The Dangers of Stupid Talking Points

The pro-war catch phrase "cut and run," deployed readily against Democrats and Lincoln Chafees far and wide, has a flaw: It sounds really stupid when you fling it at a double amputee.

During an election debate at the weekend in the outskirts of Chicago, Peter Roskam, the Republican candidate for Illinois's sixth district, trotted out the familiar line that his Democratic opponent wanted America to "cut and run" from Iraq.

His opponent, Tammy Duckworth, a former National Guard pilot who lost both her legs in Iraq last year when her helicopter was shot down by a rocket-propelled grenade, was visibly angry at the exchange. "I just could not believe he would say that to me," said Ms Duckworth, who now walks on artificial legs with the help of a cane.

I've always figured pro-war candidates would be better off evoking images of the fall of Saigon than repeating a catch phrase so dumb it was thought up by George W. Bush. But now that Roskam's made his bed (tell me he doesn't have back problems and I just insulted him), what should he say next?

"My opponent jumps with joy whenever insurgents launch a successful attack on our troops."

"My opponent wants to dance the tango with Osama bin Laden, and I won't allow her to."

"My opponent only wishes she, too, was an illegal immigrant, so she could sprint across our unguarded border with them."

"My opponent's a cripple. Ha!"