I do like Pearlstein

He writes some common sense about "portgate." Here's the beginning of the column:

Ports Furor Is Just Protectionism, With a French Accent
By Steven Pearlstein
Wednesday, March 1, 2006; Page D01

There are so many things that are troubling about the political firestorm over "port security."

The racist hypocrisy on the part of Democrats who are morally outraged by racial profiling of airline passengers but not of port investors.

The political hypocrisy of the Bush administration, which stoked irrational fear of terrorism and then complains when it boomerangs against them.

The rank hypocrisy of commercially blackballing a country that allowed terrorists to pass through its borders -- by a country that not only harbored terrorists for years but even taught them to fly.

But what's really embarrassing about Cargogate is that it shows Americans acting just like the French.

read on .....