Bill Safire and Decency

In his editorial today in the Times, William Safire discussed Kerry and Edwards mentioning Mary Cheney, something that has caused a surprising and absurd uproar. To close the column, Safire quotes Joseph Welch, the Army lawyer who attacked Joseph McCarthy, asking Kerry, "Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?"

It's completely amazing that Safire would resort to that kind of quote for a situation like this. Actually this quote has been on my mind quite a bit lately.

For example, who would you say has less of a sense of decency, Kerry discussing Cheney's daughter's sexual preference or Cheney claiming that a Kerry victory would embolden the terrorists? Um, I'd say the latter is much, much more indecent.

Safire should be ashamed to use that quotation over a matter this trivial.