Civil discourse this!

Current Governor of Virginia Mark Warner, who has been discussed as both a Senate candidate in 2006 and a Presidential nominee for 2008, decided to reach out across party lines and call for a return to civility in party politics. In his speech, he said no one was to blame for the situation, and that people could, "for example, disagree about the war in Iraq or about our nation's foreign policy without questioning each other's patriotism or love of country."

His calls were answered on the Republican side with more bitterness, hatred, and attacks:

...In an interview Sunday with The Virginian-Pilot, a state Republican leader mocked Warner's attempt to stake the political center.

"Mark Warner is just another high-tax, liberal Democrat hoping to mask his legacy by spouting perceived centrist rhetoric," said Shawn M. Smith, the executive director of the Republican Party of Virginia. "Mark Warner ran for governor promising unequivocally not to raise taxes, but he jumped at the first chance he had to ram through a massive tax increase."

Smith said: "If Mark Warner truly wants to change the lack of civil discourse within his own party, he needs to demand that the national Democrats abandon their steady rhetoric of pessimism and hate."

Nice huh? And unfortunately, exactly what we can continue to expect from the GOP for years to come.