The "democrat" Slur

In my article yesterday, ("House Call" Feb. 16), I was discomforted upon finding the phrase "Democrat Party" appearing thusly, "But the enthusiasm of the Democrat Party for Afghanistan is rooted in the fact that Afghanistan is not a strategic asset for the West." "Democrat Party" was, and is, a subtle smear. As I have written in The New Republic, "It was Senator Joe McCarthy who, with his twisted mouth often oozing the charming brew of beer and saliva, would snarl out the words 'Democrat Party,' as if they referred to vermin." It was clearly not my intention for this construction to appear in the article.