From a note in today's Times,

The Republican Party acknowledged yesterday sending mass mailings to residents of two states warning that "liberals" seek to ban the Bible. It said the mailings were part of its effort to mobilize religious voters for President Bush.

The mailings include images of the Bible labeled "banned" and of a gay marriage proposal labeled "allowed." A mailing to Arkansas residents warns: "This will be Arkansas if you don't vote." A similar mailing was sent to West Virginians.

I don't mean to hold Bush responsible every time a low-ranking Republican party official comes up with a crazy idea - but patterns of incidents like this illustrate the extent to which mudslinging and appeals to ignorance are the core of the Republican strategy.