If Jeffrey Shapiro is trying to be deliberately inflammatory and contrarian, he has succeeded beyond what I could have imagined. In that sense, this may be a very clever opinion. That doesn't, however, change the fact that this, on its face, is an unbelievably shortsighted and unlettered defense of George W. Bush and his policies. I take no issue with the author's personal expression of sympathy for Bush -- think and say whatever you want about the man. But to argue that Americans, myself included, are guilty of some brand of treason because we've "failed to stand by" the 43rd president is not only stupid and jingoistic, but indicates to me a dangerous misunderstanding of how our democracy works. If the American people owe their elected officials anything at all it is their honest assessment of their performance in office. Our attacks have been "slanderous"? It doesn't take a media law expert to blow a hole in that accusation. I could go on. The historical reference to Harry S. Truman's popularity was the single part of this piece I found new and insightful.