Greg Craig is one of the most decent, talented, principled, kind and honest people in American politics.

As a nation we should count our blessings that Craig was one of the few chosen to surround President Obama. In fact, when Craig decided to support the President over his long time friend Secretary Clinton, it gave the fledling candidate immediate credibility in the very early stages of the campaign. Craig's selection as White House Counsel placed in that position a person with a sterling reputation in Washington and that is not an easy task. He brings to any job a clear set of values and serves as the conscience wherever he lands.

Which is why his departure after only one year of service in the White House is indeed very sad news. Equally disturbing is the way he was forced to leave. Instead of a dignified and honored 'moving on' from the President, he was treated like the victim of some Chicago ward boss. Starting in late August, leaks began pouring out from cowardly 'unnamed sources' that Craig's time was up. When Craig refused to yield his dignity to such a campaign, a second round of leaks took place, this time questioning his abilities and work product. Still Craig stood firm. Clearly, this past week he heard from on high and, having no choice, left the White House on Friday.

Not content to honor this public servant, insiders were instead determined to diminish him in an effort to increase others' power within the internal White House politics. They blamed him for everything except the Afghanistan War. The appearance is that the attitude is "let's dump everything on him for which we don't want to accept responsibility." Listen to how respected moderate DC columnist Mark Shields described Craig's treatment:

"This was a major event, not beyond the beltway. But, in this city, it was a significant event. Greg Craig is an exceptional human being of great ability, great accomplishment, and great integrity. And he went early with Barack Obama, even though he had defended Bill Clinton, even though, as a State Department official, he had negotiated between China and Tibet. He was a great attorney in town. And he gave Barack Obama great loyalty and gave him great credibility by going with him when nobody expected him to win. And he was treated not shabbily. He was -- it was beyond public embarrassment. It was humiliation. They leaked three times, this leak-proof White House did, that he was in trouble and on his way out the door. They were looking for a scapegoat for Guantanamo. They picked Greg Craig."

Most outrageously, an attempt was made to make him responsible for the Department of Justice Brief last June that outraged the LGBT community. Politico.com reported that "White House sources indicated that was one of the reasons for his departure." Guess Attorney General Eric Holder has no responsibility for this one even though it occurred in the Department of Justice. Just like on his recent trip to Maine where he said the administration had no position on Ballot Measure 1. Sure was convenient to dump it on Greg Craig, wasn't it?

However, there is one problem. Craig is and has been one of the strongest straight allies of the LGBT community in Washington, DC. In 1993, he donated his time to be counsel to the Campaign for Military Service in an effort to allow us to serve in the military. He has supported this community with a passion both outside and inside the White House which might explain part of the reason for his departure. The concept that Craig had anything to do with the DOJ brief is ludicrous except that he might have raised holy hell about it internally thus damaging his position as one of the insiders.

America lost one of its great public servants this week with Craig's departure. Even more disturbing, there is a trend not toward openness and change promised in the campaign but toward a closed shop run in the style of Chicago politics. It is far from a healthy sign.

We all should be concerned.