Rep. Barney Frank, Massachusetts Democrat, accused Republicans of "political necrophilia" last Friday during the Iraq war debate.

I asked Mr. Frank's press secretary, Steve Adamske, what he meant by that, but never got a response. However, thanks to the published edition of the congressional record, I now have a bound copy of Mr. Frank's remarks. Here they are:

"The Republicans specialize in this. It is kind of political necrophilia. There is this love of dead Democrats among many Republicans. Democrats who, when they were alive were trashed by the right wing, once they are dead and safely no longer possibly candidates for office, get lionized. Nothing of course shows that better than with Harry Truman, but it is John Kennedy, and it is others."

He was responding to a speech by Rep. Lynn A. Westmoreland, Georgia Republican, who was saying nice things about President Woodrow Wilson, President Franklin Delanor Roosevelt, and President Truman.

-- Jon Ward, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times