In 2008, the hysterical backlash to the above comment by Barack Obama's minister became a high-profile example of one of the most insidious rules in American politics: You are not allowed to honestly discuss the Central Intelligence Agency's concept of "blowback" without putting yourself at risk of being deemed a traitor to country.

Now, five years later, with America having killed thousands of Muslim civilians in its drone strikes and wars, that rule is thankfully being challenged, and not by someone who is so easily smeared. Instead, the apostate is one of this epoch's most revered journalists, and because of that, we will see whether this country is mature enough to face one of its biggest national security quandaries.

This is the news from Tom Brokaw's appearance on “Meet the Press” last Sunday. Discussing revelations that the bombing suspects may be connected to Muslim fundamentalism, he said:

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NBC News president Steve Capus said in a statement: “After medical evaluation and a round of tests, Tom was pronounced in great health and has been discharged. We're immensely grateful to the team at Carolinas Medical Center for their excellent care and professionalism.”

Earlier in the day, Brokaw checked into the hospital after he felt "light-headed" during an appearance on "Morning Joe." He later tweeted: “All is well. Early AM I mistakenly took a half dose of Ambien and made less sense than usual. Made a better comeback than Giants ...”

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