And just where were you before the election?

From a Reading (PA) Eagle editorial:

Democrats in House make the right move

The Issue: Rep. John P. Murtha, a Pennsylvania Democrat, loses his bid to become House majority leader.

Our Opinion: With his less than sterling ethics reputation, it’s just as well.

There was nothing wrong with lauding Rep. John P. Murtha, a retired Marine and Vietnam War veteran, for standing up to President Bush for his poor management of the war in Iraq. Murtha was giving a voice to the frustrations of many.

But as for his unsuccessful candidacy for post of House majority leader, it’s just as well that Murtha, an unindicted co-conspirator in the infamous Abscam scandal, was rejected soundly by his fellow Democrats.

Only a week earlier, in the wake of the takeover of House and the Senate by Democrats, Rep. Nancy J. Pelosi, the House speaker-elect, said one of her first orders of business would be an ethics overhaul of the House.

Exit polls revealed that a top concern of most voters was the culture of corruption that has permeated Washington in recent years.

Given Pelosi’s promise of an ethical housecleaning, her support of Murtha for majority leader had many people puzzled.

Well, let's just say that we at MMG were (and remain) a bit puzzled as well, given the PA dead tree media's overwhelming support of the "ethically-challenged" Murtha during this last re-election bid. If Murtha's ethics (or lack thereof) should have precluded him from the House Majority leader, why wouldn't the same consideration have precluded him from earning another term in representing the interests of PA-12?

Murtha's sojourn to be Majority Leader may be history,...

...but the damage he caused in his quest continues to take its toll:

WASHINGTON - Darryl Sharratt often breaks into tears when trying to start sentences that include the word ``Al-Hadithah.'' A stoic Pennsylvania foreman, he struggles with painful concepts such as betrayal and helplessness. His wife, Theresa, puts her hand on his shoulder and tries to talk through the anguish.

``I love my son. He's my hero,'' Theresa Sharratt says calmly. ``He's not what they're portraying him as. I can't believe that this is happening to us. To him.''

Their son is Lance Cpl. Justin Sharratt, a 22-year-old Marine who had dreamed his entire life of joining the military. Now the Sharratts are fighting to preserve his reputation, as he is one of a handful of Marines who are being investigated over the slayings of two dozen Iraqi civilians Nov. 19, 2005.

The Sharratts have remained silent until now because they did not know what to say. They have avoided learning details of their son's possible involvement in the shootings while they have struggled to understand what might have happened in a war zone thousands of miles away. They have privately fumed about politicians -- such as Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa. -- who have publicly stated that their son was part of a brutal, vengeful slaughter. They are livid that no one in the Marine Corps has stepped forward to defend their son.

``He's very confident he did nothing wrong, and we believe him,'' Theresa Sharratt said in a recent interview in the family home in Canonsburg, Pa. Her husband wiped his eyes and added: ``He felt he was doing his job. And, now, the Marine Corps has betrayed these guys. All of them.''

The incident in Al-Hadithah was not widely known until the past spring, when Time magazine wrote an account of the civilian deaths in a small group of homes in the insurgent hotbed. Early reports alleged that Marines with Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, snapped after a member of their unit was killed by a roadside bomb, sending them on a rampage through nearby homes. There also were allegations of a coverup.

Attorneys for the Marines -- including Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich, the most senior non-commissioned officer at the scene of the shootings -- have said repeatedly that their clients followed the appropriate rules of engagement and killed the civilians as they were hunting insurgents responsible for the roadside bombing and for a volley of shots from what the Marines believed were AK-47 assault rifles.

``They responded the way they were trained,'' said Jack Zimmerman, an attorney for Lance Cpl. Stephen Tatum, 25, who officials think was one of the Marines who fired shots.

But never let a simple issue like "presumption of innocence" get in the way of a heretofore obscure dinosaur of a politician's ambitions. Murtha proclaimed Sharatt, Wuterich, and other Marines in their outfit guilty of a "crime" before any formal investigation had take place; before any charges were filed (they have yet to be filed); even before he had read any reports on the matter. Murtha's unfounded public pronouncement of guilt led the Haditha Marines to be found guilty in the court of public and world opinion, as well.

Ironic, isn't it, that soldiers fighting to defend a Constitution that, among other things, holds the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, were themselves denied that very presumption by a blowhard ignoramus of a politician who pulled out all the stops in his attempts to court favor with antiwar democrats who otherwise wouldn't have given him the time of day.

And even now, not. One. Word. Of. Apology.

None.

Here's a Real Turkey For Ya

The MSM protected Murtha...

Noel Sheppard at Newsbusters reports that Howard Kurtz and other MSM figures have admitted that they kept Murtha's misdeeds largely under wraps before the elections:

As NewsBuster Tim Graham reported Sunday, the media were quite late in bringing up Congressman Jack Murtha’s (D-Pennsylvania) ethics issues, as well as his connection to Abscam in the late ’70s. Instead, such matters waited to come to the front pages until after the Democrats safely regained control of Congress. Quite surprisingly, CNN’s “Reliable Sources” host Howard Kurtz (who also writes for the Washington Post) completely agreed that the media dropped the ball on this issue, and grilled his guests about this on Sunday’s program. This segment began:

Since calling for a U.S. pullout from Iraq one year ago, Democratic Congressman Jack Murtha has drawn all kinds of media coverage for his stance. But after the election, when incoming Speaker Nancy Pelosi backed the ex-Marine for next Majority Leader, stories suddenly popped up about Murtha’s relationship with lobbyists, and whether he had helped a company that hired his brother as a lobbyist. And suddenly, television was replaying a 26-year-old videotape from the Abscam scandal in which Murtha was offered a bribe by FBI informants posing as Arab sheiks.

Kurtz then asked the Chicago Tribune’s Clarence Page:

Clarence Page, there was a big LA Times expose last year about Jack Murtha doing favors for companies that contributed to his campaign and that sort of thing. It got almost no national pickup until after the midterm elections. Why?

Page amazingly responded:

I think after the midterm elections, suddenly Jack Murtha became a political candidate. An internal election in Congress, but nevertheless, a candidate. Before that, he was a spokesperson and advocate for a strategic point of view with regard to Iraq. When you become a candidate, suddenly now you’ve got political enemies. And that means people start digging up stuff on you, and suddenly things that weren’t relevant before like the old Abscam scandal suddenly become very relevant.

Read the whole thing.

The media's agenda, grossly transparent in deciding what to print or not to print to push their candidates of choice is nothing new. But the blatant acknowledgement of such from media sources who have, in the past, built their reputations on so-called "unbiased reporting" is certainly something to behold.

