Bad column writing...

inevitably begins with a refusal to face the facts.
Such is the case today with Jeff Jacoby in the Globe who makes a lame argument that conflates GOP libertarian Presidential candidate Ron Paul's isolationism somehow with the "mainstream" of thinking within democratic Presidential contenders.
This is yet another attempt by Jeff to form a bucket brigade on the Titanic that is the President's war policy...in fact you have to expect this sort of thing.
The facts are, the President's policy in Iraq is opposed by some sixty percent of the American Electorate, barring divine intervention, this increment will only go higher as we spiral towards January of 2009. Moreover the President's personal approval rating is stalled at some twenty-nine percent, Nixonville to put it bluntly.
Jeff has yet to address this blunt truth in any of his columns, the American people have given up on him and the war party.
They do not crave surrender, they do want new and different policies.
Therefore to desire a graceful exit from Iraq does not imply a cowardly desire to quit the so called war on terror. The American people get this, the current democrats running for President are struggling with this notion and ironically both Representative Ron Paul and his critic Jeff Jacoby don't understand this one whit.

However given time, luck and common sense, the democrats will sort it all out....they will have to.