For an opinion piece, this is extremely well sourced and balanced. However, it is a pretty dark picture of what McCain faces in the general election, where Rich expects Iraq to hang around his neck like the proverbial albatross. Rich makes a pretty good case for it too.

Wow! Mr. Rich goes right for the jugular. A good, solid journalist who weaves wonderful imagery full of real examples that demonstrate he does his homework. In this opinion piece we get a triple whammy: first it’s Bush’s former press secretary’s absolving exposé, then it’s a sum-up of McCain’s abortive attempt at political campaigning, and finally Hillary gets a run-down about what went awry in her campaign. This is also what journalism is about–cutting through the B.S. to put things in perspective.

Frank Rich captures the extremely poor judgment of McCain regarding the catastrophe in Iraq and Afghanistan as contrasted with his audacious posturing as an Iraq expert. Perhaps he will get shot down again over a war zone. This torture may be a kind he deserves given his torturous positions on the conflict.

This opinion piece has minimal journalistic merit. Why the editors of the newspaper chose to accept this piece when they have yet to review Douglas Feith's far more important and accurate book on much the same subjects is not clear, except that it is consistent with the paper's agressive and irrational attacks on McCain that have been going on for months now.

Extensively cross-referenced.

I don't trust the NY Times anymore but I do look forward to reading Frank Rich's column every Sunday. He is always accurate & wry. His columns always make me laugh because it is accurate and distorted. Maybe, its because I see the picture the same as he does. Too often in this campaign year, I am appalled at how the media interprets the news or events. They protect McCain, lauded Clinton when she was ahead, then slyly criticized her, now today they are doing the reverse. Obama was ignored in the beginning, then given more attention, and now he is subtly being criticized again.

An excellent piece of journalism!! Well researched, written and truthful. A high five for me.

McClellan is indeed a nightmare for McCain, but I also hope it's a wake-up call.

This is a very good truthful article from a trustworthy excellent journalist. I agree with everything he has stated. I saw Scott on the O'Reilly show last night. O'Reilly was trying to beat on Scott because Rich picked up the story. O'Reilly thus put his imprimateur on the dtory and its facts, because it stirred up O'Reilly's hatred of Rich and NBC. Martin S. Friedlander, Esq.

Not much new information, but the context was impressive as was the sourcing. The discussion on the two narratives of the Iraq War - as a failed process or as a misconceived/deceitful inception - and how it may influence this election was thought provoking.

Frank Rich is a brilliant commentator and writer who I love to read and frequently is dead on with my inclinations - progressive and left. But because of that it might be argued that he is sometimes not completely objective, and that is probably true also. But any Frank Rich commentary is a must read because he grippingly but humorously skewers the news and focusses the reader. This article is typical of that excellent standard

Editorialist's position is that the conception of the Iraq War is more disturbing to American voters than the mere execution of it McCain, Clinton, & even Bush at times have decried. Position seems reasonable, & is convincingly argued.

Thank god do we have Frank Rich around to keep the wool well away from our eyes. Constantly framing McCain's candidacy within Bush's legacy is the best way to insure that the 'maverick' is anything but that.

Frank : McBomb won't be able to wash this off him, any more than he'll be able to get the stench of not showing up for the G.I. Bill vote !! Thank You for continuing the outing of these despots ! More to follow. -ralph