They Win the Squirrel Vote.

Quote: “We’re nuts! We’re all nuts!” Donald Fowler, a South Carolina Democratic leader, in the New York Times.

Figure of Speech: diacope (die-AH-co-pee), the near repeater.  From the Greek, meaning “cut in two.”

Having triumphed in Congress for the first time in 13 years, the Democrats are resuming their comfortable old habit of fighting each other.  Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi is strong-arming reluctant colleagues to accept earmark-crazy John Murtha as her Number Two.  Perennial pundit James Carville blames party chairman Howard Dean for not winning enough seats.  Deaniacs blame Democratic stalwarts for not giving Dean enough credit.  And liberal bloggers think they deserve more propers.  

“We are a diverse party,” explains Fowler, a southern Dem stalwart. But then he switches from the usual political pabulum into a diacope. The figure repeats a word or phrase (“We’re nuts!”), inserting another word in the middle (“all”) to jack up the emotion.

It’s just like old times.  Break out the silly hats!

Snappy Answer:  “And Figaro thanks you for it.”