and McCain dutifully followed through by saying that Black was wrong. Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton called Black’s comment an example of “cynical and divisive brand of politics.” Duh! Where have you been, Bill? You gotta toughen up.

Advantage goes to the Republicans.

Evangelical James Dobson, head of Focus on the Family, threw a right and a left at Barack today. Dobson’s people slipped the AP an advance copy of his taped radio show in which he charged Barack with distorting the Bible and planning to govern by the “lowest common denominator of morality.” Topping it off, Dobson belched that Obama pushes a “fruitcake interpretation” of the Constitution. Fruitcake? Don't ask. But be sure wily Dobson wasn't referring to that festive Christmas gift. Advantage goes to the Republicans.

Word is out that a “Son of Swift Boat” campaign will be brought to America by Creative Response Concepts, the firm that spearheaded the shredding of Kerry. CRC will promote Regnery Publishing’s “The Case Against Barack Obama,” a work from conservative journalist David Freddoso. That gem of a slam job is due out early August. More summer fun for the Republicans.

Obama has positioned himself as an agent of change, but nothing has changed for the GOP’s attack machine. The Democrats withered under the GOP assault in `04. Is it possible for the GOP led by a dodgy out-of-touch Presidential candidate (and after eight years of Bush) to defeat such a promising politician as Obama? You can take that to the bank.

The Democrats better get ready for the fight of their lives as Republicans go all-out in their last effort to remain relevant in a changing America.