Jack Murtha received a gift from the MSM. If the people of Pennsylvania's 12th CD really knew what a corrupt politician that Murtha is, he would be sitting on a rocking chair on his front porch in Johnstown, and a much more deserving candidate would have taken his place.

Murtha: Now what?

Now that Murtha has been thrown under the bus by his party brethren, what is an old seditionist to do?

"I didn't have enough votes and so I'll go back to my small subcommittee I have on Appropriations," Murtha said after the vote.

Thank you, Captain Obvious.

Since a year ago today, Murtha's calculated Machiavellian abandonment of decorum that should have been befitting an elected veteran Marine during a time of war bespoke of one aim: Personal political power at any cost. Even if that cost included the selling out of fellow Marines and undermining his nation's war effort.

Now, having outlived his "useful idiot" status by the Code Pinks, Moveon.orgs and Kos Kids, and after riding on the wave that swept his party brethren to power on November 7th, Jack Murtha has been swept aside like so much flotsam and jetsam, and has once again been relegated to persona non grata status in the democrat power structure.

Being the senile old bastard that he is, Murtha played the leftist game and sold his soul to the devil in his "big gamble." For a long while, Jack appeared to really enjoy his "toast of the town" status; and probably even thought that he was actually respected among the moonbat left and willing media shills for his "outspokenness." All the while, of course, Murtha was being played for a patsy; a pawn in his party's quest for power.

A word to the wise, Jack--deals with the devil aren't usually all they're cracked up to be.

On another note, for the past seven months, we have chronicled every Murtha mis-step, past and present, which had heretofore gone largely ignored by the MSM. It finally took a Murtha election victory and the very real chance that the old coot may actually end up as majority leader before the MSM had their "come to Jesus" Murtha moment and started exposing him for who he really is.

I guess in that sense, our efforts here have proven fruitful.

In an ironic turn of events, Jack Murtha threw Marines under the bus for political gain; and now he himself knows what it feels like to be on the receiving end.

Too bad he doesn't share their fate.

Having outlived his usefulness, it is likely that you'll be hearing a lot less from Jihad Jack in the coming months. But rest assured, the next time Murtha opens his seditious piehole, we'll be here to chronicle it.

Dem's Culture of Corruption Second To None

Although they effectively used that catchphrase in the last election to their advantage, it won't be too long before the average Jane and Joe realize they've been hoodwinked into thinking this party will bring ethics to the forefront. Suckers.

And, as the next two years ramble on the people of this country that have been asleep and voted for change will finally have to focus on the Dem's filthy laundry which is in no short supply mind you.

Murtha gets thrown under the bus....

Despite Nancy Pelosi's best efforts, Steny Hoyer beat out Jack Murtha for the #2 seat in the House in a vote of 149-86.

As I suspected, it was a bit of a stretch to think that the far-left base of the democrat leadership would go with Murtha, who had a "reputation" as a hawk, and also had a reputation as a pro-life democrat.

Murtha, having outlived his usefulness, was thrown under the bus by his fellow party members.

Funny isn't it, how there was all of a sudden a flurry of activity in the "unbiased" MSM, finally reporting what we've been reporting on Murtha Must Go!! for the past seven months, but waiting until after the election to do it. Funny also is the fact that any attempt to criticize Murtha was immediately met with a "swiftboating!" charge by the left; but again, after Murtha outlived his usefulness, the rallying cry on the left was a resounding "Full swiftboat ahead!"

It appears that Murtha has resigned himself to the realization that it would be back to his political roots:

"I didn't have enough votes and so I'll go back to my small subcommittee I have on Appropriations," Murtha said after the vote.

But don't feel too sorry for ol' Jack. After all, his stint on the Appropriations committee has garnered him quite a nest egg.

A soldier's view of last week's elections

From Rusty Humprhies:

Dear Rusty,
I know you probably get a lot of messages asking you to read stuff on your show, but I BEG you to read this...... I would like you to tell America exactly what they did to their soldiers on Tuesday, and what WE think about our countrymen right now.

"I hope you are satisfied with what you have done...

Today in the mess hall, where there is usually jovial conversation, there was silence, long faces, and broken spirits... Everyone, to include all American soldiers, marines, sailors, airmen, Iraqi Nationals, Bulgarian Soldiers, etc, etc... was speechless, tired, demoralized and stunned.... all ate in erie silence.....

Last night, while we watched the press conference with the President, there was utter discust, and the common feeling amongst us all that we soldiers are now the loneliest people on Earth.... we fight an enemy over here, and we have a country full of enemies to go home to that are our countrymen. We watched President Bush say his own political funeral, our commander and chief.. as well as ours..... He tried so hard to spin it, but... well.. there is no way to soften such a morale blow.

While you sit and Monday morning quarterback what we work so hard to do for you out here, just know that the spirit of your team is wounded..... YOU liberals, you America have done a great job of demoralizing us... Thank you.

Do us a favor though, when we do come home, spare us the ceremony....... We all now know that it is a bunch of crap, and what you think of us.......

I have to say that right now, I would rather be a pussy ass Frenchman, even though they have no will to fight, at least they have the balls to make a decision and stick with it...... They stuck to thier guns about staying out of this war, even if it was the wrong decision......America on the other hand, goes off half cocked, and when the decision appears to be a hard one, or something that might cost a little bit, they turn tail and run.....

WHAT A NATION OF PUSSIES!!!!

This week I am NOT proud to say that I am an American..........I think it is obvious why... See, we just have told the world that we are not a nation of people who are tough, and will fight for what we believe in... We have told the world that we are a giant coward that will shy away from any difficult challenge...

So, while you eat your cheetos, and sit there and watch your lazy ass get fatter, dumber and happier Joe Citizen.. Just remember this, I, and all my commrades payed a dear price to come this far and have you decide that we should fail...

Realize this, because of your action this week America.... do not expect so many men to be so willing to stand up for your next little whim just to be cut down in the middle of it all............

Realize this also.. you have just put a heavy price on the heads of us all...... Now that we are branded as cowards, we are an easy target, oh so inviting for the taking....... I swore to protect your children in your beds.... yet you fling the door wide open inspite of me to invite the scourge.... Well.... have it your way then.

Because of this, September 11th will soon be overshadowed by these same enemies.. my advice to you is get your lazy, self centered ass up and make peace with your God, and your family.. cause, time will come when they may not be there for you................Because you kicked me in the teeth, and so many others, I know I won't any more.. "

Aaron.

As heard on the Rusty Humphries Show

As a parent of one of these brave soldiers, I have some questions for Murtha, Pelosi, and all you libs out there--was all the defeatist rhetoric worth it? Was it worth throwing our soldiers and their mission under the bus as a cheap shortcut in your quest for political power? Was it worth it, undermining our war effort, and making very real the possibility if not outright certainty of rendering their many sacrifices moot?

