As Simple as 1,2,3

One: On Saturday a Democratic leader said,

No one wants to call [Petraeus] a liar on national TV.

The expectation is that the outside groups will do this for us.

Two: On Monday Democratic front group MoveOn.org—the self-professed owners of the Democratic party, who once said, We bought it, we own it, and we're taking it back!—accused General Petraeus of

Cooking the books for the White House

and added for good measure

Today, before Congress and before the American people, General Petraeus is likely to become General Betray Us.

Three: Of the 282 Democrats in the House and Senate, only two disavowed MoveOn's slur of one of America's true heroes.

America has had a single General who betrayed the country. In our earliest years Benedict Arnold, hero and general of George Washington's Continental Army, gave to the enemy secrets of the defense of the fort at West Point. If his treachery had succeeded we'd likely be Queen's subjects today.

No other general has been accused of betrayal. Until now.

If the Democrats believe this of General Petraeus, they should move for the immediate removal and trial of the man they unanimously confirmed just six months ago. If they have a shred of proof, I and many others will support them.

However, if there is no proof (and of course there isn't a scintilla; nor does there live a Democratic senator who actually believes this slander), then what? An apology? Scores of apologies? Would resignations be too much to expect?

Whatever the merits of the arguments, is this the way to debate the most serious issue of our lives and those of our children?

Finally, at the end of the day, is there no shred of shame that remains?

I remember Joe McCarthy, barely. I remember the embarrassment that clung like the stench of mold to good Republican cloth coats for years after.

I wonder at the ability of too many Republicans to exude shame at the drop of a hat or the tap of a toe.

I marvel at the inability of too many Democrats, prominent and not, to show the slightest shame for the malignancies spewed in their names.


David Petraeus? Benedict Arnold? No. It's as simple as that, and as sad.