This is very encouraging news, despite the fact that it's sad that it's even necessary.

Guardian:

Barack Obama is recruiting senior staff to a new unit which will combat virulent rumour campaigns on the internet that threaten to cost him votes in the presidential election against John McCain. The unit is part of a huge expansion of Obama's campaign team as he shifts from the Democratic nomination race to the campaign for November's election.

The Obama campaign's online presence has been absolutely remarkable, so it's no surprise that they are ahead of the curve on this. They astutely recognize how effective these despicable smears can be and are gearing themselves up to tackle them head on. The message this time around is pretty clear: The Democratic nominee will not be swiftboated.