A lot of readers are complaining that I’m equating Democratic behavior with Republican, and vice versa, in my column today. That really wasn’t my aim. The idea that I could weigh-in definitively every partisan grievance since the Bork nomination is a bit much. Rather, I was simply pointing to the way partisans see things. In particular, this passage has annoyed some folks:

There’s more, of course. The Florida recount saw Republicans feeling justified to do whatever it took — even fight like Democrats — to win. The recount, in turn, laid the foundation of bitterness and bile that fuels the omnivorous banshees of the “netroots,” who proudly proclaim they care only about winning and being as ruthless as they imagine the Republicans are.

Now, let me be clear. I don’t think the Republicans were in the wrong during the recount. What I do think is that they were right to “fight like Democrats” during that mess, because if they hadn’t Florida would have been stolen from them. What infuriated Democrats is that the Republicans played hardball to win. But, I fail to see what’s so controversial about saying that Republicans played hardball and felt justified in doing so.