I have said all along that liberals have no abiltiy to link, nor to think before they speak. Nor do they have any shame in how their words affect others, or even if their nation loses a war as a result of their win-at-all-costs propaganda machine.

I ask you again. Was it worth it?

More on Murtha's "ethics"

Pelosi's pick for the #2 spot in the "most ethical congress ever" is leaving more and more to be desired.

As Norman Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute points out:

The ethics package was the only occasion in which more than a tiny handful of Republicans bucked their leaders and voted for the Democratic alternative--20 of them did so in this case, providing an opening for a real reform to pass the House. Except that four Democrats voted against their own party, killing ethics and lobbying reform all by themselves. Among them: John Murtha. Why? We recently learned from the New York Times that Murtha traded away lobbying and ethics reform in return for earmarks from the Republican leaders.

Murtha is a skilled and experienced legislator, a war hero and an articulate and passionate opponent of the Bush administration policy toward Iraq. He also is deeply ethically challenged. Electing him as Majority Leader is no way to start out the most ethical Congress in history. (emphases added)

Indeed.

The Murtha Kerfuffle: The DNC bloodletting continues...

Trying to hold onto the reins of a majority that was elected in part based on the promise of an ethically pure administration, Nancy Pelosi is dead set on ruling with an iron fist in order to get Jack Murtha, a congressman pegged as one of the 25 most corrupt legislators, the number two seat in the House of Representatives. According to the Hill, such actions by an upcoming Speaker are unprecedented, and are already starting to tear apart the upcoming democrat majority, even before their oaths of office have been taken:

“She will ensure that they [the Murtha camp] wins. This is hardball politics … We are entering an era where when the Speaker instructs you what to do, you do it,” he (Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) said. “Yes, she’s making calls to people. She is contacting people and letting them know that it’s an unequivocal letter.”

Hoyer’s camp was aware of the calls, said one lawmaker supporting the Democratic whip.

“She’s making calls, so don’t be shocked,” the lawmaker said.

Another House Democrat supporting Hoyer was incensed that Pelosi was exerting her influence in the caucus, asserting that it will further divide House Democrats.

“It’s an incredible display of hubris,” the member said, using a phrase Pelosi herself sometimes employs. “It’s incredibly egotistical. We all got us here. We all got us to the promised land and Steny’s not going to the promised land?”

The member said regardless of who ultimately wins the Thursday election, the effect of Pelosi actively getting involved in the race would reverberate for some time.

“Either way, it’s damaging,” the member said. “She will have a tremendous road to hoe to repair the damage she’s done.”

I will have to admit. It is fun seeing democrats eat their own. It will also be quite instructive as to the hypocrisy of Pelosi and the democrat majority should the blatantly corrupt Murtha actually end up as Majority Leader.

Where Were All These Folks For The Past 5 Months?

Or the past twenty years for that matter. If Jack Murtha would have received this much scrutiny by the MSM and his adoring followers leading into this past election, Diana Irey would be representing Pennsylvania in congress instead of the filthy leader their stuck with now.

We here at Murtha Must Go smelled the stink all the way back in May, and the archives of this blog will attest to that assertion. Anything and everything you are reading about ABSCAM, his ties to corruption, his treasonous remarks made towards the fine soldiers of this country, it's all here.

Judging by the plethora of Murtha material available to read this week you would think the MSM has just uncovered something new, when in fact they've been asleep at the wheel all summer defending this man and his "proud and brave stance" towards the Iraq war, like Arriana Huffington last week with this love letter penned to Murtha after the election for instance calling him the man of the year.

Well, the man of the year accolades lasted about 15 minutes as the media is now dissecting Jack like vultures on the carcass of a dead wolf in the desert. And like I said in the headline, where were these idiots for the past 5 months?

Like this lady from NBC's vaunted Investigative Unit, you know her, Lisa Myers. Where was she and her unit when Jack was calling our soldiers cold blooded murderers in the spring and for the rest of the summer as his fat ass paraded around the country being treated like the second coming of Eisenhower?

Shamelessly quiet, thus enabling this crook to now be re-elected when he should have been sent packing as we here at MMG have been demanding for 5 long months and will be doing until he's gone or rendered powerless and irrelevant due to his well known but overlooked shady and slime filled past.

Will Murtha’s past haunt him as a leader? - Lisa Myers & the NBC Investigative Unit - MSNBC.com:

Critics say Abscam, special interest perks tarnish congressman’s integrity

"WASHINGTON - In Rep. Nancy Pelosi's first interview after Democrats won control of the House, talking with NBC's Brian Williams on Nov. 8, she made a sweeping promise.

'To turn this Congress into the most honest and open Congress in history,' she said. 'That is my pledge. That is what I intend to do.'

But some Democrats and ethics experts say that promise was undercut when Pelosi endorsed John Murtha, a decorated Vietnam veteran with a checkered ethical record, for the No. 2 leadership position in the House."

"Rep. Murtha has basically been on the wrong side of public integrity issues during his career," says Fred Wertheimer, president of watchdog group Democracy 21.

Critics claim Murtha has amassed power in part by handing out taxpayer money to special interests, including to clients of defense lobbyists who give him big campaign contributions.

Then, there is video from an FBI sting in 1980, known as Abscam. read more / see the video

Yes indeed, the 13 seconds of video you would have seen here 5 months ago, or the full 53 minutes now available due to the fine work of the American Spectator reported by us here, and here. If you haven't seen it, it's in the sidebar along with the transcript. Too little too late I'm afraid, but maybe not.

technorati tags: Election 2006, Murtha, Iraq War, Cut & Run

Cross Posted at Chicagoray

They're swiftboating John Murtha!!

Who's they?

Is it Diana Irey, bitter about defeat?

Is it John O'Neill, at Swift-Vets for Truth, trying to have another go at our favorite pusillanimous pillar of cut-n run?

Just who is swiftboating Murtha?

Silly reader, it's none other than the members of the DNC themselves!

WASHINGTON — The race to be the No. 2 House Democratic leader turned nasty Tuesday, with challenger Rep. John Murtha accusing opponents of "swift-boat style attacks" that hark back to his days being investigated in the FBI's 1980 Abscam sting.

Murtha won endorsement Monday from Nancy Pelosi, who is widely expected to be the House speaker. But Murtha is opposed by some liberals who say they are not happy with the Pennsylvania lawmaker's pro-gun and anti-abortion record. Others say Pelosi took a wrong turn in backing Murtha over her current deputy Rep. Steny Hoyer because Murtha's record is marred by ethics questions of the type Pelosi pledged to clean up in Congress.

