contrapositive

Sleaze in the Ointment Terry McAuliffe's Pre-Feb. 3 comments about the Bush/AWOL issue have been widely discussed.

But what's received less attention is his obvious dual motive in bringing up Bush's national guard record.

Yes, McAuliffe was drawing attention to an issue on which he believes the President is vulnerable. But he was also framing the general election debate in a way clearly designed to benefit John Kerry at the expense of John Edwards and Howard Dean.

Should the Chairman of the Democratic Party be taking sides--all but explicitly--during the primaries? Should he take sides at a time when only about five percent of votes have been cast?

Reasonable people, I suppose, could disagree.

But no reasonable person could believe--as McAuliffe professes to--that carrying water for John Kerry is consistent with maintaining neutrality among the prospective nominees.