Finally. John blogged about this a few months ago and it has been the subject of more than a few heated discussions, both internally and with other bloggers, as we shake our heads and wonder how in the world we've gotten to the point where John McCain -- a man who promises four more years of failed ideas from the least popular president in history -- can be neck and neck with Barack Obama. It's time to hit back and to push back on the Republican framing getting such a strong toehold within the media. The best way to do that is from 527s and it looks like the Obama campaign has realized it:

There's been a spurt of 527 activity on behalf of Sen. John McCain, but Barack Obama campaign has suddenly gone silent on the subject.

That's because, after a year of telling donors not to contribute to 527 groups, of encouraging strategists not to form them and of suggesting that outside messaging efforts would not be welcome in Obama's Democratic Party, Obama's strategists have changed their approach.

An Obama adviser privy to the campaign's internal thinking on the matter says that,with less than two months before the election and with the realization that Republicans have achieved financial parity with Democrats, they hope that Democratic allies -- what another campaign aide termed "the cavalry" -- will come to Obama's aid.

The Obama campaign can't ask donors to form outside groups; it can only communicate, through the public and the media, with body language, tells and hints.

The upshot: Obama's campaign will no longer object to independent efforts that hammer John McCain, just as, in their mind, the McCain campaign has not objected to those efforts targeted at Obama. "I assume with their 527s stirring, some [Democratic] ones will as well," another senior campaign official said.

I don't know about you guys, but I think it's time to start hammering.