Hoist? Check. Petard? Check. Ok, we're good to go!

Yes, sometimes pseudo-clever people try to become clever people when other people are listening and they utter statements like this.

"We will lose on legislation. But we will win the message war every day, and every week, until November 2010," said Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., an outspoken conservative who has participated on the GOP message teams. "Our goal is to bring down approval numbers for [Speaker Nancy] Pelosi and for House Democrats. That will take repetition. This is a marathon, not a sprint."

In other words, we have no ideas of our own, but we can hammer away on the usual wedge issues that lost us the last two elections. With luck that'll tear down the Democrats in the House sufficiently that we might be able to regain a toe-hold. Remember, no new ideas are needed for this.

But the kicker is this little ditty from the ostensible leader of the House GOP (hint: it's not Rush-bo!)

"I have been trying to get my Republican colleagues to understand that we are not in the legislative business."

Really, Mr. Boehner? What business are you in then? Oh, that's right, the "Just say no" business, I forgot. When you have no original thoughts or ideas, the only thing you can do is snipe at the work of others. Well done, sir. Well done.