Crimes Are Committed by Other People

Wolcott:

Crestwood, N.Y.: So the Senate report--supported by two Republicans-- supports the conclusion that we all reached several years ago, that Bush and Cheney used propaganda and ginned up intelligence to trick the country into war. If this is not an impeachable offense, what do you define as one? And if an impeachable offense is committed, isn't it the height of irresponsibility for the Democrats to put possible harm to their electoral chances (negligible, in my opinion) ahead of their oaths to the Constitution? How will history look back at this disgraceful chapter in both the executive and legislative branches?

That sort of hothead talk isn't welcome in Broder's barbershop. His Olympian response:

You'll have to forgive me, but I am reluctant to see every big policy dispute turned into a criminal or impeachable affair. There needs to be accountability but there also needs to be proportionality. This country is engaged in two wars and has serious, serious domestic problems. To stop everything and attempt to impeach and remove a president who has less than a year to serve would not strike me as the best use of our energy. And for what? So Dick Cheney can be president?

No, no, David, you don't understand. Let me wipe the windshield for you. Dick Cheney wouldn't assume the presidency because under this dream scenario we'd impeach his flubberducking ass too.

It's not as if he wasn't in on it, after all.

Then with those two unindicted war racketeers removed from office, we'd turn our keen sense of justice on The Washington Post and demand that they shitcan your sorry, energy-dependent ass too, along the equally flagrant tails belonging to Fred Hiatt, Richard Cohen, and Charles Krauthammer.