"Cut and Run" Is the New "Flip-Flop"

I have to say, the phrase “cut and run” is pretty meaningless to me. Or, rather, it doesn’t have the meaning that the chickenhawk Fright Wing spinmeisters intend for it to have.

“Cut and run” is the new “flip-flop” – a semi-mindless phrase that a mostly-mindless populace can wave like a magic wand to insinuate SOMETHING negative about a democratic person or position without ever breaking down how ridiculous and illogical the terms are when deconstructed, stripped of their facades and boiled down to their core.

‘Cause to me, “flip-flopper” was a term that could always be reframed as a good thing: “you mean someone who changes his or her mind based on new facts – someone who LEARNS and GROWS by intelligently processing new information? That’s great!”

And the honorable Stephen Colbert pointed out how dangerous it is to NOT be a flip-flopper when he said that GWB is the kind of guy who believes the same thing on a Wednesday that he does on a Monday – no matter WHAT happens on Tuesday. Amen to that.

So what does “cut and run” really mean, when I really think about it? I know it’s intended to infer cowardice, but dang if this old, hard head of mine doesn’t hear something entirely different when that silly phrase passes through it.

I mean, perhaps I’ve seen too many grisly and heartbreaking photographs depicting the consequences of our being in Iraq, but when I hear the words “cut” and “run”, I think of blood. I think of bullets and bombs cutting through flesh and fracturing homes. Blood running through the streets and on family room floors. Tears of troops’ families or Iraqi orphans running down anguished faces, their lives cut out from under them by the latest tragic loss.

So to those who try and paint my desire to bring home the troops as a cowardly act by invoking the pathetic phrase “cut and run”: I am not fooled.

Because in my mind, that’s all we’ve been doing since we embarked on the Bush regime’s foolish folly: Cutting down lives. Cutting important parts of our budget at home. Cutting down on National Guard troops that could have helped during Katrina. And now we find our once-great nation running out of money and our democracy running out of time.

“Cut and run,” huh? I think you might need to try a different empty catchphrase, Pugs. This one isn’t working on me.

the peril those troops will be in when the civil war really escalates.

invoke that phrase this morning. Wish I could remember who it was. Regardless, maybe this is a sign that the dems are going to start to put that phrase into play more often.

Sounds like the Gop.

Can't Run in Cut Flip Flops! or... (ad nauseum)

These catch phrases are so absurd. :crazy:

I've noticed they are all saying it, guess it's supposed to make the Democrats look like cowards or something. :eyes: The Democrats needs a buzz word of their own to use till you feel like puking too perhaps something like what Nancy Pelosi said "don't dig the whole any deeper" should be used again and again and again. :think:

unfortunately, that one was shouted during by my own father at my wedding reception, immortalized forever on video.

They're using it constantly. I heard Mitt Romney, the effete stuck-up Republican governor of Massachusetts, use it. It's a way of saying that anyone opposed to the war is a coward. The Democrats of course won't come up with an equally catchy retort, but maybe someone in the blogosphere will.

invaded for personal vendetta
wasted soldiers' lives

many come to mind.

Now where's my yellow ribbon magnet........:spank:

The Repugs have started the '06 campaign.

There's no substance to it. It's all about marketing and brand recognition...

"stay and die" in Iraq. Not that any of them know what a war is really like.

Pick up the pase...we need to campaign like its a Democrat funeral!!! LOL.....seriously i was just thinking ... some of the best stuff I have heard from the Dem's has been at funerals.

Repubs know they have been loosing on the war big they need to turn it around and so there will be a plethora of support the war bumper stickers.

cut and run fits nice on a bumper sticker...the intellectually lazy just love them some bumper stickers...flip flop, spit balls, gurly man..ect...

Oh and today I heard someone say..well we wouldn't have caught Al Z if we listened to dems ...sigh...i swear I cant vote fast enough...is it Nov yet?

Neat, easy to remember and says it all. "Rhetoric doesn't solve problems."

I like it.

They just want THEIR MONEY. Everybody else can go to hell.

From yesterday's debate: "Stay and we'll pay."

I like that, too!

Those draft dodging bastards ought to know!

He cut and run like a coward.

WMDs and Katrina.

were the original "cut and run" specialists. Anti-American bastiges.

"takes one to know one," but that would be raising the level of discourse too high for most of these idjits...

It might be a good idea to point out how many genuine war heros (like Murtha) think we should get out, while telling how many in the Bush administration were to afraid to go to Viet Nam.

Bob Shrum was on Countdown tonight saying that Democrats need to stand up and say unequivocally how they feel about the war. Not to do so is morally reprehensible and politically suicidal. I'm not always a big fan of Shrum, but he was good tonight.

I mean, "cut and run" is just such a vapid phrase - it's amazing that Pugs actually feel comfortable attacking actual war heroes with such vacuous tripe.

rove is the same old definition of republican shared, mass insanity

"You have a small penis!"*

And I can only think the Dems not echoing Jack Murtha are afraid of losing and want to show their manly qualities of having enough Balls to send me to their deaths.

I can not understand how a Hannity Rush talking point is so powerful, excepting the above caveat of fear of losing one's political seat...




*- or Large Clitoris

There does seem to be an Alpha Male Courage Contest when it comes to this particular line in the sand. And yet here I am, foolishly listening to Jesus' teachings about "turning the other cheek" and Gandhi's assertion that it takes more courage to NOT fight back with violence than it does to strike back. Why don't any of these wise words ever come into play when we're interpreting the latest empty catch phrase from the Bushits?

