An aide to John McCain was suspended from the campaign today for blasting out an inflammatory video that raises questions about Barack Obama's patriotism.



Soren Dayton, who works in McCain's political department, sent out the YouTube link of "Is Obama Wright?" on Twitter at 12:31 Thursday with the tag, "Good video on Obama and Wright." It has since been taken down.



Twitter is an online device that allows users to send out short messages and links en masse through computers or PDAs.



McCain and his campaign have repeatedly said that they would stay away from personal attacks on Obama, but the temptation has increased as Wright's words have dominated the race in recent days.

Last week, they included an op-ed that hammered Wright and Obama in their morning clip package emailed to reporters. The same day, a campaign aide they regretted doing so.



Informed that Dayton was circulating the video, McCain spokeswoman Jill Hazelbaker said he had been suspended and "reprimanded by campaign leadership."



"We have been very clear on the type of campaign we intend to run and this staffer acted in violation of our policy," she said.



She declined to say for how long he was suspended.



Previously an independent blogger, Dayton drew the attention and favor of McCain's campaign with his frequent attacks on Mitt Romney. He was brought onto the campaign earlier this year to help in the political department. An aide said he was doing "low-level political work for [deputy political director] John Yob."



The video Dayton sent, which includes images of Malcolm X, black Olympians raising their hands in the black power salute and the rap song "Fight the Power," has been rapidly spreading in political circles this week.



As I reported yesterday, it was crafted by a conservative talk radio producer.

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