Stuck on Stupid

Some of my fellow Republicans are stuck on stupid.

Last week, the University of California at Irvine withdrew its offer to make Erwin Chemerinsky the dean of its new law school. The reason: pressure from local Republicans who did not want a vocal liberal to get the job. Their opposition was self-defeating. Had they succeeded, they would have undercut the moral standing of conservatives to fight political discrimination in academia. But thanks in part to conservatives who vouched for Chemerinsky's ability and integrity, UCI reinstated him.

Today, The Politico reports: "New York Rep. Peter King, a prominent House Republican, said there are `too many mosques in this country' ... When asked to clarify his statement, King did not revise his answer, saying `I think there has been a lack of full cooperation from too many people in the Muslim community.'" It's perfectly valid to criticize support for radical Islam, but the "too many mosques" line will blur the issue by inviting charges of bigotry.