Email Sent Tells USDA To Talk About Iraq

What does the USDA have to do with Iraq? Well that is what a bunch of people at the USDA are wondering today after receiving an email with talking points on Iraq. That's right, the USDA received talking points on Iraq!

(The Other WaPo)Now, you might still be scratching your heads, trying to figure out how this is going to work when people expect a talk about agriculture issues. Not to worry. The attachments -- which can be viewed here(pdf) -- show how easy it is to work a little Iraq happy talk into just about anything.

There's a sample introduction: "Several topics I'd like to talk about today -- Farm Bill, trade with Japan, WTO, avian flu . . . but before I do, let me touch on a subject people always ask about . . . progress in Iraq." See? Smooth as silk.

So then you talk about how "we are helping the Iraqi people build a lasting democracy that is peaceful and prosperous." If it looks like the audience is with you, try to slip in the old Iraq/al-Qaeda/terrorism link and say Americans are helping build a country "that will never again be a safe haven for terrorists."

Loop suggestion: With the polls showing that only about 40 percent of those surveyed actually still buy the linkage thing, you may want to use some discretion here lest you lose the audience.

With things like Mad Cow and Brid Flu, Iraq is exactly what I want the USDA to be worrying about. So when Bird Flu hits, I hope people remember that our President and his Administration were more worried about talking points for Iraq than the publics safety!