Shorter David Brooks

Richard Clarke says Clinton's anti terror policy was less bad than Bush's, therefore he is a partisan hack.

Slightly longer David Brooks

I would present an example of a substantive difference between the book and the 9/11 committee staff report except I have used up my 700 words with vague shrill partisan attacks on alleged shrill partisanship. Facts are for social scientist. We must sense the partisanship of Richard Clarke's soul. No NYT reporter can demand any evidence that I have actually read either the book or the report, because that would violate the separation of powers principal that pundits can claim to know everything without being called on it.

Clarke knows Afganistan better than Brooks knows Pennsylvania.