I hate the political culture of personal attack — though I agree character matters in politics — but I feel an overwhelming urge to ridicule Andy McCarthy for suggesting that Bill Ayers ghostwrote Barack Obama’s Dreams of My Father. I mean, has McCarthy gone insane? No, really. Is this the true face of the American right? Are there no honest conservatives willing to debate policy with the left? Are there or have there ever been such honest conservatives? I’m not talking about pitchfork-wavers and bigots here. I’m talking about our stalwart, “respectable” conservative Establishment. Is this the best the National Review can do? On closer reflection, in fact, McCarthy doesn’t even deserve our ridicule. His attack is beneath contempt.