You see, dear reader, to any good democrat, the term "swiftboating" has come to mean any public exposure to the truth. And in Jack Murtha's case, simply put, the truth hurts.

"I am disconcerted that some are making headlines by resorting to unfounded allegations that occurred 26 years ago. I thought we were above this type of swift-boating attack. This is not how we restore integrity and civility to the United States Congress," Murtha said of the ample press coverage of his link to Abscam and more recent negotiations he made as ranking Democrat on the Defense Appropriations Committee.

The thing about it is, the allegations that Jack Murtha was looking for a way to take a $50,000 bribe some 26 years ago are not unfounded. On a permanent place in our sidebar is the link to the entire ABSCAM video--all 53 minutes of it. In it, Murtha consistently alludes that he doesn't want to get caught taking the money, but he continually leaves the door open that under the right circumstances, he would be all too willing to line his big fat backside with Arabian-generated greenbacks. Murtha can deny it all he wants, but in this case, videotape speaks louder than desperate backpedalling.

You know, even though we're bummed that Murtha won another term, it's almost sweet justice to see him squirm as he is devoured by his fellow party members, like a wounded beluga whale caught in a shark tank.

Surf's up, Jack. Have a nice ride.

And So Does The Trib

Pittsburgh's other, more conservative paper, the Tribune-Review, joins the Post-Gazette in backing Murtha in his quest to be Pelosi's go-to guy. After all, Nancy owes the big guy, big time. Major league, big time, you might say. And he is the Trib's favorite Congressman, don't forget.

Rep. Jack Murtha does not have a lock on becoming House majority leader in the 110th Congress by any means. But he sure does have an important key to securing that position in advance of Thursday's closed-door leadership elections.

Mr. Murtha, the veteran 12th District congressman of Johnstown, called in a critical chit last week: The man who engineered Nancy Pelosi's rise to minority whip for the Democrats asked the speaker in waiting to back him over current party No. 2 Steny Hoyer of Maryland.

On Sunday, Mrs. Pelosi delivered -- a glowing endorsement of Murtha and, between the lines, a silent but powerful rebuke of Hoyer, whom she defeated for minority whip in 2001.

Get out your barf bags, and read on to see why the Trib wants Murtha to have such power:

No other member of Congress in the modern age has seen to the needs of our troops more. At the same time, Murtha never has been shy of speaking his mind. And despite heavy early criticism, Murtha showed great courage in calling for this country to rethink Iraq; his view now is the view of a majority of Americans.

Here's what this paragraph should really say, interpreted MMG-style. First sentence: "Murtha has done more to tarnish the reputation of our troops and put them in harm's way than even the average Moonbat." Second sentence: "Murtha is an idiot and won't shut up." Third sentence: "The left-wing propaganda machine is working by using Murtha as its mouthpiece." Buffoon.

But the role of majority leader involves far more than the military and the war. Murtha would be responsible for the overall legislative agenda; he'd be the gatekeeper for scheduling legislation on the House floor. And as Pelosi notes, Murtha has the "mastery of the facts and the policy" needed to run the operation.

Think about that: Jack Murtha is basically going to be running the Congress of the United States. This goes against everything we've been fighting for these past few months. He should be retired, sent home, dishonorably discharged from Congress...instead, he's more powerful than ever. The next couple of years are going to be a bitch.

If Democrats are smart, and truly want to show the American people that they can put internal party politics aside for the benefit of the nation, they'll line up behind Jack Murtha.

"Smart", of course, means "smart enough to follow the dictates of this editorial writer". The best way to benefit the nation by lining up behind Murtha is to boot the bastard.

The Post-Gazette Endorses Murtha Again

(WARNING: The Op-Ed piece linked below will either make you collapse in howls of laughter, or make you want to puke your guts out. Either way, it is potentially hazardous to your health.)

Fresh on the heels of John Murtha's re-election victory, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, which endorsed Murtha in his recent campaign, has given its sanction to the old warrior's (sic) quest to become the second-highest ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives, right behind Nancy Pelosi (or right up Nancy Pelosi's behind, if you prefer):

When U.S. Rep. John Murtha lobbied for the House majority leader position back in June in anticipation of a Democratic victory in November, the Post-Gazette said his ambition was " foolishly premature" and that it should "wait until the battle is done." As it turned out, the Johnstown Democrat gave up his leadership quest until after the elections.

Because anyone who dares act without permission of the Imperial media is a headstrong fool, if not outright evil. The sheer arrogance of the media, whether it's the PG, the Strib, or whoever, never fails to outrage.

Now that the battle is done and won, with Democrats controlling both the House and Senate, Mr. Murtha is back seeking to become the second-most important officeholder in the House after the speaker, who will be Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California. There's nothing foolish about Mr. Murtha's ambition now; it is timely and wise.

It's like a game of "Simon Says" with these editorialists, who fancy themselves in the role of "Simon". "Simon didn't say 'Run for majority leader', Mister Murtha! Simon says go back and finish your race for Congress!" Now Simon says it's okay, and the ass is transformed into a sage.

Far from being a sure bet for the post, which will be decided in a secret vote in Washington on Thursday, Mr. Murtha is seen as the underdog. That's because Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland has filled the No. 2 post for the Democrats for the last four years. He has the support of some senior Democratic congressmen as well as more than half of the incoming freshman class.

Underdog? He reminds me more of Simon Bar Sinister, continually plotting the death and destruction of the good guys.

But Ms. Pelosi has written a letter of support for Mr. Murtha, one of her close allies. More than friendship, however, recommends Mr. Murtha as the one who should be chosen -- and Ms. Pelosi alluded to this in her letter.

Noting his opposition to the war in Iraq, she wrote: "Your leadership gave so many Americans, including respected military leaders, the encouragement to voice their own disapproval at a failed policy that weakens our military and makes stability in that region even more difficult to achieve."

Once again, someone is making the suggestion that Murtha is a sort of shadow commander-in-chief. You know what's scary? It looks like there really are a lot of people who look up to Murtha in this manner. I try not to be a cynic, but this does not bode well for the future of our country.

The unfolding disaster in Iraq was one of the principal reasons that Americans decided to rebuke the Bush administration and its faithful followers in Congress. Although Democrats would be wise to give serious consideration to the eventual findings of the Iraq Study Group, headed by former Secretary of State James A. Baker III and ex-congressman Lee Hamilton, the Democratic leaders in the Senate are reported to be determined to push for troop withdrawals in a matter of months.

I'd like to see what the Iraq Study Group comes up with. Will it recommend these anticipated troop withdrawals? Do the Democrats even have a plan for withdrawal? Tell you what -- quitting the war abruptly might make the vaunted "world community" like us again, but those aren't the countries that are trying to kill us. Better to show strength against the terrorists and let the peaceniks hate us, than to make ourselves (AGAIN) look like easily dominated cowards.

