E. J. Dionne on the Politics of Character Assassination 0
Mr. Dionne’s remarks in todays Washington Post are quite worth a read. Now, Mr. Dionne is a columnist–his job is to share his opinions (unlike me, for whom it’s a hobby). This is not a fact piece; it’s an opinion piece.
But by heaven he’s dead on:
I underestimated the viciousness of the right wing.
Last November, Rep. John Murtha, a Democrat and a decorated Marine combat veteran, came out for a rapid American withdrawal from Iraq. At the time, I wrote: “It will be difficult for Bush’s acolytes to cast Murtha, who has regularly stood up for the military policies of Republican presidents during his 31 years in Congress, as some kind of extreme partisan or hippie protester.”
No, the conservative hit squad didn’t accuse Murtha of being a hippie. But a crowd that regularly defends President Bush for serving in the Texas Air National Guard instead of going to Vietnam has continued its war on actual Vietnam veterans. An outfit called the Cybercast News Service last week questioned the circumstances surrounding the awarding of two Purple Hearts to Murtha because of wounds he suffered in the Vietnam War.
They know their message is bankrupt, so their only choice is to shoot the messenger.
But there seems to be a difference this time. Unlike last August, when John Kerry hesitated to respond, the plain light of day is being shed on their lies immediately.
