Those who lean left but are not consumed by anger and hate (the Placid Left?) would be well advised to consider the damage the Angry Left is doing to their cause. There was one other Angry Left enthusiasm that had some substance to it: Abu Ghraib. The abuses there were a minor scandal. But the Angry Left (and the sensationalistic press) so overplayed its hand that Abu Ghraib has largely faded from political view, except as a symbol of cartoonish anti-Americanism.

A healthy democracy needs a credible opposition in order to keep the government honest. To the extent that our government is honest, it is no thanks to the Angry Left, which is as incompetent as it is vicious.

--- JAMES TARANTO, OPINION JOURNAL