The Miracle On Page 6A

The Bucks County Courier Times actually criticized Mike Fitzpatrick today.

I’ll repeat that because it’s so unbelievable that I can barely imagine it.

The Bucks County Courier Times actually criticized Mike Fitzpatrick today.

Yes, the editorial board actually said this about the swiftboating of Patrick Murphy last week:

“It was a low blow and Fitzpatrick was wrong not to immediately disarm (Kelly and Barbato, the two military personnel who criticized Murphy).”

The editorial also recalled Fitzpatrick’s quote that he “appreciated Pat’s service to our country,” but added:

“Problem is, the congressman said that after the press conference and only to our reporter. During the press conference he stood mute.”

Of course he did. The notion that this press conference was held by Kelly and Barbato to refute the charge that our troops in Iraq were betrayed by the civilian leadership of this country is nonsense.

The press conference was held to attack Patrick Murphy. Any life form with any intelligence at all recognizes that.

And not to worry, though – the Courier Times returned to form by the end of the editorial with these words:

“That said, we think Murphy should get back to the issues that affect the lives of the folks he wants to represent.”

Oh, so the fact that Patrick has to answer these scurrilous charges is somehow HIS fault?

“Sen. John Kerry weighed in with his Swiftboat comparison as has Murphy and his local supporters. Vets rallied to demonstrate their disgust with the criticism of Murphy’s military record. The whole campaign seems to have been derailed.

It’s time to get back on track.”

Indeed, and how clever of the Courier Times to word this in such a way that this is somehow the fault of John Kerry and veterans sympathetic to Patrick.

And by the way, the Courier Times completely ignored the fact that Kevin Kelly, one of Patrick’s accusers, is a member of Philadelphia’s Young Republicans.

Nice reporting, guys.

By the way (I meant to include this earlier), this Kos link provides a full list of Kevin Kelly's sordid affiliations.

Update: Here's more from The Democratic Daily.