But don’t question their patriotism or doubt they support our troops.

Democratic congressional leaders and the party’s presidential candidates yesterday refused to repudiate a liberal group’s ad questioning Gen. David H. Petraeus’ character.

Capitol Hill Democrats rejected a call for votes in both chambers to condemn the attack newspaper ad (pdf download), run by MoveOn.org, saying Republicans are trying to take attention off what they call the president’s failed Iraq policy.

Of course. We call attention to an ad which refers to a respected, four-star general, a traitor, ask the Democrats to wash their hands of the ad, and we’re accused of trying to draw attention away from a “failed policy”. Never mind the fact that Petraeus would testify, that very day, that the new policy is working. Regardless, if they really support the troops, shouldn’t they be denouncing an ad that calls a respected troop a traitor?

Nadeam Elshami, a spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the California Democrat “wished [MoveOn.org] wouldn’t have done that ad,” but declined to comment further.

A spokeswoman for House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, Maryland Democrat, also declined to comment on the ad.

Again, of course. The Defeatocrats are more concerned with winning an election, than actually supporting the troops and America’s fight against terror. Criticizing Moveon.org would put their political future on the line, and they simply won’t do that just to denounce slandering of our troops.

A spokesman for former Sen. John Edwards, a Democratic presidential candidate who has benefited from full-page ads MoveOn.org ran on his behalf, said Mr. Edwards “honors General Petraeus’ service and patriotism,” but he did not disavow the MoveOn.org ad.

 

“The general is wrong to believe that the American people or Congress should give President Bush’s failed Iraq strategy more time,” said Edwards spokesman Eric Schultz.

For the record, Silky Pony has neither visited Iraq nor ever served in the Armed Forces. He’ll say he respects Petraeus, but won’t denounce an ad calling the General a traitor. Typical of Silky.

Sen. Barack Obama’s spokeswoman Jen Psaki noted that the candidate is not questioning the general’s patriotism but rather his “logic,” because the Illinois Democrat sees “no evidence that this surge is producing the political progress needed to resolve the civil war in Iraq, or that it will be accomplished through more of the same.”

Like Edwards, Obama questions the four-star General’s logic, but has never served a day in the military. Also like Edwards, Obama has had ads run by Moveon.org in his favor.

Phil Singer, a spokesman for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, said his boss would “keep her focus where it should be, on ending the war.”

Translation: I’m going to ignore the slandering, despicable ad by my supporters, hoping it’ll go away, while accusing the Republicans of distracting us from their policies, even though the General says those policies are now working. Confusing and nonsensical? Yes. Par? Yep.

To his credit, John Kerry (aka Waffles) denounced the ad, calling it “over the top”. But like his colleagues, he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to slam Republicans for brining light to it.