oj:

And the Democrats whom Lincoln invited into his Cabinet wanted to kick a** on the Rebels. And, while war casualities mounted, not a one of 'them' voiced objection. Oh, maybe, that the Union wasn't killing enough of them fast enough; but not that we were fighting the wrong cause. What percentage of the vote did McClennan get?

Fred:

The best part? What access to courts did the Rebel POWs get?

You do have to seperate the ones who actually believe the rhetoric they're spouting today from the ones who wouldn't at all mind offing a some people in the name of the United States of America, but only if they were the ones who earned the huzzahs -- and the votes -- for keeping the nation safe.

The first group is just clueless and/or reflexively anti-whatever the U.S. does. The second group is actually far more contemptable because they know what's being done is right, but are willing to gamble with the public's safety that that can attack these efforts and regain power before any negative consequences result from their actions.

A much better story could be written about what Bush's critics could learn from Lincoln's adversaries: his enemies in the South and critics in the North. With what relative (the operative term here) equanimity did they deal with deaths in the hundred of thousands, occupation, and the suspension of habeas corpus. And against that we have Plamegate?

Of course Bush did come into office with a "generosity of his spirit" towards the other party and what did it get him, a knife in the back. Tho I suppose that's better than a bullet in a theater.

I wonder how much of Bush's problems with leaks from within is a result of his being too conciliatory towards the dems

He seems to have let a lot of the Clinton folks -- Tenet, Clarke come immediately to mind -- hang around for far too long, instead of having security show them the door in Jan 01 the way the Clintons did with all and sundry in Jan 93.

Then in early 04 it seems a lot of these folks started jumping ship to dem presidential campaigns, and low and behold, gotcha stories started showing up in the press.

Bush should've seen the writing on the wall after the way the dems went after him in Dec 00.

Jim, yours is the argument that goes on in our home all day, every day. I'm grateful that we live a bit away from neighbors because if anyone heard my husband bellowing at the television set and issuing curses and denouncements on all and sundry, no doubt they would send for the white jacketed people to take him away.

I know Bush is right. He's staying the course and notching up win after win while the disloyal opposition is only notching up their level of derangement.

Vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord, so we'll just have to be satisfied with knowing we're doing all we can to make the world a safe place for the next generation and let God sort out the rest.

wow OJ... what a leap in fantasy... Lincoln to Bush! Civil war at home to middle men in a civil war in Iraq. How do you ever make those wild connections, anyway?

The institutional connection between the Copperheads and draft rioters of the Civil War era, and the modern Democrat party should not be underestimated. The same folks, the same game.

John, see if you can guess who this was said about:

The cheek of every American must tingle with shame as he reads the silly, flat and dishwatery utterances of the man who has to be pointed out to intelligent foreigners as the President of the United States.

Copperheads just never change.

ok:

I'm an American and a Judeo-Christian, my home is the world and the Iraqi struggle for liberty is mine.

Oldkayaker:

Admit it. You're one of us.

OJ, great post.