Leave them laughing

"Leave Them Laughing" is an entertainment phrase that says, know when to leave the stage.

The McConnell, Gingrich and McCain group should learn that lesson.

Instead of claiming that leaving Iraq now will embolden our enemies and demoralize our troops they should give a little more thought to the alternative - the lives we'll save.

When President Bush landed on the aircraft carrier and announced that we have accomplished our mission, that was the time to declare victory and leave the stage.

Whether you believed or disbelieved in the war is not the point. Since his famous announcement, this mismanaged war has been all downhill. Nothing is more demoralizing to a soldier than to learn that the promises made to him were pure bull. When you get National Guardsmen and women who are not really trained for this kind of combat and keep adding time to their tour of duty, nothing the Anti-war people will say is more demoralizing.

Here is another analogy: A fighter getting mercilessly beaten in the ring, thanks his cornerman for saving his life. He says, " I was being beaten so bad that I could not think, my cornerman realizing this threw in the towel." I later became a champion.

Sometimes you have to face reality.

Understanding political terms

Here are some political terms you ought to really understand.

Bipartisan: "We are hoping to receive bipartisan support." What it really means is if you vote my way you are right, if you do not you are an ideologue and an idiot, and I do not want to hear from you.

Get involved: "It is important for you to get involved in the political process." What it really means is send me your campaign contribution.

Campaign Reform: "We are hoping to push campaign reform before the next election." This really means do not send a campaign contribution to my opponent. 

Political Pundit: "CNN and Fox will get their talking points from a political pundit." This is a person who gets paid for spouting party rhetoric. See also apologist, propagandist. See Ed Rollins, Robert Novak, James Carville, Paul Begala, Pat Buchanan, Ann Coulter etc.