Manly Men

By Zamboni

We cats believe that one of the reasons the Republicans were able to brand Democrats with the "girly man," "soft on national security," and, eventually, "soft on terrorism" labels was not just because of the left wing of the Democratic Party's opposition to the Viet Nam War — but because of Senator George McGovern's refusal during the 1972 campaign to tout his record as a decorated bombardier in World War II.

Seems quaint and silly now, doesn't it? Especially in the wake of the "let-us-prostrate-ourselves-at-the-altar-of-your-service" treatment that Republican war veterans Bob Dole and John McCain both have received. But Senator McGovern felt it would be unseemly to brag about his combat accomplishments. Need we say that that attitude has long since fallen out of fashion?

All the more reason that we find it intensely ironic — and grimly amusing — that a Democrat, a Constitutional law professor from Chicago, whom the Republicans have tried to characterize as "effete," has turned out to be the true "exterminator" in George W. Bush's and Dick Cheney's so-called war on terror.

In short, Barack Hussein Obama has just claimed himself another scalp. This time, it's Haqqani militant Janbaz Zadran. Done in by a drone, just this morning.

Yes, we cats know — with the exception of icons like Osama bin Laden, these enemies of America are tough to keep track of. Their names are hyphenated and difficult to spell, and you have to kind of know what countries they're operating in and which murky parts of the terrorist network they control. But suffice it to say that President Obama has quietly knocked off dozens more anti-American bad guys than the tough-talking jingoistic fool Bush ever dreamed of.

To which we cats say — to the Freepers and all the right-wing nutjobs who think the President is alien, and other-worldly, and won't defend America — you can apologize any time. If not, we have some lovely litter box residue you can eat.

(And we suspect that if George McGovern had been elected President, he would have been just as bad-ass as Barack Obama. Warriors are that way, you know.)

P.S. And what tough-guy foreign policy credentials do the 2012 Republican contenders have, by the way? None.