"...which makes him a species as rare as a dissenting voice in the Bush White House..."
Horse shizer. Want to see rare dissent? Try XXXtoon. After saying "feel free to disagree" a member of his Admin did. she was castigated by everyone and their liberal grandmother.
Please. Nothing is more dissent unfriendly than a communist. Need more proof? Leon Trotsky.
Oh yeah, one more. Sec. State. Colin Powell. Had he not retired, would still be the Sec. XXX fires and arkancides more people than his bimbo eruptions