Tom Cotton’s letter to the Iranian regime has spurred furious blowback from liberals. They want the president to cut a deal with Iran, and Cotton’s letter gets in the way; thus, they’ve engaged in a specious fight over inter-branch protocol. Never mind that the president is looking to sign an agreement with an enemy without the advice and consent of the Senate. And never mind that Democrats have made similar overtures to foreign governments before.

It’s like that old lawyer’s adage: If you have the facts on your side, pound the facts. If you have the law, pound the law. If you have neither, pound the table. Tut-tutting over Cotton’s letter is a classic example of pounding the table.