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Subway commuters are by now familiar with the sad story of the FDNY's Christian Engeldrum's death in Iraq. The Post and The Daily News have been splashing the story across their covers for the last two days, each trying to outdo the other with escalating displays of compassion and patriotism. It's starting to get ugly.

Yesterday, The News was the clear winner with a huge (exclusive!) photo of fire fighters raising a battered American flag above the still-smoking Ground Zero with the headline ULTIMATE PATRIOT. The Post went with a rather restrained BRAVEST headline.

Today, The Post rallies with an impressive WAR HERO'S BABY, in huge type beside a report that Engeldrum's widow is pregnant. The News sort of confuses us by running a photo of someone else (injured FDNY fire fighter-turned-soldier Daniel Swift) with the headline MY IRAQ HELL. (The News buries the baby story with a sidebar Baby on the way for patriot widow.)

So, advantage New York Post. We'll keep following this war (between the tabloids, not that one in Iraq which has really lost our interest) until there is a clear winner. Hopefully, this one won't be a total quagmire.
MY IRAQ WAR HELL [Daily News]
WAR HERO'S BABY [Post]