Unfortunately, it has become all about Bush, and Bush himself is responsible for that.

He's personalized the issue of war with Iraq, by refusing to condescend to present objective evidence (we'll see whether Colin Powell presents real evidence, or another smoke-and-mirrors show at the UN); by fudging and misportraying evidence like the aluminum tubes; by citing the attempt on his daddy's life as one reason for war; and by personalizing the war as directed at one man, Saddam Hussein, most notably in his SOU speech. He's deliberately framed the issue as "you either trust Saddam Hussein, or you trust me."

Many people, myself included, resent being presented with an artificially binary choice that tries to deprive us of the freedom to judge for ourselves and back us into a predetermined corner. I don't respond to arguments targeted at my gut to the exclusion of my head, nor do I respond at all well to that blatant intellectual bullying. I'm not willing to get sucked into the George Bush cult of personality; supporting the office of the President is not the same as supporting the man temporarily holding that office.

This is one of the most dangerous rhetorical drums being beaten by the Right today:

It's about destroying George W. Bush and the Republican Party. Beyond that it is about destroying America, and the West in general.

The Republican Party is not America. George Bush is not America. This is nothing less than a reprehensible attempt to equate principled skepticism of the policies of one man and his political party with treason against the United States.

Nor do I appreciate your assertion that asking reasonable questions about the President's intentions and plans for the country "isn't about any principled positions at all". Buy a vowel, Tom.

You couldn't have said anything better designed to harden my opposition to George W. Bush and his policies. You've helped me to see that it's about more than protecting America against nebulous foreign threats; it's about protecting America from a palpable domestic threat.

Thank you for clarifying my patriotic duty.

--Robert

(Sigh...Tom, I know that you don't often set out to deliberately offend people. But it's clear that sometimes you don't stop to consider the effects of your intemperate remarks on other people. Do you understand how deeply you've insulted and impugned the integrity of millions of people who just don't deserve that kind of treatment?)