How soon they forget...

During Al Franken's radio interview with John Dean -- author of the new book Worse Than Watergate -- the subject of the Plame affair came up. Dean could not recall an instance in which Nixon went gunning for his enemies in a similar fashion.

Far be it from me to correct John Dean (of all people!) on his Watergate history, but what about the break-in of Dr. Lewis Fielding's office? The purpose of that invasion was to scoop up dirt on Fielding's patient Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked the Pentagon Papers.

And what about Nixon's campaign against columnist Jack Anderson, who had published many anti-administration stories? Nixon personally approved attempts to smear the reporter as a homosexual. When that lie did not take hold, G. Gordon Liddy (whom Franken considers a friend) whipped up a plan to kill Anderson.

Granted, Nixon did not approve the assassination plan. And he probably did not give the "go" order for the Fielding break-in. Keep in mind that we have no evidence -- yet -- that Bush approved of the outing of Valerie Plame. So we have a rough equivalence of malice.

I have to admit, though, that Roughly Equivalent to Watergate doesn't quite have the same ring...