Scorched Earth

Orrin Judd nails Tom Daschle. It's devastating.

Of course, Mr. Judd actually takes the time to read and listen and analyze.

The problem, as he points out, is that very few people DO take the time. Sometimes the scorched earth approach works.

And Jay Nordlinger wrote the following about Daschle today:

Certain top Democrats just hate it, hate it, hate it when Republicans discuss the war. Then again, they may hate it when Republicans don’t.

Here is Tom Daschle, referring to Dick Cheney: “I must say, I was very chagrined that the vice president would go to a congressional district and make the assertion that they ought to vote for this particular Republican candidate because he was a war supporter, that he was bringing more support to the president than his opponent. If that doesn’t politicize this war, I don’t know what does.”

Yes, well, we’re all sorry for Mr. Daschle’s chagrin, but this is a democracy, and we discuss important things here, such as whether, and how, to go to war. In one breath, Daschle might insist on this; in another, he decries it. Depends on what suits him, politically.

Can you think of anything else more important to discuss on the campaign trail this year? Isn’t a matter of war more important than, say, a candidate’s nuance on prescription-drug benefits? It’s perfectly legitimate to stand up and say, “Vote for Smith, because he’s with the president on this war.” It’s perfectly legitimate to stand up and say, “Vote for Jones, because Bush is all wet on the war.” May the better man win — or rather, the people will decide, as they always do, rightly or wrongly.

If Tom Daschle rules the war out of bounds as a topic of political discussion, it’s because he thinks it doesn’t cut his way, at the moment. And that’s no principle. If he wants policymaking of the highest import without a little democratic rough-and-tumble, he can go to Russia.

Oh, no, wait: That’s a left-wing parody of the American Right, circa 1970.

I think Nordlinger and Judd have got it about right.

[Posted at 21:46 CST on 09/25/02] [Link]