Postings on the Internet and forwarded e-mails describe presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama as a radical Muslim in disguise and his choice for a running mate, Sen. Joe Biden, as a Washington insider and plagiarist.

On the other side, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain is a wealthy old warmonger who once sold out his nation by making propaganda tapes for North Vietnam's communist government. Equally outlandish statements will most likely surface about McCain's choice of a running mate.

It is unfortunate so many people continue to put so much stock in these verbally twisted and, sometimes, downright untruthful efforts at political propaganda. Voters relying on these tidbits to select one candidate over another make them, by far, the most misinformed of voters.

More worrisome, though, is when the bits and pieces of misinformation being bandied about become assembled in what purports to be a nonfiction work that could infect the minds of voters who have not yet made up their minds. Face it, something passed around in e-mails might carry little weight with most people, but presented with a slickly published book, these same people might think the information is truth. After all, a publishing company wouldn't knowingly publish something as truth without vetting it first, would it?

There is something reassuring about the physical reality of a book in one's hands — it feels of research and careful crafting — especially if what is in the book merely confirms one's own beliefs or if it seems to answer questions people have had about a candidate.

Of course, if the books seem to back up the misinformation on the Internet, enough voters might be swayed to swing the election to an ineffectual president.

Three books have been published since May trying to do just that. Each author suggests his intent is to provide insight into the candidates.

The most controversial of the three is by Jerome R. Corsi. He hopes "The Obama Nation" will be like "Unfit for Command," his book about Sen. John Kerry four years ago, and bring about the defeat of Obama in the same way Kerry was defeated. Published Aug. 1, the book jumped to the top of The New York Times' best-seller list for nonfiction. Much of Corsi's book is a rehash of the misinformation being passed around the Internet and through e-mails.

At No. 6 on the list is "The Case Against Barack Obama," by David Freddoso. It was published Aug. 4. Freddoso's book, supposedly, is based on the premise that a candidate's character, not his stand on the issues, becomes the most important consideration for voters.

To Freddoso, Obama is a big-government politician, ultraliberal and more of a threat to this nation, evidently, than terrorists or belligerent nations with nuclear weapons.

Both Corsi and Freddoso are conservatives, which does color their works.

In addition to his books, Corsi writes columns for the evangelical-conservative-oriented Web site WorldNetDaily and the conservative publication and Web site Human Events. To be fair, Corsi is not a Republican. He has called for the impeachment of President Bush and he believes Bush has been trying to create a North American Government, i.e., the merger of the U.S., Canada and Mexico into one nation.

Freddoso is described as an investigative reporter for the National Review, a biweekly magazine formed by the late William F. Buckley to promote the American Conservative movement.

Not in the Top 10 of the Times best-selling list is the third book, "The Real McCain," by Cliff Schecter. It was published May 1. Schecter is liberal, which also colors his work. He has been a campaign strategist, political commentator and blogger who frequently contributes to the Huffington Post. He seeks to portray McCain as a do-anything, say-anything politician with, according to Schecter, a questionable past on race issues whose only goal is to become president.

That people seek to undermine a presidential candidate based on half-truths and innuendos suggests a sad deterioration of American politics into fluff over substance.

Yes, character can play a role in deciding whether to back a candidate, but more important is how candidates respond to the important issues and problems facing this nation — from war to the economy, healthcare to Social Security, education to housing.

Discerning voters can begin getting a feel for the candidates this week with the Democratic National Convention and next week with the Republican National Convention. The rest should put aside the smear books and forwarded e-mails and try a dose of reality.

— Richard Larsen is a deputy opinion page editor at The Star. His e-mail address is rlarsen@VenturaCountyStar.com.