Mr. Murtha, of course, has had the courage to be speaking along these lines for almost a year -- and he has been demonized by the right for his trouble. In last week's election, however, the Swift Boat-like attacks were so many pea-shooters bouncing off his sterling reputation as an ex-Marine and decorated Vietnam veteran who is one of the most pro-military figures in Congress. He easily won re-election to a 17th term against Washington County Commissioner Diana Irey.

If you're playing a Murtha drinking game, this paragraph will get you tipsy. "Swift Boat" is worth a chug. "Ex-Marine" and "Decorated veteran" -- take a sip! "Pro-military" allows you to down the whole bottle.

On the positive side, the PG remembers Diana Irey's name. You'd have thought that the media would have swept her under the rug by now. She needs to remain in the public consciousness, in some form or other, over the next couple of years for Round Two.

The American people want change, but it's a fair bet they also want leaders who are credible and responsible. Ms. Pelosi, whom Republicans like to paint as a San Francisco liberal, needs a plain-speaking warrior Democrat like Mr. Murtha at her side. The nation does too.

The papers have been going out the their way this week to portray Murtha as an outright conservative. That's ridiculous. San Fran Nan, on the other han', is a San Francisco liberal. If you wish us to believe that she is something else, PG, why not tell us what that would be? Eh?

And so the Post-Gazette ends its endorsement of John Murtha for House Majority Leader in truly vomitous fashion. Nancy Pelosi needs Murtha, a "warrior Democrat", and so does the nation? Which nation? Iran? Syria? France? Whichever nation it happens to be, it sure as hell isn't any nation that I would want to be a citizen of.

Democrat "lies" about Iraq?

Will the cut-n-run democrats, including Jack Murtha, eat their own words? Or do they continue to live in an alternate universe- and pretend that they never uttered them?

Jack Murtha-- On selling a soul.

As ChicagoRay stated in this post, and as we have been alluding to time and time again on this blog, Jack Murtha never does anything without there being a self-serving purpose.

Historically speaking, liberals have always had a seething distrust and hatred for anything having to do with the military, especially the U.S. military; except to the extent that they could utilize them for propaganda purposes; whether it be in the form of broadcasting casualties with a megaphone, or using misguided, like-minded military veterans as politcal cover under which they can continue to spout their anti-American diatribes.

They found such a patsy in the name of John Murtha... a heretofore nondescript congressman from rural Pennsylvania who, before a year ago, would never have been seen with any self-respecting liberal. With his history of pro-life votes, along with his other relatively conservative votes in the House (save for this past year), Jack Murtha was a pariah among the kook fringe power base of the democrat party.

But all that changed on November 18, 2005, when Jack Murtha, tired of being a relative nobody on the national politcal scene, finally decided to make a big splash by throwing his former Marine brethren and the rest of the military under the bus as a means to his end. And let's not forget the sweetheart deal that was arranged by Murtha to line the pockets of Pelosi's nephew, Laurence, to cement the compact:

Murtha's role in the culture of corruption also implicates Pelosi herself. Roll Call reported last year that Murtha "reportedly leaned on U.S. Navy officials to sign a contract to transfer the Hunters Point Shipyard to the city of San Francisco." Pelosi's nephew, Laurence Pelosi, was an executive of the company that owned the rights to the land.

And now wouldn't you know it-- Nancy Pelosi, the liberal's liberal-- (and soon to be House Speaker), is endorsing Jack Murtha over Steny Hoyer to be the next Majority Leader of the House of Representatives.

Jack Murtha has indeed sold his soul to the devil, and in all likelihood is now getting paid in full.

But, as they say, you can't take it with you; and at the age of 72, Murtha will sooner or later need to account to a Higher Power than PA-12 voters.

An inscrutable love story, to say the least

As everyone knows by now, SanFraNancy Pelosi has endorsed Jack Murtha for the number two spot in the upcoming democrat-controlled congress. Curious that a politician who has promised the most ethically pure Congress ever, has picked Murtha for her go-to guy:

This morning, I called Melanie Sloan, the executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a watchdog group, to ask about the potential congressional reforms House Speaker-To-Be Nancy Pelosi is expected to push on Day One. But before we got to that, Sloan teed off on Pelosi for having endorsed Representative Jack Murtha, the hawk turned Iraq war critic, in his fight against Representative Steny Hoyer to be the House Democratic majority leader, the powerful number-two job in the body. "Murtha has lots of ethics issues," Sloan exclaimed. "What the hell is she thinking? Corruption turns out to be a major issue in the campaign, and you endorse the guy with the more ethics problems?"

Sloan was referring to exit polls that noted that 42 percent of voters considered corruption and congressional scandals critical to their voting decisions. And she pointed to her outfit's Beyond DeLay site that lists the "20 Most Corrupt Members of Congress." Murtha was not on that roster, but he garnered one of five "Dishonorable Mentions" (along with Republican Representatives Dennis Hastert, the outgoing speaker, J.D. Hayworth, who was defeated in Arizona last week, and Don Sherwood, who was accused by his mistress of choking her and who also lost his bid for reelection).

CREW's low-down on Murtha charges that he abused his position as the senior member of the defense appropriations subcommittee to steer contracts to military firms represented by his brother, a registered lobbyist. The report also notes that Murtha routinely inserted funding earmarks into defense spending bills for contractors that funded his campaigns and hired a lobbying firm run by a former aide on the defense appropriations subcommittee.

Murtha not only engaged in ethically questionable practices, but actually tried to pass legislation that would make it easier for him and other congresscritters to be un-ethical:

Murtha, according to Sloan, was also instrumental in undermining the House ethics committee. In the late 1990s, he successfully pushed (with other legislators) to change the committee's rules to prevent it from accepting ethics complaints from parties outside Congress. He also pressed Democratic leaders to name Representative Alan Mollohan of West Virginia the senior Democrat of the ethics committee. Mollohan has had his own ethics troubles--which have forced him off the ethics committee--and is a member of CREW's Top (or Bottom) 20. (See here.) "Murtha really doesn't like the ethics committee," says Sloan, speculating this may be due to Murtha's involvement in the Abscam bribery scandal of the late 1970s and early 1980s. (The ethics committee chose not to file charges against Murtha, after which the panel's special counsel resigned in protest.) "Murtha seems like a bad choice from our perspective," Sloan said.

Murtha has indeed made a deal with the devil, and is in the process of calling in his "chits." But is there more to this Murtha-Pelosi bed-buddy relationship than meets the eye? As David Corn asserts, Pelosi's stated quest of ushering in a new era of ethics in congressional politics should have led her to choose one amongst her ranks with a lot less ethical baggage than Jack Murtha.

