Hackett's Accuser Recants

As I reported on Wednesday, Democrat Paul Hackett, an Iraq war veteran, is attempting to win a congressional seat in a heavily-Republican area of Ohio on Tuesday. One of his opponent's advisors – he now backtracks and stipulates that he's not a "spokesman" – had been going around questioning Hackett's service and saying that the Democrat had not actually served in combat.

It's the same Republican playbook, but with a different player.

The heat must have gotten to him because, after being beaten up with the truth and doing a bit of post-character-assassination homework, he's admitted he was wrong.

Among other things, Eric Minamyer says on his blog that he was wrong in his assertion that Hackett had not seen combat and declared "I therefore correct my earlier incorrect opinion that he was not in combat, which was based solely on a lack of a reply."

Apparently he decided to go around spewing this kind of Swift-Boat lie after Hackett didn't respond to an e-mail in which Minamyer raised these questions. Minamyer now says he is ducking out and will not be commenting or posting to his blog until after the election is over.

I believe that's a cowardly act given the press his unfounded accusations received but at least we have a full retraction going into Tuesday's election.