How Long Is a Last Throe?

I try not to reproduce too much from blogs as well-read as Kevin Drum's, but this stuff is so rich, it begs to replicated in as many places as possible. Drum excerpts Terry Moran's persistant questions from this recounting of a briefing with Scott McClellan:

Q Scott, is the insurgency in Iraq in its 'last throes'?

Q But the insurgency is in its last throes?

Q But they're killing more Americans, they're killing more Iraqis. That's the last throes?

Q Right. What is the evidence that the insurgency is in its last throes?

Q What's the evidence on the ground that it's being extinguished?

Q Well, I'm just wondering what the metric is for measuring the defeat of the insurgency.

Q Yes. Is there any idea how long a "last throe" lasts for?

I mean, you hafta laugh. Hard. One day, these turkeys (AKA Busk lackeys) will answer a question honestly and surprise us all.

I toast Moran for his persistance. All journalists should be this dogged with this (any) administration's waffling/prevaricating.

And tangentially, Is there any idea how long a 'last throe' lasts for? Man, that's comedy gold!

Drum also suggests that "maybe the White House should institute 'wiki-briefings' that allow us all to go in and edit the transcripts." Oh, man, that's rich, too.