Which leads one to wonder: What has led Nancy Pelosi to make what can only be termed as an "ill-advised" endorsement of Murtha? Of course, the Murtha-Pelosi connection is nothing new, but yet there remains a major disconnect between a flaming liberal like Pelosi being in bed with a conservative (relatively speaking of course) democrat, who up until a year ago was considered persona non-grata in the democrat power structure?

Was her decision merely just an outward expression of gratitude in the form of a "Thanks for a job well done, Jack!?"

Or did this "love story" already begin back in 2004, when Murtha worked out the "sweetheart deal" regarding lining the pockets of Pelosi's nephew, Laurence?

But is there even more to it than that?

There are dots to be connected, somewhere.

Facts about John Murtha?

The U.S. Snooze and Won't Report has a puffpiece entitled,

Ten Facts About Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania

.Those "facts", including:

1. John Murtha was born June 17, 1932, in New Martinsville, W.Va.. He describes his family as "run by strong women." His grandmother wrote for a newspaper, and his mother, a homemaker, was a college graduate.


2. While in high school, Murtha delivered newspapers and worked at a gas station. After high school, a desire to serve his country prompted him to join the Marines.


3. In 1955 (while remaining in the Reserves), he started a family, ran a small business (a car wash), and attended the University of Pittsburgh on the GI bill. In 1962, he graduated with a degree in economics and went on to graduate studies at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.


4. In 1966, Murtha volunteered for Vietnam. For his service in Southeast Asia, he was awarded the Bronze Star, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, and two Purple Hearts. He remained in the Marine Corps Reserve until 1990.


5. In 1969, he was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. In 1974, he was elected to Congress by special election (filling a vacancy caused by the death of GOP Rep. John Saylor), becoming the first combat Vietnam veteran to win a House seat. Murtha has been re-elected every two years.


6. Colleagues report that although seats in the House are not assigned, Murtha has a specific seat. "No one else sits in his seat–that's the kind of respect he commands," explains Rep. Mike Doyle, also from Pennsylvania.


7. Decorations in Murtha's House office include a golf club President Clinton gave him on his last day in the Oval Office, a painting of Teddy Roosevelt (his favorite president), a model of an assault ship his wife christened, and his great-grandfather's Civil War hat.


8. Michael Barone in the Almanac of American Politics describes Murtha as "one of those old-time politicians who operate best in secret, holding court in the back corner of the House chamber where he trades gossip and votes to colleagues who crowd around him as if they were kissing his ring."

Of course, there are some other "fun facts" that the U.S. News & Won't Report neglected to include:

1. Jack Murtha has played judge, jury and executioner to Marines without formal charges being filed, even without so much as reading a report.
2. Despite Jack Murtha's self-reported frequent visits to Walter Reed Military Hospital, Jack Murtha thought it fitting to say he supports the troops via regular visits to Walter Reed, while accepting an award as "Man of the Year" from Code Pink, a radical socialist antiwar group that regularly protests in front of our wounded soldiers at Walter Reed.
3. Jack Murtha actively attempted to seek ways that he could accept a $50,o00 bribe without getting caught. Since he turned states evidence, he was able to get away with being named an "unindicted co-conspirator" in the ABSCAM case.
4. Murtha thought it fitting that he should vote against the Patriot Act, and to say that we should be without the tools necessary that may prevent another 9/11 (showing that he is in fact to the left of the ACLU).
5. Jack Murtha thought it fitting that he should, in another of his famous "political deals," vote against funding research that would improve prosthetics for wounded soldiers.
6. Jack Murtha thought it fitting to be against measures that would strengthen the security at our borders, and to vote against stiffer sentences for illegal aliens who have committed felonies.

Oh yes, I neglected to report two other Murtha "fun facts" reported by U.S. News & Won't Report

1. Murtha and his wife, Joyce Bell, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2005. They live in Johnstown, Pa., and have three children and three grandchildren.

And..

1. Murtha has been quoted saying he wants to serve in the House "until they carry me out."

Well, Mr. Murtha, it is the purpose of this blog to chronicle your every self-serving misstep.

With any luck, and if justice is served, you will be "carried out."

In handcuffs.

Guess Who I'm Backing On This Ballot

If one has to pull for anybody in the democrats' internal squabbles, Jihad Jack is in the race and is backed by Nancy Freakelosi, mark me down for:

NONE OF THE ABOVE.

Pelosi Backs Murtha in Battle With Hoyer Over House Majority Leader Seat: "WASHINGTON - Steny Hoyer, who represents all three southern Maryland counties in the U.S. House of Representatives, is vying to become the newly-Democratic House Majority Leader. This is the number two power position behind the Speaker of the House.

Hoyer and House Minority Leader Pelosi, D-Calif., who in January will likely become the first female speaker, have had a strained relationship since both ran for minority leader in 2002, but analysts say that the tension may be an asset to Democrats as they try to shape their agenda.

Both leaders were congratulated personally by President Bush, who praised the Democrats' 'disciplined campaign' at a press conference following the midterm election.

But House leadership elections, cast by secret ballot and slated for Nov. 16, loom large for the area's longest-serving congressman. "

snip ahead

Last summer, Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., a close political ally of Pelosi's and instrumental in her 2002 bid for minority leader, announced he would challenge Hoyer, who is now the minority whip, for the majority leader post. Murtha gained a significant amount of publicity during the last year for his aggressive stance against the way the war and subsequent occupation in Iraq have been executed by the Bush Administration. read more

And last summer Leo called this early on within the pages of this blog, meanwhile Jack continues revealing to the world more every day about his true motives for attacking republicans and the administration while condemning our troops in the mother of all battles against terrorism that Jack and company plan to surrender to the enemy sometime in January.

It's all been for the personal glory, to see his name in lights one more time before ol' Jack's tank runs out of gas, and at 72 that can't be far off for the old dog.

And many thanks go out to the voters of Pennsylvania, as he'll get to pad his resume at their expense as well as the rest of America for at least a little longer. This national experiment for change has about 2 years left on the clock.

That'll be enough to wake up the country from the hangover they will have after this past electoral mistake made handing the dems power which they have no idea what to do with besides hand out favors to one another for the election win. This at the most crucial time in America and her freedom's short history since the revolutionary war that these dimmocrats refuse to acknowledge is taking place. The enemy knows, that you can be sure.

The Trash-talking Begins

If I hadn't seen Mr. Murtha's defeatist trashtalking before, I wouldn't have believed this quote:

As for Bush’s future actions in Iraq, Murtha was blunt: "He’s not going to go on with this war."

Just watch him continue, Mr. Murtha. No amount of trash-talking from a corrupt blow-hard will prevent him from prosecuting this war.

