VI Day in Iraq

“Remember VE Day and VJ Day at the end of Wolrd War II. We’re about to see VI Day in Iraq. – Oliver North on Hannity and Colmes.

Reply: A recent poll found that 46% of Ohioans think we are on the right course in Iraq. How could that many people be so wrong?

A: We are winning at the moment and we are starting to withdraw troops. That’s the right course, just needs to move along faster.

Here’s what Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky had to say today: "We ought to get the troops the funding they need to finish the mission without restrictions and without a surrender date."

Remember the old baseball rule. If the team is ahead or tied when the pitcher is changed, the new pitcher gets stuck with the loss. Likewise, if the old pitcher goes out ahead, the old pitcher gets the win and the new pitcher just gets a save. So all this jockeying is just over who gets the credit or has to take the blame. So Pubs can say “We were winning, we wanted to keep pitching, they pulled the funds and put in their own pitcher, then our enemies went ahead. They lost us the war.” Or, if the Pubs draw down troops on their own schedule before the 2008 election they get to campaign on “We won the war” (won past tense).

You wait. I’m guessing V-I day will be declared some time next spring or summer, after the primaries, before the conventions.

Reply: To add to the baseball analogy - When there is a pitching change, the outgoing pitcher is responsible for any men left on base.

A: No, I don’t think the men left on base count for who gets the win and who gets the loss. Maybe men left on base affect the pitcher’s ERA. Men left on base can affect whether a pitcher gets credited with a save. For the Dems they are spinning towards either (A) not our loss, we were behind when we took over or (B) our win, we were losing but turned it around. They could also spin towards (C) our save, we were ahead but vulnerable and pulled out the win, but that doesn’t seem to be in their playbook. I’m personally sticking with, the other side scored some runs but the game is won, let’s come home.

Reply: It's football season, for chrissake. The Pubs fumbled. Let's hope the Dems recover.

A: It’s not enough to recover the fumble, you also have to move the ball down the field.

Reply: True, but you can't move down the field unless you have the ball.