"An ugly double standard" indeed.

From USA Today:

Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., on Tuesday said he apologizes if any Republicans were offended by his weekend remark that compared a segment of the Republican Party to the Taliban.

"I am proud of the support I have enjoyed from Republicans across South Dakota. In a state like ours, you have to be able to reach across party lines to find consensus. If any Republicans were offended, I apologize.

"It (remark) was directed at the small but vocal group of national Republicans that attacked my patriotism and compared me to Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden at the very same time my son was defending our nation in Afghanistan."

***

Randy Frederick, state GOP chairman, said Johnson's statement was "repulsive" and "an attack on the character of all Republicans in South Dakota."

Johnson's statement was anti-Christian, said Rob Regier, executive director of the South Dakota Family Policy Council. *** "Sadly, he (Johnson) and Sen. (Tom) Daschle and Stephanie Herseth have turned their backs on God's church on key issues such as infanticide, religious freedom and homosexuality. Their contempt for the Christian world view reveals an ugly double standard in the liberal mantra of 'tolerance." (emphasis added)

Wow, how could Sen. Johnson ever see similarities between an open-minded, loving individual like Regier and the Taliban.