never mind the truth, be polite!

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren was silenced in the U.S. Senate today when she attempted to read the words of Coretta Scott King (wife of civil rights icon Martin Luther King) penned in a letter assessing Jeff Sessions, the current nominee for U.S. Attorney General. A Senate rule -- widely and selectively applied -- prohibits one senator from critiquing another. And in this way, Republicans shut Warren down.

Ms Scott King's [30-year-old] letter alleged that Mr Sessions was unsuitable for that role because he had "used the awesome powers of his office in a shabby attempt to intimidate and frighten elderly black voters".
Ms Warren also quoted the late Senator Ted Kennedy, who called Mr Sessions a "throwback to a shameful era".

The detraction I found juciest:

 Republican Senator Orrin Hatch told NBC that Ms Warren's move was not appropriate in the chamber.
"Even if what she said was true, it wasn't the right thing to do," Mr Hatch said. "I've been appalled at the way Democrats have treated Jeff Sessions."

Is that a perfect summing up of a particular political plank? It's more important to follow the rules than it is to be truthful? If that's the case, what role, if any, does truth play in a political platform?