Normally I would be the last person to defend Howard Dean, new chairman of the DNC, who recently was quoted as saying, "I hate the Republicans and everything they stand for."

I belong to the Republican Jewish Coalition (yes there are a few of us) and they have already begun their compaign against Howard Dean. It is focused around comments that Dean had made during the recent presidential primary season about America needing to be "even-handed" in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (meaning don't support Israel as much) and that Hamas terrorists are "soldiers" (meaning they deserve a level of respect).

A Spirited debunking: Howard Dean and Israel shows that when taken in context, Dean's statements are actually supportive of Israel. For example, when Republicans complain that Dean called Hamas members "soldiers", he wasn't glorifying them, but rather declaring that they were valid targets for Israel to kill.

I hope the RJC can hone their skills over the next few years so that something so easliy challenged does not become their main point of attack. Unfair is unfair.