Sort of like Zel Miller being ashamed of the tactics of the Democratic
party?


That's an excellent comparison, and it's rather frank of you to admit that the
dirt is a "tactic" of the Republican party.

If there has been a groundswell of liberal attacks on Miller, however, I've
missed it.
You don't have to go any farther into the world than this little NG to see
right wingers insulting McCain ("whiner", etc)
for trying to promote some sort of honesty in presidential politics.