The Pioneer Press editorial makes a point about Wobbly Gil's conversion, under a larger headline: "On zombies, gators, taxes and other scary things:
EVERYTHING'S (R)ELATIVE
U.S. Rep. Gil Gutknecht, a Republican seeking re-election in southern Minnesota, went to Iraq this month and returned with a sobering assessment. He praised the troops but said the situation in Baghdad is worse than it was three years ago.
He questioned the "spin'' from the Pentagon on the extent of the insurgency. He said he believes Americans are starting to lose faith in the war. He said he believes some U.S. forces should be withdrawn to show the Iraqis that they can't rely on the U.S. military forever.
These are unusual comments from a Republican who has supported President Bush. Similar comments from Democrats in Congress have prompted criticism from Bush aide Karl Rove that these war critics want to "cut and run.'' But when Bush's spokesman, Tony Snow, was asked about Gutknecht's criticism last week, and whether that amounted to a "cut and run'' attitude, Snow said: "No, he's expressing his opinion.''
Which shows: that partisanship and war are a toxic brew. That flag-wavers like Rove are rarely uniform-wearers. That defenses and criticism of U.S. policy are equally patriotic.
And that Gutknecht is, as we said, running for re-election.
This observation has by now become a commonplace in Left Blogisota. Scary, but true.
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