Over at Politco.com, Ben Smith and Jonathan Martin quote a “prominent Democratic strategist aligned with the White House” as saying, “Unless things change and Obama can run on accomplishments, he will have to kill Romney.”

Kill Romney?

Will President Obama distance himself from the remark? Don’t count on it.

But needless to say, if a prominent Republican strategist aligned with Romney (or any other GOP presidential aspirant) had used the phrase “kill Obama” The New York Times would have Sarah Palin’s crosshair target maps on its front page faster than you can say reload.

Now, I have no doubt that the “prominent Democratic strategist aligned with the White House” doesn’t want Romney to actually be felled by a bullet anymore than Sarah Palin wanted Gabby Giffords to be shot. It’s a figure of speech, a metaphor and so was Palin’s map. The Left ought to have understood that implicitly. But then again one should never overestimate the Left when it comes to reason.

So the next time liberals, progressives and socialists call for civility in our political discourse (and they will) I will duly ignore them until they get their own house in order.