Michael Barone comments on the evil ad:
NARAL-Pro-Choice America has pulled the scurrilous ad mentioned earlier on this blog. The Washington Times led with the story; the Washington Post put it on A3. This is a major victory for the Bush administration and a major defeat for the left-wing groups that exist to prevent confirmation of Bush judicial nominees. The Post contributes a fine editorial headlined “Abortion Smear,” and liberal columnist E. J. Dionne weighs in with a negative column on the ad.
Even so, one wonders whether the NARAL ad would have been shot down so soon without the blogosphere-speed postings of the Committee for Justice and the determination of Senate Republicans to see that Roberts and other Bush nominees are treated civilly. A key role was played by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, who wrote a letter to NARAL yesterday condemning the ad and demanding that it be taken down. Specter made the fair point that the ad hurts the pro-choice movement.
Is the blogosphere the remedy for the distortions and lies of extremist groups like NARAL? Not completely, but it helps.
Incidentally, Barone calls NARAL “harpies”. That’s an accurate characterization, but victim-identity groups are going to be upset.