Standard Operating Procedure

I'm sure that the Republicans accomplished what they set out to do as far as the headlines are concerned: "House Rejects Iraq Pullout After GOP Forces a Vote" from the Washington Post, "Iraq withdrawal handily defeated" from CNN. People reading further on in the articles might divine what a farce it was. It's the political equivalent of the popular playground tactic of word-twisting mimicry with the whiney voice. The Republicans should be ashamed of themselves.

But then, there was more shameful behavior on display last night."

The battle boiled over when Representative Jean Schmidt, an Ohio Republican who is the most junior member of the House, told of a phone call she had just received (How convenient! -- ed.)from a Marine colonel back home.

"He asked me to send Congress a message: stay the course," Ms. Schmidt said. "He also asked me to send Congressman Murtha a message: that cowards cut and run, Marines never do."

Democrats booed in protest and shouted Ms. Schmidt down in her attack on Representative John P. Murtha of Pennsylvania, a Vietnam combat veteran and one of the House's most respected members on military matters. They caused the House to come to an abrupt standstill, and moments later, Representative Harold Ford, Democrat of Tennessee, charged across the chamber's center aisle to the Republican side screaming that Ms. Schmidt's attack had been unwarranted.

"You guys are pathetic!" yelled Representative Martin Meehan, Democrat of Massachusetts. "Pathetic."