Funny, the only Republicans I see nowadays engaging in "rumor-mongering" and "back-stabbing" are the ones who have invented a sinister cabal of "neo-cons" who are somehow secretly behind everything the "good" Republicans disagree with.
The most notorious one is an ex-Republican.
Now, if only we could get Buchanan to run for the Democratic nomination :o)
Kristol is a special case. He has a personal vendetta against either mainstream conservatives and/or the Bush family, and whenever he has the opportunity, he likes to throw spitballs, carry tales, and generally cause problems.
Krauthammer, Perle, Wolfowitz, etc. are fine by me, and I think they are an asset to the Republican party and the administration.
Kristol, however, is not always helpful. I am on record about this since long before the war...in fact since before the Jeffords defection, which I would bet Kristol had something to do with. Kristol was causing trouble in the first Bush administration. He is not trustworthy, in my opinion.