Of all the criticisms an apparently panicky Dem party has heaped on Sarah Palin in the hours since her selection was announced, Keith Boykin [bio] has come up with perhaps the unseemliest.  The former aide to President Clinton has accused Palin of being an "affirmative action" pick.

Boykin, a graduate of Dartmouth and Harvard Law, was debating the selection with Republican Joe Watkins at the end of MSNBC's 4 PM EDT hour. After some preliminary jousting, Boykin dropped his bomb.

KEITH BOYKIN Let me just say something about this choice.  The reason why she doesn't help, quite frankly, is because it's an insult.  It's an insult to women. I spoke to several women today at the Democratic National Convention who said it's insulting John McCain would pick somebody—an affirmative-action candidate basically—who is not qualified.

I reject the notion that the very impressive Palin is an affirmative-action pick.  The wave of enthusiasm she has unleashed among Republicans, and the sinking feeling apparent among Dems, is testament to that.  

But in any case, is Boykin signalling that Obama has flip-flopped on yet another issue?  When will the Dem candidate be holding his press conference announcing his new-found opposition to affirmative action?