It was only a few weeks ago that liberals on Capitol Hill and in the 'mainstream' media were caterwauling about the raging corruption of House Majority Whip Tom Delay (R.—TX). Since then however, the subject completely changed to the plight of those poor, misunderstood 'detainees' being held against their will at Guantanamo Bay.

What events have ensued to cause this dramatic departure from the formerly all—important matter? Certainly, no new 'evidence' has been unearthed in the Delay situation to either condemn him or shed further light on his innocence. Yet those on the left have suddenly and, it seems, completely lost interest in getting any more political mileage out of their vilification of Delay.

Perhaps Democrats recognize the danger posed to their own ranks by further in—depth scrutiny of questionable travel arrangements (the heart of the concocted 'ethics' accusations against Delay). As it turns out, Democrats are guilty to a far greater degree of the very conduct for which they excoriated Delay. Apparently, we can now all rest easy, knowing that the U.S. Congress is indeed able to withstand the sort of rampant corruption and graft that, only a few weeks ago, threatened to destroy it.

The reality is that Democrats believe they have milked the Delay issue to its maximum political benefit, and therefore it is time to move on to fresh meat. But while their attacks against the House Majority Whip amounted to the character assassination of one decent and honorable individual, their latest ploy dishonors and endangers the nation as a whole.

Assertions of 'mistreatment' of detainees at Guantanamo Bay are, at best, grotesquely exaggerated. At their worst, many are outright fabrications. Yet not only have the Democrats (with Illinois Democrat Dick Durbin being merely one such example) continually echoed the charges, they only offered any apologies for such egregious and anti—American rhetoric after they had sufficiently saturated the airwaves with it.

Heinous and dramatic though it may be, this is only the latest episode in an unending series of Democrat attacks against Republicans and conservative Americans in general. Many on the right believe that these attacks are actually hurting the cause of liberalism. But such may not be the case.

The hypocrisy of the left knows no bounds. Who can forget how, during the peak of the Clinton impeachment debacle, liberals derided Ken Starr as a 'pornographer' while exalting Hustler publisher Larry Flint as an 'investigator'? Now it is the American servicemen who are derided as brutal and abusive, while fanatical members of Al Qaeda and the Taliban are portrayed as victims.

Such ludicrous audacity should entirely sink the Democrats. Yet, as always, it is the reluctance of Republicans to hold wayward Democrats to a worthwhile level of accountability, which allows the situation to persist and fester.
 
If measured in terms of elections won and lost, it would indeed appear that Democrat antics have proven, over time, to be counterproductive. However, when judged from the standpoint of how each subsequent debate is defined, and whose agenda is being steadily advanced (the real measure of political power), an entirely different outcome is revealed.

For example, many Republican 'moderates' are already attempting to avoid the Democrat/media hot seat by voicing their own concerns over conditions at Guantanamo. Some, including that 'ace in the hole' for liberal Democrats, Senator John McCain (R.—AZ), are even demanding trials for the detainees in U.S. courts.

When Dick Durbin did finally get around to 'apologizing,' it was clear that his words were carefully crafted to deflect criticism while not undoing any of the damage he originally sought to inflict. But why should he have felt any compulsion to recant? If history is a guide, he can likely count on ever increasing support from the weak—knee wing of the Republican Party.

We, as a nation, have so lowered the standards of decency that it has become nearly impossible to call any action 'indecent.' Will we now likewise lower standards of patriotism to the point that no longer can we identify any behavior, no matter how dishonest or helpful to America's sworn enemies, as 'unpatriotic'?

How much aid and comfort must be given to the terrorists, and how much American blood must be spilled as a result, before such a term is deemed appropriate? Democrats may once again seek cover in the insipid and often compliant responses of timid Republicans. It is imperative that Republicans remain sufficiently resolved to prevent this from happening.

Christopher Adamo is a frequent contributor