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Fri. Dec 29, 2006

Governmental Success And Failure

I’ve always been one who believes that success is no more permanent than failure. And vice-versa.

But Homeland Security Adviser Fran Townsend takes that positive philosophy to new extremes when asked about Osama bin Laden:

HENRY: You know, going back to September 2001, the president said, dead or alive, we’re going to get him. Still don’t have him. I know you are saying there’s successes on the war on terror, and there have been. That’s a failure.

TOWNSEND: Well, I’m not sure — it’s a success that hasn’t occurred yet. I don’t know that I view that as a failure.

Let’s apply that response in some other circumstances:

YOUR BOSS: “For over five years, you’ve failed to show up for work on time.”

YOU: “Well, I’m not sure — it’s a success that hasn’t occurred yet. I don’t know that I view that as a failure.”

Or how about this one:

YOUR SPOUSE: “For over five years, you’ve failed to be faithful to me.”

YOU: “Well, I’m not sure — it’s a success that hasn’t occurred yet. I don’t know that I view that as a failure.”

Nope. That one wouldn’t fly around here, Sparky. But it apparently flaps away in DC.