Fabricated videos have been happening since Kennedy, and what they show is that anyone with an editing station - whether at a private house or a network facility - can make anyone look like whatever the editor wants. As long as folks rely on edited videos for their knowledge, that knowledge will be flawed.

That being said, it is much easier to make edited videos about a person no one really knows, since there is nothing really to compare them to. Sen. Obama is just such a person. Four years ago he was a State senator picked as a party rising star. For 2 1/2 more years he was just another freshman US senator with no senate record other than almost totally voting "party line" when he did vote. His charisma got him into the primaries, and a lackluster field of opponents brought him into the party semi-finals. He still has not submitted any legislation of note (being a co-sponsor doesn't count, as they basically are "pre-voting"), but has published two books during that time frame.

Based on being such an unknown, it is not surprising that edited videos make the rounds, as ANY information about Sen. Obama is news in itself. So, whenever something appears in cyber-space, it's treated as a potential "source" rather than just another unsubstantiated item.

Oddball stuff is now coming out on Gov. Palin for the same reason. She's a virtual unknown outside of the Northwest, so the cartoons, edited videos and oh-did-you-hear-that junk has an eager market, especially among those who are more concerned with slamming the person than verifying credentials.

One would think we would all know better by now than deal with the rumor/distortion market, no matter which of the four candidates is the target. However, when little is there to start with, that's what always seems to happen.