Ugly new controversy for Republican Senate candidate

It’s often difficult to call out the people we love even when we think they need it. Undoubtedly many, if not most of you, have at one time or another wrestled with the decision to “intervene” on someone you care about — for their own well-being.

It’s a tough decision. And the people who do it are courageous and caring individuals who may LOVE the person they’re calling out but recognize the person’s behavior is destructive. Such are the actions of Missouri GOP candidate Eric Greitens.

Greitens is a walking disaster. He is also the one who was behind the dreadful “RINO hunting” campaign ad. Greitens and his disgusting ad have repulsed people all over the country, including some Republicans. And now he’s being called out — by a friend: “Go home.”

Navy Veteran Ken Harbaugh is his name. Greitens was once his close friend — and he says he doesn’t recognize the person he sees now. Power-hungry madness will do that to a person — make them unrecognizable.

“I have known Eric Greitens for 30 years,” Harbaugh said soberly on Twitter. “He is a broken man.” Harbaugh attended his wedding. His mother knew Greitens and liked him. “He’s not the same person whose wedding I went to.”

Harbaugh then did something remarkable. He gently told Greitens to drop out of the race. “Eric, drop out. Try to repair the damage you have done to your family, your country, and yourself.”

I’d so like this story to have a happy ending, friends, and readers. It would be nice to write that Greitens saw the error of his ways and apologized. That’s not what happened, though. When people are corrupted by the dark beckoning of power, it is very difficult to pull them back.

Greitens may simply be too far gone for that. Yet we must applaud Harbaugh. And we need more like him. We need more courageous and strong individuals who do not hesitate to call out evil if and when they see it.