Tom Kean is down in the polls. So he’s unleashing a desperate last-ditch effort to smear Sen. Bob Menendez (who I mention in a recent post on peace candidates). It involves the favorite-flavor-of-the-cycle – immigrant bashing – and distorting Menendez’s record on social security.

Here are some excerpts from two of the ads: “You can stop the Menendez plan to give your money to illegal migrants by voting for Tom Kean”…. “My opponent supports amnesty and has voted to give our Social Security benefits to illegal migrants….”

It’s hard to decipher what Kean is talking about since the assertions are outside the realm of even Colbert’s “truthiness.” But Kean seems to be referring to Menendez’s support for the recent Senate immigration bill – which, as Media Matters notes, “would do nothing to change the current prohibition on illegal immigrants receiving Social Security benefits.”

To borrow from that great American political tradition of employing football analogies: the ads are akin to throwing a “Hail Mary” in the 4th quarter when your opponent has nearly put the game out of reach…. Let’s hope voters recognize GOP desperation when they see it.