Pete Stark Does The Right Thing
Rep. Pete Stark needs to be applauded for apologizing for his remarks about President Bush sending troops to Iraq to have their "heads blown off for the president's amusement." He initially dug in and, with nutroots support, refused to back down. But sanity prevailed, and Stark did the right thing. He should be rewarded for turning toward civility, and not castigated for his intemperate remarks. The right should not engage in smug triumphalism here: this should instead be a 'teachable moment' for leftists everywhere instructing them that the American people respect and value dissent, but draw the line at unreasoned hatred. Accusing the President of sending troops to their death for his own amusement is indeed hate, Stark has realized that, and has retreated from his malignant opinion.
His extremist followers need a good lesson in decency, and Stark should be encouraged to set a good example.
Crossposted from Ken McCracken
Update by Rob: It's worth noting that Stark apologized...to those that "might" have been offended.
Which, frankly, isn't all that much of an apology in my book.
Update by Ken: For a Democrat on the floor of the house to give even a mealy-mouthed apology for anything is a landmark moment. He may as well have pulled out a wakizashi and committed seppuku as far as the nutroots are concerned. He should be commended for this, not condemned.
Update by Ken: It appears that the nutroots' ire is being directed at Nancy Pelosi over this and not Stark.
