Chuck Hagel Blasts GOP As Big Spendin' Democrats

Well, for once, the "straight-talking maverick who the media loves almost as much as McCain" seems to have a point.

Then he blathers about the war being a mess and how his patriotism or party loyalty shouldn't be questioned.

I wouldn't question a war hero's patriotism. And as for party loyalty-- well, I do question it, but that's barely even an insult, is it? We all know you're not supposed to be loyal to a party, but to your convictions.

Were I to question anything it would be his carefully-nuanced (i.e., dogfood) positions on the war, and his motivations for doing so.

Does he carp out of genuine principle or because he's following in McCain's footsteps of showing enough liberal leg to the media to make them swoon?

And I do grow tired of the media's kneejerk reaction that any Republican who supports the President and his policies does so out of partisanship and any Republican who snipes at him does so out of enlightened principle.

Maybe the NYT will admit the obvious: taking a position against your party sells with the public. Well, first it sells to the liberal media, who then sell it to the public like discount candy-necklaces at a rave.

There's more than one self-serving reason to announce a position. The list does not begin and end with "partisan Republican loyalty."

posted by Ace at 01:51 PM

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