For the first time, Lynn Swann has interjected the issue of race in his quest to unseat Gov. Rendell and become Pennsylvania's first black governor.

In ads on three black radio stations in Philadelphia, the Republican accuses Rendell of distorting his record, and contends that it isn't the first time the governor has attacked an African American politician.

"For too long now," the ad says, "career politicians like Ed Rendell have taken us for granted. Remember how Ed Rendell attacked Mayor Goode by calling him a liar, incompetent, deceitful?... Now he's doing the same thing to another African American, Lynn Swann. It's time to stand up."

The reference is to comments Rendell made in 1987, when he unsuccessfully challenged Mayor Wilson Goode in the Democratic primary. At the time, Rendell said some of his supporters believed he should have been more critical of Goode, but he added: "I didn't hold anything back. The only thing I didn't do was call him a murderer, and I don't think he is a murderer. I called him a liar, incompetent, deceitful, a purveyor of a phony budget... all of those things."

Tip to Swanny: Micro-targeting is great (especially when you are out of money), but an issue that is 20 years old for a man that was since elected mayor (twice) and governor... well that's just not good campaigning.