Part of the pattern

Don Martin's indignance at being lectured by Con MP Jim Abbott based on his "sanitized, censored exposure" to only the portions of Afghanistan cleaned up for visiting dignitaries is rightfully getting plenty of attention. But it's worth recognizing that the issue goes far beyond Afghanistan alone.

After all, one of the core problems with the Harper Cons is the fact that they so scrupulously avoid being exposed to anything which might disturb their bubble of hyperpartisanship, feeding into their constant message that nobody else's experience or opinion deserves to be taken into account. And if Martin's own experience has taught him that the world as the Cons perceive it - and fervently believe it should be presented in the media - has nothing at all to do with reality, maybe that should lead him and others in the media to start being far more critical of the Cons' spin in other contexts.