Giuliani again attacks MoveOn dissent

Speaking at the NRA yesterday, Rudy Giuliani said that the MoveOn ad smearing General Petraeus "passed a line that we should not allow American political organizations to pass":

Whether you agree with the war in Iraq or you don't; whether you agree with the surge or you don't; Democrats even came back from Iraq and said that he's having more success than anybody had thought.

So to attack the man's integrity, and honesty, and decency, is in my view indecent. It passed a line that we should not allow American political organizations to pass.

This statement (which his campaign declined to disavow) echoes Giuliani's little-noticed statement to Sean Hannity that criticism of Petraues "should not be allowed":

This is being done purely for political campaign strategy. It's a calculated political campaign strategy. You should not be allowed to malign someone's reputation unfairly just because you think it's good for your campaign.

As I wrote before, Giuliani's ugly history on free speech issues makes this rhetoric especially troubling. He owes voters an explanation.