Telling It Like It Is

Jim Wooten, associate editorial page editor of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is hardly a conservative. But he's an honest man, and he lets the Democrats have it.

Honest people can disagree on the war in Iraq. They can disagree, too, on whether the "ownership society" vision Bush offers is healthier for the nation than one that continues to expand social programs.

But there can be no doubt that the country is not well served by this prolonged effort by Democrats to settle a 5-year-old hanging-chad grievance or to recast history so as to make presidential dishonesty something they all do, thereby minimizing the sin of Bush's predecessor.

This generation of Democrats is so tormented by memories of Florida and impeachment that they are driven to the edge of madness in search of retribution — even when it comes at the expense of undermining the war on terrorism.

Precisely.