VARIOUS READERS want to know why I’m not going after Sen. Jay Rockefeller for this remark:

SEN. ROCKEFELLER: No. The – I mean, this question is asked a thousand times and I’ll be happy to answer it a thousand times. I took a trip by myself in January of 2002 to Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syria, and I told each of the heads of state that it was my view that George Bush had already made up his mind to go to war against Iraq – that that was a predetermined set course which had taken shape shortly after 9/11.

This hardly reflects well on Rockefeller’s judgment, and it may well have had some bad consequences, but in fact Senators, for better or worse (usually worse) do this sort of thing a lot. I don’t think it’s in a league with the Bonior / McDermott lovefest with Saddam (which Andrew Sullivan called “perilously close to treason” at the time). Rockefeller wasn’t giving PR cover to the enemy. It was just irresponsible behavior, which sadly is nothing unusual where the Senate is concerned. Nor do I think it did much harm — if I recall correctly, Saddam nonetheless didn’t think we’d invade until we did, and I don’t think this tipped him off to anything. Indeed, had Saddam taken Rockefeller’s advice to heart, it might have helped.

If you want really bad behavior, on the other hand, there’s always George Galloway.