FRAMING THE IRAQ PULL OUT: Dana Milbank Spotlights the “Cut and Run” Frame Device

Yesterday, the Washington Post’s Dana Milbank detailed the GOP’s effort to frame the debate over a pull out from Iraq, as a decision to “cut and run.” The phrase has become almost ubiquitous, and purposely so. It’s the perfect example of a “frame device,” a slogan or catchphrase that captures the essence of an underlying interpretation: In this case, a pull out from Iraq would be a decision that failed to live up to commitment, responsibility, and would be a sign of cowardice.