In her recent piece titled "Too Bad" Peggy Noonan is shocked, shocked to discover that George W. Bush would suggest oppositon to his policies is un-American.
I'm sure she still doesn't believe gambling was going on in the back of Rick's Cafe either. What has left the erstwhile right-wing pundit stunned is the administration's response to conservative opponents of his immigration bill.
"The president has taken to suggesting that opponents of his immigration bill are unpatriotic" Ms. Noonan writes with seething surprise. "Why would they speak so insultingly, with such hostility, of opponents who are concerned citizens?"
I am not sure why this has taken her off guard. Attacks on patriotism have been part of the modus operandi of the Bush administration since its dawn.
For five long years now this administration has pursued war in Iraq that millions opposed as wasteful and pointless from the start. This administration never engaged concerned citizens critical of the war on the merits of the argument but attacked their patriotism and personal judgment instead.
When concerned citizens oppose and condemn torture as ineffective and immoral we are accused of hating our country by an administration incapable of realizing that America's greatest strength comes not from the barrel of a gun but the power of it's ideals.
When concerned citizens stand up against warrantless wiretapping of phone calls of millions of Americans we are accused of aiding terrorists.
Long ago we discovered that this White House regards all debate and dissent as illegitimate.
So when conservatives finally an issue that gets them worked up enough to split from this rogue White House they are surprised to find themselves in the cross hairs of attack?
"The White House and its supporters seem to be marshaling not facts but only sentiments" Noonan states. I couldn't have phrased it any better Ms. Noonan, but you make an unconvincing ingenue; you are too smart not to realize it is what they have always done.
You are only objecting now because the "concerned citizens" are right-wing Republicans. Today you reap what they have sown with your blind support of an incompetent and unreasoning president.
This administration runs by a simple rule - don't cross the boss and expect to pay the price if you do.
Don't believe me, Peg? Ask Joe Wilson.
For six long years you and others like you have joined in and cheered on Bush's scorched earth campaign against other concerned citizens who had the temerity to disagree and you really thought if you finally stood up to him it would be different?
Too bad for you, Peggy Noonan.