This passage...

from Joan Vennochi's current column just drives me crazy:

More evidence of their difficulty comes from Ohio. On Tuesday, former state Representative Jean Schmidt, a Republican, narrowly defeated Paul L. Hackett, a Democrat and Iraqi war veteran.

Schmidt won a special election to replace Representative Rob Portman, a Republican who resigned from Congress after winning Senate confirmation to become US trade representative. Hackett, an underdog, lost by only about 4,000 votes. He scared the GOP, but still he lost.

In his campaign, Hackett called Bush a ''chicken hawk" for failing to serve in Vietnam and ''a cheerleader for the enemy," for goading Islamic militants to ''bring it on." It was not a winning strategy against Bush in the past, and it wasn't for Hackett against Schmidt. His attacks caused Republicans to throw money and resources into the race. Besides, chicken hawk Republicans have a track record for knowing how to dissect and dismantle war heroes, from fellow Republican John McCain to Democrats Max Cleland and John Kerry

Is it so much to ask that Joanie just occasionally acknowledge the outrageous treatment the GOP metes out to veterans in general and democratic war veterans in venomous particular???
In fact I can't recall a single instance from campaign 2000 wherein this spiteful no talent ever denounced the GOP's mendacious attacks on Kerry's patriotism & war record.
Oh no somehow its the DEMOCRATS FAULT for bringing down this shitstorm of lies and innuendo upon some of the bravest and most honorable men to walk this earth!

This is appalling, Joanie ought to be ashamed, alas she comes from out a cohort of punditry singularly proud of their shamelessness.