Equal Treatment, Please

Page One complains about a former Fletcher aide, Brett Hall, criticizing Congressman John Yarmuth's aide, Stuart Perelmuter for writing and starring in a local gay movie.

Page One had acknowledged previously that "the movie is questionable for someone in such a high-profile position of Press Secretary."

Now the blog argues:

It’s one thing to discuss Yarmuth’s perceived negatives in an election year but it’s an entirely different ball game when you begin attacking and lying about a candidate’s staff. Staff whom, we remind you, are not elected officials.

The problem with this line of reasoning, as applied by the Demo-blogs, is that it gives Democratic staffers a pass on scrutiny while holding Republican staffers to an entirely different -- and more rigorous -- standard. In short, it's viewpoint discrimination.

Case in point. Last Fall, we heard incessant complaints from the left about a staff member of Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell who supposedly started an internet campaign to "slime" the Dem's Schip poster child, Graeme Frost. It later turned out that the aide, Don Stewart, had merely commented in an email about a story that had originated elsewhere days earlier and already had gone viral.

And though the chronology of events is quite clear for anyone who cares about the facts, some blogs keep trotting out the canard, months after they should have known better.

I agree with Page One that Perelmuter was entitled to pursue his acting career, and I could care less about the subject matter. But fairness -- the left is always demanding fairness -- requires that the same standard be applied to Republican staffers.

Heffalumps and Woozles in the Bluegrass

Despite its being "librul," as Page One Kentucky spells the word, we find that site to be worth checking occasionally, certainly in comparison to the other Kentucky Demo-blogs. Take Page One's literary allusion today (please), when that blog referred to us as "Heffalumps." For those who haven't read A.A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh in a few years, the heffalumps and woozles were phantom animals that gave Pooh nightmares. We can understand why the prospect of conservatives taking to the blogosphere -- as we did with talk radio -- might give the "libruls" nightmares. But if we are the Heffalumps, then who are the "Woozles"?

Not that we mind the link by whatever word pops into their minds. Okay, some words we would mind, but expletives are more the style of the bad boys at DitchMitch & Co. than Page One.

Perhaps we may be attributing too much cleverness to Page One. But as Wikipedia explains, a "heffalump trap" is a term of art in political journalism whereby the person who sets the trap ends up getting caught by it (as happened to Pooh). If the Page One Poohs want to trap the "heffalumps," they should beware.

We like Pooh. We would have a bowl of honey with Pooh. But he shouldn't be running the country. Same for Eyeore and other donkeys.

Yarmuth and the Ghost of Christmas "Present"

Congressman John Yarmuth understands that it's important to keep on good terms with the "nutroots" -- those far left blogs like Page One, where Andrew Horne announced his candidacy today.

So when Page One castigated Congressman Geoff Davis for co-sponsoring a Congressional Resolution "recognizing the importance of Christmas and the Christian faith," Yarmuth took note.

Congressional Resolution 847 provides in pertinent part:

Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

(1) recognizes the Christian faith as one of the great religions of the world;
(2) expresses continued support for Christians in the United States and worldwide;
(3) acknowledges the international religious and historical importance of Christmas and the Christian faith;
(4) acknowledges and supports the role played by Christians and Christianity in the founding of the United States and in the formation of the western civilization;
(5) rejects bigotry and persecution directed against Christians, both in the United States and worldwide; and
(6) expresses its deepest respect to American Christians and Christians throughout the world.

That doesn't sound particularly controversial. Yet Yarmuth refused to vote for it. Nor did he have the courage to oppose it. Instead, he voted "present." Thankfully, the rest of the Kentucky delegation got it right and voted "aye."

Yarmuth's refusal to support the Christmas resolution is particularly troubling in light of some of his other votes.

In early October, Yarmuth voted "aye" for a resolution in favor of Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting. A few weeks later, Yarmuth voted in favor of recognizing the "religious and historical significance of Diwali." (Diwali, for the uninitiated, is a Indian and Nepalese holiday associated with the religions of Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism.)

Page One complained that the resolution "recognizing the importance of Christmas and the Christian faith" is akin to a "resolution supporting our favorite puppies and rainbows."

Here's news for Yarmuth and Page One. Christians are being persecuted in China, India the Mid-East and Africa, among other places. Some Christians are subject to "forced conversions." Others are just murdered.

For Page One to compare their martyrdom to "puppies and rainbows" trivializes the violation of human rights -- a cause the left likes well enough when it's applied to terrorist detainees.

Page One rationalized its opposition to the Christmas resolution: "can you even imagine what would happen if someone tried to pass a resolution recognizing the 1.5 billion Muslims in the world?"

The thing is, we don't have to imagine. Nor need we imagine Yarumuth's voting record in response: Ramadan, "aye." Diwali, "aye." Christmas, "present."