Does the Journolist flap show a destructive ‘gotcha’ mentality?

Washington Post columnist Kathleen Parker has this MUST READ column on how the Journolist flap “shows a destructive ‘gotcha’ mentality”: she recounts the controversy and puts it into a different context than those who use it for their own partisan or ideological purposes.

I haven’t weighed in on this controversy yet, but to this column I say “Ditto.” I have often noted here on TMV how there is a “search and destroy” mentality (she refers to that) in partisan politics these days. The goal is less to promote issues than to destroy or discredit those with whom you disagree so they can’t present the views that are different — or if they do no one takes them as seriously. It gets lots of attention and is either condoned or enabled, couched in all kinds of verbal ju jitsu.

Read the column in full — particularly taking note of how she shows how some things were taken out of context and blown out of proportion.