Several times during the 7 p.m. ET broadcast of the February 15 edition of CNN's The Situation Room, the onscreen text read " 'Slow Bleed' Strategy? Iraq Funding Debate," putting part of the headline of a Republican National Committee statement in question form. In introducing the program, host Wolf Blitzer said: "[A] 'slow-bleed' strategy -- that's what Republicans are accusing Democrats of plotting in the Iraq debate," while the onscreen text read: " 'Slow Bleed' Strategy?" CNN also repeatedly used " 'Slow Bleed' Strategy? Iraq Funding Debate" in CNN congressional correspondent Andrea Koppel's report on the House debate, during which Koppel read from an RNC “statement calling” comments by Rep. John P. Murtha (D-PA) “the Democrats' 'slow bleed' strategy to choke off funding for troops in harm's way.” Neither Blitzer nor Koppel informed viewers of the origin of the “slow bleed” term.

As Media Matters for America noted, the RNC seized on the term “slow bleed” to describe the Democrats' Iraq strategy after it appeared in a February 14 article by Politico congressional bureau chief John Bresnahan. As Media Matters also noted, Bresnahan did not attribute the term to anyone and did not put it in quotation marks, suggesting that it was The Politico's own characterization. Nonetheless, the RNC asserted in a press release that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Rep. John P. Murtha (D-PA) “call it their 'slow-bleed' plan.” So Republicans went further than “accusing Democrats” of having undertaken a “slow bleed” plan, as Blitzer said; they actually falsely claimed that the term was the Democrats'. In a February 16 Politico article, Bresnahan clarified that the term was not “used by any Democrats or the anti-war groups supporting their efforts.” Bresnahan also noted that "[t]he RNC, however, attributed the phrase to Democrats, and it was used in their e-mail alert."

Koppel also said, "[J]ust as Democrats did earlier this week, Republicans today gave war veterans center stage" and then aired three video clips featuring two Republican congressmen, who are veterans. Koppel asserted that Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX) “was one of a group of Republican vets who shared personal experiences to remind colleagues what happens when congressional support for a war falters.”

However, on the February 13 edition of The Situation Room, when Koppel aired a quote from Rep. John Conyers (MI), a Democratic veteran, she asserted that the “Democrats' strategy” of “put[ting] the party's military veterans front and center” was “in hopes of insulating themselves against Republican accusations Democrats don't support the troops,” ascribing a partisan motivation for the Democrats' actions while imputing no such motivation to the Republicans' similar actions two days later. Further, just as in Koppel's February 15 segment, her February 13 report concluded with her referring to “press releases ... the Republicans are churning out” and featured Rep. Adam Putnam (R-FL), chairman of the House Republican Conference, who she said was “overseeing the effort.”

During the show's 4 p.m. ET broadcast on February 15, CNN Internet reporter Abbi Tatton also read from an email she said was sent by the RNC, “saying that the plan would put the lives of troops in 'greater danger, as resources slowly dry up.' ” Tatton did not note that the statement falsely attributed the “slow bleed” term to congressional Democrats.

From the 4 p.m. ET hour of the February 15 edition of CNN's The Situation Room:

TATTON: That's Murtha outlining the strategy on a video released today on a new website, MoveCongress.Org, a website organized by a coalition of anti-war groups.

The outcome of this plan, in Murtha's words, would be to stop the surge for all intents and purposes.

Well, this plan received immediate reaction from the Republican National Committee, who sent out this email, saying that the plan would put the lives of troops in “greater danger as resources slowly dry up” -- Wolf.

From the 7 p.m. ET hour of the February 15 edition of CNN's The Situation Room:

BLITZER: Also this hour, a “slow-bleed” strategy -- that's what Republicans are accusing Democrats of plotting in the Iraq debate. I'll ask Sen. and presidential candidate Joe Biden [D-DE] about the feud over funds for the troops.

[...]

BLITZER: The gloves are off and the emotions are running very high in the House debate over a troop build-up in Iraq. Republicans are accusing a leading Democrat of plotting to choke off funding for the troops. And they're sharing war stories to press their points. Let's go to our congressional correspondent Andrea Koppel -- Andrea.

KOPPEL: Wolf, just as Democrats did earlier this week, Republicans today gave war veterans center stage.

[begin video clip]

KOPPEL: Texas Republican Sam Johnson led the debate. Johnson endured almost seven years of torture as a POW in Vietnam and returned home 34 years ago this week.

JOHNSON: There were many times I would pray to God that I would pass out and slip into unconsciousness, just to escape the pain.

KOPPEL: Johnson was one of a group of Republican vets who shared personal experiences to remind colleagues what happens when congressional support for a war falters.

JOHNSON: The same holds true today. The enemy wants our men and women in uniform to think that their Congress doesn't care about them, that they're going to cut the funding and abandon them and their mission.

KOPPEL: Ohio Republican Paul Gillmor, an Air Force veteran, said the Democrats' nonbinding resolution puts Congress at a dangerous crossroads.

REP. PAUL GILLMOR (R-OH): Begins this Congress down a path which ends with cutting off funding for our troops and abandoning our foreign policy.

KOPPEL: Democrats deny they plan to cut funding for combat troops.

HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER REP. STENY HOYER (D-MD): Obviously, if we send troops to Iraq, they're going to be serving in Iraq. We're going to protect them.

KOPPEL: But in a Web-cast interview with an anti-war advocacy group, Democrat John Murtha, who oversees defense spending, repeated a promise to tie future funding for Iraq to troop readiness.

MURTHA: That stops the surge for all intents and purposes.

KOPPEL: The Republican Campaign Committee jumped on Murtha's comments, circulating a statement calling it the Democrats' " 'slow bleed strategy' to choke off funding for troops in harm's way."

[end video clip]

KOPPEL: Look for Republicans to continue to hammer away at this theme during the remaining hours of debate. A vote is expected sometime tomorrow, and both sides expect it will pass -- Wolf.