You don't know how they operate.

There will be sadness, sympathy for losses, and then suddenly the Democrats and the media will, with great regret, and suspicious synchronicity, show all the reasons why Bush just "wasn't able to handle the pressures of his position," and many, many other things along those lines. "Disinterested" pundits will chime in. Every parallel with other failed military efforts will show up in "unconnected" backgrounders. Perhaps a PBS special on Vietnam will be rerun.

Without ever saying one nasty thing, or showing the least pleasure at the losses, the entire organization will be bent in the direction of showing Bush as an incompetent boob who shouldn't even have been a dogcatcher.

These people are experts at what they do, and steering public opinion without appearing to is the greatest of these skills. It was one of Clinton's biggest talents.

And yes, inside, they will be whooping it up. Same as if the stock market collapses entirely, putting thousands onto the street. But you'll never see it.

Think Thatcher, her successes and failures. Tell me when things were going to hell on her watch you didn't grin like an ape.