Elections have consequences.

President Bush on Wednesday withdrew the ambassadorial nomination of businessman Sam Fox after Democrats denounced Fox for giving money to a controversial conservative group that undermined Sen. John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign.

Of course, the Swiftboat liars did more than that. Their lies about John Kerry cast a cloud over every American ever decorated for combat gallantry or wounded by hostile fire. They fomented distrust and disagreement about the value and credibility of heroic service at a time our nation was, and is, at war.

Sounds perilously close to aiding and comforting our enemies to me.

Hopefully this puts other Republican deep pockets on notice. If you want to win the prize, you have to play by the rules. Not just the arcane regulations of tax and election law, but the basic rules of common decency.

And another hurrah for Chris Dodd.