Yoking Obama to his Chicago pastor's unforgiving views on American imperialism and racism was so tempting that four years later, a Republican strategist came up with a plan to use the material against Obama "to do exactly what John McCain would not let us do." The plan, criticized as blatantly racist, was scuttled and the strategist later apologized.

He said gay marriage could lead to bestiality. He blamed "radical feminism" for women going to work at the expense of children. He compared women seeking abortions unfavorably to slaveholders, saying that even they "did not have the unlimited right" to kill their slaves. It was a manner that eventually wore thin on Pennsylvania voters, who turned him out of office in 2006 with a resounding 18-point loss.

"Oh goodness," said Jill Jepsen, 57, a retired department store employee who lives in Oskaloosa and supports former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. "I just don't listen to it. I can't listen to it. It makes me sick."