Trap or No Trap

There is a lot of chatter on the right about how Democrats have "taken the bait" in terms of their outrage to the mud slung recently by Karl Rove. I refuse to be cowed by this. Rove's comments were outrageous, and if I am somehow "springing the trap" by becoming enraged, so be it. To me, this is simply an ideological call to arms. Even if public opinion on Democrats and liberals is indeed soured by this episode, my sincere hope is that this is the moment when we on the left vow that a Durbinesque apology will never happen again.

This White House, and all future GOP White Houses for that matter (since I doubt they will abandon such an effective strategy), is playing by samurai rules. At the slightest show of weakness, they plunge the sword in up to the hilt. The time for weakness is over. I, for one, am from this moment utterly unconcerned with the faux outrage of the right. The time has come to speak the truth. If the truth is derided, denounced, or defamed, I hope all Democrats learn from Rove what their strategy must be: say it again, only this time through a megaphone.