This war won't end just because Mr. Murtha wants to unilaterally declare defeat in Iraq. I'd dare the Democrats to cut off funding for this war. I'd dare them to try selling it to the public. If they attempt it, we'll be waiting to tell the American people about how Iran is waiting to turn Iraq into its own puppet regime and how al Qaida is just waiting to get a new training camp.

Until now, Murtha's been able to talk irrationally without accepting responsibility for his bloviations. That changed Tuesday night. With Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, they'll be held accountable for their policy decisions. It hasn't even been a full week since recapturing the majority but leading Democrats are already quickly backing away from Murtha's immediate withdrawal proposal.

The 32-year House veteran said voters had sent a message to President Bush and Republican congressional leaders. "They don’t want a rubber-stamp Congress," Murtha said Tuesday night. "They want a Congress that’s going to stand up."

Actually, Mr. Murtha's mischaracterizing Tuesday's elections. That's typical of him. The American people didn't reject conservatism; they rejected half-hearted conservatism, which isn't conservatism at all. And don't think that Americans embraced liberalism, either. They voted against the cowardly 'moderate' Republicans. Republicans lost this far more than Democrats won. Republicans stopped governing like a majority when McCain started craving power. They stopped being a team, which led to a muddled message this fall.

What the people want, Mr. Murtha, is a congress that accepts its role in leading the nation forward. What they don't want is a congress that rejects its responsibilities of protecting the people. Fleeing Iraq without victory is the ultimate portrait in abdicating its responsibility of protecting this nation.

Not that he'll heed this warning but I'd caution Mr. Murtha from letting this go to his head. This wasn't a tidal wave that swept Republicans from office. It was the House and Senate GOP's inept leadership that led to the loss of numerous close races.

Technorati: Cut and Run, Murtha, National Security

Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog

Rubber Stamps For John Murtha

If Robert Byrd is the "Big Daddy" of the United States Senate, John Murtha might be looking to claim similar status in the lower house of Congress. (Murtha is also a conservative, Ray, not a moderate.) How so? Let me explain.

Conservative Republican Melissa Hart was defeated for re-election to Congress in the PA 4th district. Her opponent, Jason Altmire, characterized her as a Santorum clone, using the standard 2006 talking points for the Dems ("rubber stamp"; "votes with Santorum and Bush 98% of the time!"), and is on his way to Congress. He's looking forward to some prime committee positions. To whom does Altmire look for guidance?

He could have an advantage if one of his mentors, U.S. Rep. John Murtha, D-Johnstown, is successful in a bid to become House majority leader. Mr. Murtha will compete with Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland for the top Democratic position behind Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, who will become House speaker.

It's not just about Murtha belonging to the same party as Altmire, or that he is from a neighboring district. There is ideological common ground between the two:

"Mr. Murtha is my campaign chairman and has been extremely helpful, and I wouldn't be here today if not for him," Mr. Altmire said. "He's clearly my guy. He's a conservative Democrat, and politically, I think he would be a nice balance for Mrs. Pelosi."

Well, if he's a conservative, that's alright, then. He'll be on our side!

Mrs. Pelosi, who symbolizes the liberal wing of the Democratic leadership, called the successful candidate at 1 a.m. yesterday to congratulate him. He congratulated her as well, even though he's a pro-life, pro-gun, socially conservative Democrat more in keeping with the values of the 4th district's constituents.

So Altmire will team up with John Murtha to ban abortion, remove restrictive unconstitutional gun control laws, and protect traditional marriage, right? They'll be even better than Republicans, right?

Not bloody damn likely.

This is what we are going to see for the next two years in Congress: Democrats who stray from the party line just enough to be considered "moderate" or even "conservative" will be the public face of Congress in areas like the 4th and 12th districts of Pennsylvania. They will relentlessly try to scrape up as much Republican crossover support as possible.

Meanwhile, watch neophytes like Altmire and Kanjorski vote with Murtha at least 98% of the time and go around calling themselves conservatives and moderates.

Here's a project for this week: Go around and see how many of these Dems call Murtha a "balance" to Nancy Pelosi's liberalism. If two of them are saying it, then 100 of them are saying it. EVERYONE in the party should have gotten the memo.

Murtha extends the "middle finger of friendship" to his hometown newspaper

Murtha's hometown newspaper endorsed his return to Congress, with this particular caveat:

We are frightened by Murtha’s willingness to align himself with California Democrat Nancy Pelosi. Clearly, Murtha is hoping that relationship paves the way for his ascension to a position of higher power in the House. But we don’t believe our region’s values match well with Pelosi’s, and we don’t see much good coming for the 12th district – even if the relationship benefits the congressman.

and...

...In the end, we endorse Murtha for another go-round in Washington.

But we urge him to remain faithful to his fiscally and socially conservative western Pennsylvania roots – even if it costs him in personal gain and national influence.

Was the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat so naive even for a moment to think that the senile, self-serving megalomaniacal windbag Jack Murtha would actually heed their advice?

... Fresh off his victory in Tuesday’s general election, U.S. Rep. John Murtha already has his sights set on another round of voting.

With Democrats winning control of the House, Murtha now is one of two representatives in the running to become majority leader.

He already has been touted as one of the House’s most powerful Demo-crats. (sic)

Whether he wins the vote of his Democratic peers later this month will serve as a test of that assumption.

Murtha trounced Republican challenger Diana Irey, and Murtha told The Associated Press he “absolutely” will battle U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland – the House minority whip – for majority leader.

U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, minority leader, is poised to become the nation’s first female speaker of the House. If Murtha becomes majority leader, he would rank second among House Democrats behind her.

By virtue of his current position, Hoyer might seem a natural to ascend to majority leader.

But Murtha’s national profile has risen remarkably in the past year, largely due to his persistent criticism of the Bush administration and the war in Iraq.

An aide to Pelosi said her boss has not weighed in yet on the leadership race.

“(Pelosi) has the highest respect for Murtha,” aide Jennifer Crider said. “His stance on Iraq changed the debate on the Iraq war in this country.”

Face it, Democrat-Tribune--lo these 32 years, from ABSCAM to Haditha, Murtha has been in it for Murtha. There's no way that the megalomaniacal bastard would give up a power seat in congress, and yes, Murtha has proven time and time again that he will sell his very soul to achieve his political ambitions. And if you think that Murtha's seditious rhetoric will tone down anytime soon, think again:

The 32-year House veteran said voters had sent a message to President Bush and Republican congressional leaders.

“They don’t want a rubber-stamp Congress,” Murtha said Tuesday night. “They want a Congress that’s going to stand up.”

As for Bush’s future actions in Iraq, Murtha was blunt: “He’s not going to go on with this war.”

