Huffington Post: Bush launched Murtha smear campaign

The Bush administration is nothing if not consistent. When they perceive threats, real or imagined, they bare their fangs and attack.

The Huffington Post reports that the White House sought actively to discredit Iraq war critic John Murtha.

The Huffington Post has learned the Bush administration recently asked high ranking military leaders to denounce Congressman John Murtha. Congressman Murtha has called for the Bush Administration to withdraw US troops from Iraq.

The Bush Administration first attacked Rep. Murtha for his Iraq views by associating him with the filmmaker Michael Moore and Representative Jean Schmidt likened him to a coward on the floor of the House of Representatives. When those tactics backfired, Dick Cheney called Murtha "A good man, a marine, a patriot and he's taking a clear stand in an entirely legitimate discussion."

Though the White House has backed off publicly, administration officials have nevertheless recently made calls to military leaders to condemn the congressman. So far they have refused.

Good for those military leaders. God bless them.

As for Bush, it would be nice to have a president who acts like a man. Men don't hide behind trees and throw rocks at their enemies from a distance. They don't send other people out to fight their battles for them.

Men face their adversaries on even ground. If a man attacks you, stand up to him. If he questions you, answer his questions. If he challenges your integrity, debate him with the facts. If your integrity is intact, you have nothing to fear.

George W. Bush is ruled by fear. This is why he tries to enlist surrogates to attack Murtha's credibility, rather than bolser his own by being honest with the American people. Americans deserve better.