WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Two weeks ago, a Democrat plan to unseat the president of the United States was discovered. What was unusual was the plan was not found in the office of James Carville, Howard Dean or even the Democrat National Committee, but in the offices of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, apparently written by a Democrat staffer on the committee.

The document, as detailed last week in this column, outlines a political plan to use the Senate Intelligence Committee to ramp up opposition to the war on terror, the president and his administration. Former Sen. Bob Kerrey, D-Neb., a decorated war veteran, who once served as vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, called the attack plan "cynical" and "destructive," and warned that such partisanship will hurt our long-term national security efforts. Sen. Zell Miller went even further. "If this is not treason," the Georgia Democrat said, "it's the first cousin of treason." Al Gore called it "trivial."

The memo suggests that Democrats "pull the trigger" on their plan next year -- high political season. But the Bush haters couldn't wait -- they are already in full attack mode.

Rep. Charlie Rangel, D-N.Y., introduced a formal resolution asking the president to give the Bronx Cheer to Defense Secretary Don Rumsfeld and send him packing. Immediately, 25 of Charlie's pals in the House notified him that they, too, wanted a piece of Rumsfeld's scalp as treasure to parade before their rabid supporters. Rangel and his merry band of head hunters accuse Rumsfeld of "gross mismanagement," "repeated miscalculations," a "lack of sensitivity" and having "misled the American people" -- everything but stealing food from Iraqi children.

Among those accusing Rumsfeld of gross negligence are such Democrat luminaries as Reps. Pete Stark, D-Calif., who several months ago tried to goad Republicans on the Ways and Means Committee into a fistfight; Jim McDermott, D-Wash., who provided propaganda for Saddam's government with a visit to Iraq last October; Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, who believes his proposed "Department of Peace" is the panacea to the world's many dangers; and Barbara Lee, D-Calif., the only member of the House who voted against going to war in Afghanistan and responding to the murder of 3,000 of our fellow Americans. Thankfully, these members of Congress do not constitute our first line of defense against terrorism.

When Democrats like Rangel were supporting the deployment of U.S. troops to places like Haiti and Bosnia, they claimed politics should stop at the water's edge. But Rangel and his cohorts are fanning anti-American flames in Europe and the Middle East by performing such a cheap political stunt at a time when our Italian allies suffered losses at the hands of terrorists and as America's commander in chief prepares to travel to London this week.

Rangel is but one of many Democrats who have stepped up their criticism of the president since the memo surfaced two weeks ago. Former Vice President Al Gore accused Bush of "deception," "weakening" America, "exploit(ing) public fears for partisan political gain," and "recklessly putting our country in grave and unnecessary danger."

Although extreme and irresponsible rhetoric such as Gore's is intellectually and morally bankrupt, it is being bankrolled by billionaire financier George Soros. Well known for channeling millions of dollars into pro-abortion and drug-legalization causes, Soros is now bullish on the Bush haters and the renewed vigor they are showing since the Intelligence Committee memo was discovered. Continued...