Not retired from politics, exactly…

NEW YORK – Citing the need to help other candidates in the same situation he was in, former candidate for the US Senate Seat in Ohio and Iraq Veteran Paul Hackett is announcing his decision to join Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America Political Action Committee (IAVA PAC) today, as a member of the group's Board of Advisors.

IAVA is apparently what's become of Operation Truth, an early vehicle for vets of Iraq and Afghanistan wars to express dissent from Bushco™ policies. It takes a bit of poking to track down the names of the OpTruth principles in their various roles at IAVA and it's associated PAC, but it doesn't take long at all to stumble across Wes Clark's winning smile. With the General so prominently featured and Hackett climbing aboard, this sounds a bit like a alternative to Veterans for a Secure America, better known as the Band Of Brothers. Not quite so.

While the Band Of Brothers clearly understands that Republican control of Congress is as much of the problem as Republican control of the White House, IAVA PAC expicitly disagrees (emphasis in original)…

IAVA PAC will not consider party affiliation in the endorsement process.

In fact, while they've yet to actually endorse a candidate, they have a short list that includes…

...Van Taylor, a Texas Republican who is running for the seat held by Democratic incumbent Rep. Chet Edwards.

Kind of begs the question - how much money are Wes Clark and Paul Hackett helping to raise to toss Democrats out of the Congress. Here's some advice the Advisory Board might offer - Democrats only, please.

Without prefix. Without suffix. Without apology.