How inside the Beltway can you get?

Thanks to Church Sign Generator

Richard Cohen in Tuesday's WaPo goes to considerable lengths to assure us that he and a Post researcher have verified that Democratic Congresscritters have not called President Bush "a liar" on account of the tall tales that were used to take the country to war.

[T]he "L" word has been prudently withheld by elected Democrats.

So what? And more to point, if they haven't shouted to the housetops that Bush lied, why not?

The voters elected Bush, not the supporting cast of characters who Cohen happily suggests were using a credulous president. They lied; if he didn't stop them, he's politically and morally culpable for their lies. That's how this system works, outside the beltway.

Cohen also labels Bush "an amiable dunce." Again, who cares if a liar is "amiable" or irritable? He's still a liar. Furthermore, there have been a plethora of revelations ( for example) that Bush is not "amiable" when confronted with bad news, apparently inclined to yell at aides and storm from the room. The whole country got to see how peevish he is when confronted with opposition during the first debate with Senator Kerry.

Cohen goes on:

The restraint of responsible war critics has been remarkable.

There's the crux of this silly article: Proper insiders know there are some things you just can't say. Sure -- getting to the truth required the "irresponsible" critics: a patient peace movement chipping away with little vigils and bigger teach-ins, a bereaved mother, an honest prosecutor, and finally the mass of citizens who have dropped the the President's approval ratings into freefall. Now an insider pundit can edge close to stating the obvious. Mr. Cohen, get over yourself.