Truth Must Trump Party Loyalty

It's time for more editorials like this from The Capital Times:

There comes a time when the truth must trump party loyalty. And surely, when it comes to President Bush's initially disengaged and then dramatically misguided response to international terrorism, that time has now come for Republican members of Congress.

The revelations contained in a new book by Richard A. Clarke, the Bush administration's former counterterrorism coordinator, represent a powerful indictment of the president and his cabal of foreign policy buccaneers. Clarke, a Republican who has advised presidents on terrorism since Ronald Reagan brought him into the White House, explains in agonizing detail that this administration dropped the ball when it came to averting terrorist threats - and that it is still doing so.

It's time for the news media to call the Congressional Republicans on the carpet, and ask them specifically if the Bush Administration should be explaining publicly what happened, rather than attacking Clarke.  

Chuck Hagel has said the Bush people need to respond to the charges.  Where is Richard Lugar on this?  Where is Lamar Alexander?  Lincoln Chafee?  Henry Hyde?  Dan Burton?  Peter King?

I guess I could see where they might say this is  part of the 9-11 Commission review.  Next question:  if so, shouldn't all those mentioned in Clarke's book be available for providing testimony under oath?  How can the Commission ask the right questions if Bush, Rice, Cheney, etc., are not there under oath?  

It's time for the newspapers to quit messing around and starting acting like citizens.