GHWB didn't go into Iraq, because it would have committed us to an almost endless occupation. We went into Iraq, now we are committed to remain in Iraq.
If it was as easy as leaving, we would leave. I think we need to remain in Iraq until a stable pro-west democracy is in place in Baghdad. Or we can admit defeat and leave whenever we want.

America is not ready to admit defeat. We are not ready to leave.

I knew all along that if we went in, we would never get out. I was against going in. Now we are there for good.

The next time commander coo-coo bananas wants a pre-emptive war, perhaps some (more) dems will stand up and oppose him. That would be the patriotic thing to do.

is in place. But I still want our troops home as soon as pragmatically possible. I want them out of a situation where every day they must cut down lives or run to save their own.

And now that I think about it, I feel the phrase "Cut and run" is actually an insult to thoses troops who are forced to "cut" and "run" every day just to survive.

So while I don't advocate an immediate withdrawal of troops, I still feel like the phrase "cut and run" is a big black smokescreen that clouds the issue and chokes the dialog, interfering with the real progress we could be making in planning to get our troops home.

in to creation?

In 1992, GHWB estimated that an occupation of Iraq would require significant American resources "for decades".

The Dems backed Bush on this war, in an effort to "support the troops". A better use of their time would have been to oppose this war and demand strict accountability of the war campaign.

We are stuck until mainstream Americans begin rallying around "Cut and Run." Our version of "cut and run" is BRING THE TROOPS HOME! NOW! When mainstream America starts delivering this message, watch the rat worm Dem enablers and the GOP begin to listen.

Every time I hear Kerry referred to as a "war critic", I want to puke. He got my vote (and he most likely will again, if he gets the nomination), but he sorely missed the boat on any chance to lead an anti-war effort. He missed the boat by about 4 years.

There certainly seems like nothing to gain (but more death and destruction and money for Halliburton) by staying. But I'm trying to be pragmatic (as much as one CAN be in such a miasma) and figure out the best way to withdraw with the most minimal loss of life possible.

But with the recent assertions of Iraqi amnesty for those killing Americans and the fact that the Iraqi leaders want us out (or at least to give them a timetable), it seems like we should get out of there ASAP.

Of course, I share your skepticism that it will actually happen. But one thing's for sure - I won't back down and stop making my voice heard just because I'm confronted by a ridiculous and meaningless catch phrase. "Cut and run". Pshaw.

5 Tax CUTS for the rich have ROBBED America of the money it needs to fight back in Bush's endless War On Terror. The Cut and Rob republicans are handing our national security to the terrorists of the world, on a silver platter! The tax cuts for the rich are sucking the life blood from the country and the GOP is trying to pass another one right now!

The GOP leeches want the terrorists to win.

We need to get back at those damned, er, cutpurses (so to speak)

Here's another quote I found on Yahoo news this morning that speaks volumes. It's Harry Reid from yesterday's debate:

"Two things that don't exist in Iraq and have not, weapons of mass destruction, and cutting and running."

Simple mindless slogans to reach simple mindless voters.

"It's not a solution - it's a slogan"

Of course, she was talking about "Stay the course" and not "cut and run," but you're so right that it seems like it's all about marketing these days. Marketing and brand recognition.

. . ."Cutting and Running from what?" We were told Mission Accomplished! More than 2 years ago, the Mission Was Accomplished.

So, what would be cutting and running from? Yet, not one Dem asks that simple question. I would think it would defang the whole "Cut & Run" rhetoric.
The Professor

and the first thing that comes to mind is the light at the end of the tunnel.

If they need a soundbite, give it to them.

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

"you can't cut and run".

When you step in shit, you wipe it off your feet and change your direction so you don't step in it again.. Why can they not see this? My Son is not going to be fodder for their war!!!!

icebergs in his path.
Result?: RMS Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage killing over 1500 people.

"run and hide" referring to all the chickenhawks who avoided military service when they had a chance to serve during the Vietnam War, starting with the President, Vice President and Secretary of Defense, and extending it to all who dare use the term "cut and run" for this war when they ran and hid from the previous one.

Throw their hypocrisy right back in the cowards' faces!

don't do that. Every now and then our guys come up with something like "culture of corruption", but on an everyday basis Democratic politicians can't rouse themselves to point out Republican hypocrisy. Republican hypocrisy. We want them to talk about it. What are they afraid of?

Seems to me that one of the main differences between Republican politicians (and those who support them) and Democrats is that Republicans will spout the most appalling, egregious bullshit the second a camera is pointed in their direction, whereas Democratic politicians consistently and persistently try to take the high road, thinking it garners them respect. It doesn't. By not responding quickly and firmly to Republican lies - and by not calling them lies - they make themselves look guilty as charged.

For myself, I'm not going to miss a chance to refer to the chickenhawks collectively as cowards because they ran and hid when the military came calling.

I don't think the "high road" works anymore, not in today's Age of the Uninformed Electorate where soundbites and marketing catchphrases always seem to trump reasoned and rational oratory. Most people just don't have time or the attention span to deal with anything more than a sharp rhetorical jab.

Now, that doesn't mean the Dems have to be as crass or as cruel as Coulter. And we don't need to be, 'cause we have the TRUTH on our side. I just wish more Dems were willing to be more punchy, more aggressive with that truth.

Its working and even the repukes are using it quite a bit , because it hurts.