GUMPIFIED REPUBLICANS

Jeb Eddy, the Republican ashamed of his party, defended himself in an email exchange with a critic, John Armor, who claims Eddy is just a Democrat in disguise.

Among the many things he says, Eddy notes that if one thing expresses "my Republican values," it is "Ike's farewell address three days before Kennedy's inauguration." He also says:

[A]s a Republican, I disagree with many actions, policies and values of the current Republican party, especially its present leadership. The effort to silence dissent within the Republican party has been a hallmark since Ronald Reagan. I believe it is misguided, and am willing to stand up and say so.

In the argument over whether Eddy is or isn't a true Republican, what escapes Armor and critics like him is that they're making Eddy's own case for him. By arguing that Eddy is not really G.O.P. ilk -- mainly because he has given contributions to Democrats and doesn't believe in the current Republican leadership -- they contend that to be deemed worthy of the G.O.P. he must be a narrow-minded, Bible-thumping, war-mongering supporter of incompetence, cronyism and mismanagement.

Which is precisely Eddy's larger point. And when Armor paraphrases Forrest Gump to clinch his argument -- "Republican is as Republican does" -- all he's doing is testifying to his and the G.O.P's Gumpness. Of which this is further proof: "Senator says storms are punishment from God." Needless to say, the senator is a Republican.

--Tireless Staff of Thousands