It's as though Lincoln Chafee never existed

I'm amazed at this bit of what Michael Ledeen called demagougery. I just found it absurd.

From a commentary at Time.com:

Nancy Pelosi showed us something important about herself this week. If Tip O'Neill thought that all politics was local, Pelosi's view is that it's personal. But what may have more significance in the long run is what her caucus showed her — that, unlike the Republicans they are replacing, they will not march lockstep at every dictate from their leaders.

Actually, what she showed was that personal loyalty trumps smart politics. Meanwhile, her membership showed quite the opposite is true by a near 2-1 margin.

And I loved Ledeen's close:

Riiight, Karen. The insurrections against Harriet Meiers and the Bush immigration scheme never happened. Lord knows McCaine never ever challenged Frist or the White House. Snowe and Collins always did what they were told. And Specter was always in lockstep with his colleagues. It was stormtroopers marching in lockstep, all the time.