the Wednesday matinee on Capitol Hill

You really have to appreciate politics as blood-sport (and I’m woman enough to admit that I do) to enjoy this, from Kate Zernicke in today’s New York Times, “With Politics as Subtext, Senators Clash on Iraq“:

But no sooner had [Senator and incoming chairman of the Armed Services Committee] Levin outlined his case for a phased pullout of troops beginning in four to six months than the new Independent Democratic hero of the hawkish wing, Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut, began acting the role of cross-examiner, leading Gen. John P. Abizaid, the top American military commander in the Middle East, to say that such a withdrawal would increase violence and instability.

“I take it by your answer that you profoundly disagree?” Mr. Lieberman asked. With the Democrats, he meant. “We have a window of opportunity and, really, responsibility now, after the election,” he said, “to find a bipartisan consensus for being supportive of the efforts of our troops and our diplomats there to achieve success.”

To this, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, the leading Democratic contender for the 2008 race, knocked back the remains in her coffee cup.

Her leading Republican rival, Senator John McCain of Arizona, pressed his argument that more troops were needed in Iraq. When General Abizaid disagreed, Mr. McCain called attention to the remarks of retired military officers who characterized Congressional proposals for phased withdrawal as “terribly naïve.” Mr. McCain’s protégé, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, backed him up; when the general insisted that more troops were not the solution, Mr. Graham cut him off, saying, “Do we need less?” forcing General Abizaid to say that no, that was not the solution, either.

In the end, Abizaid gave a little bit to both sides. But of course each side was seeking the edge.

The “terribly naive” side did not come out ahead. To add insult to injury, that same side was delivered a hammer blow by the rest of the party, which soundly defeated Jack “Bring the Boys Home NOW” Murtha for Majority Leader today.

I’m waiting for the Democrats to tell me again that this election was about what a terribly mistake it was to get into Iraq and how we should get out of there right now.