You can bet the farm that a Murtha-led congress will cut the funding for our troops and their mission, thus placing them in ever-increasing peril.

It will be Jack Murtha himself, not George Bush, who will turn Iraq into another Vietnam. And the consequences of another Vietnam this time around couldn't be deadlier.

It's the Moderate Dems To The Rescue!!

And the punchline is? That Murtha has two more years to screw with the country and the troops thanks to the voters of Pennsylvania? No that's still part of the joke. Here's the punchline..........

Pocono Record - Dem-controlled House will help fix broken gov't: (long rimshot)
"U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski says voters can expect a return to bipartisan compromise with Election Day's political power shift.

'Many of the new members (of Congress) have more moderate positions and more pragmatic positions,' he said in a noon phone interview with the Pocono Record.

Kanjorski said today he will suport his Pennsylvania colleague, John Murtha, for house majority leader."

It's kind of funny that in the same sentence they (dems) speak of bi-partisan compromise and moderation, yet John Murtha is and has been trying to take the knees out of Nancy Pelosi ( which is fine with me by the way) in regards to the Speaker of the house position way before the dems were even elected to anything. Only after much pressure from his colleagues did he settle for the second fiddle to San Fran Freaklosi. They are already fighting amongst themselves over power, can we wait until they start playing tug-of-war with the president and the conservative members over legislation regarding the war and themselves at the same time?

Murtha, a moderate Democrat, will be a balancing influence to the more liberal speaker of the house, Nancy Pelosi, said Kanjorksi.

Pelosi, who will be the first woman to serve as speaker of the house, brings a unique perspectice as a mother and grandmother, added Kanjorski.

Murtha, a balancing influential moderate? I suppose when compared to Sam Fran Freakelosi that is a true statement, and an equally scary one as well. When Murtha is the only moderate in the room reason and reality are in another world. And as far as Pelosi's unique woman's perspective, I find it surprising that such a liberal who supports abortion and same sex marriage so vociferously can even be a natural grandmother to offer a perspective in the first place. She must not have practiced over they years what she preaches and supports today.

In her constituency and the world view she supports the only way to become a parent is through a lawyer and messy same sex parental adoption or a test tube, and the nice thing about that method is if the fetus of the adoptive or surrogate mother is deformed in any way it can just be vacuumed or coat-hangered, then flushed to try again. Beauty.

"She considers the effect of public policy on future generations. We've been letting that slide," he said.

Kanjorski expects Congress to get back to work with a fresh attitude of cooperation.

"Anybody elected yesterday should get the message," he said.

The ones who didn't get elected yesterday better have gotten the message too, being that they better get back to conservative principles and quick or they will never get re-elected, and after 2 years of the Pelosi-Murtha road show, America will be looking for a quick change and a long hot shower to clean off the filth of a dem controlled legislature.

Read more about Kanjorski's outlook for the new Congress in Thursday's print and online editions.

We cannot wait for those I'm sure. Stay tuned.

Posted at Chicagoray as well today

Vindicated?

I don't think so:

PHILADELPHIA - A year after he caused a Capitol Hill uproar with a pronouncement that U.S. troops should be withdrawn from Iraq, Rep. John Murtha said Wednesday he feels vindicated by a Democratic takeover of the U.S. House.

"The country has spoken and this country, when they speak, things happen. I don't only feel vindicated. I'm inspired and anxious to go to work and get this thing over with," said Murtha, 74, a Democrat and decorated Vietnam war veteran who is running for House majority leader.

IMO, there is NO vindication for:

• Pronouncing Marines guilty of a crime, even before reading any reports, for political gain.
  
• Trying to find a way to take a $50,000 bribe without getting caught.
• Arranging sweetheart defense deals for your brother's lobbying firm
• Mischaracterizing coverage of a war at a time when soldiers remain in harms' way
  
• Badmouthing our soldiers' sacrifices and their mission when they remain in harms' way, as a means of trying to get a leadership position and to gain political power.

To say that Murtha was "vindicated" is as much to say that O.J. was "vindicated" after committing double murder because he found a sympathetic jury.

Get used to it, Jack. You're going to keep recklessly shooting off your mouth, like the seditious senile old coot that you are.

And we're going to keep calling you on it.

The fact remains: Murtha Must Go!!

The Arrogant Bastard Invokes Reagan's Ghost

Apparently John Murtha fancies himself to be a sort of Democrat Ronald Reagan type. Last year, he said this:

Yet given the sorry state of our Army, the erosion of the U.S. credibility in the world, and the deficits as far as the eye can see, you’ve got to believe President Reagan is turning over in his grave.

As I recall, "the world" was more afraid of Reagan than it was of the Soviets (if you think "the world" begins and ends at the United Nations), and even conservatives criticized his deficit spending. So why is the internationalist Democrat invoking RR?

Here's what he said last night after his re-election victory:

Rep. John Murtha, D-Johnstown, handily defeated Republican Washington County Commissioner Diana Irey, who had hoped to capitalize on Mr. Murtha's opposition to the war in Iraq and comments he's made about Marines and their role in the killings of Iraqi civilians.

Last night, he said his victory was evidence the voters can affect the conduct of a sitting president. The Soviet Union, he said, dissolved because it dictated from the top down. "The U.S. dictates from the bottom up. When the people speak, the president of the U.S. and the rest of us listen," Mr. Murtha said. "You have spoken."

So Murtha is Reagan, and Bush is Gorbachev? What the hell???

There must be some corollary to Godwin's Law that applies to comparisons to the USSR. If there is, in this context, Murtha just lost the debate.

He loses anyway, for bringing up Reagan's name. Murtha was a Democratic Congressman when Reagan was president. Where does he get off presenting himself as a neo-Reagan for the 21st century? Murtha is the anti-anti-communist.

Gary has it right -- Murtha's re-election is a disgrace, and he deserves no quarter in the coming political battles. On the positive side, he can only serve for two years before he has to run again -- and I want to see Diana Irey back in the race, picking up right where she left off last night. She ran for all the right reasons:

Addressing about 200 supporters, Ms. Irey made no reference to the incumbent in her concession speech. Earlier in the night, she alluded to the war and U.S. troops in Iraq. "My motivation to beat Jack was largely to do right by them," she said.

It was never just about her.

Murtha, Terrorists Win, America Loses

If you're expecting me to be as gracious as Leo was earlier, then I won't live up to your expectations. Frankly, I'm pissed at the decisions the voters of PA-12 made tonight. They chose pork over national security, American defeatism over American greatness, anarchy over the Constitution.

If Pelosi, Murtha and Conyers get their way, we'll be out of Iraq before Iraq can defend themselves. That's awful because it potentially gift wraps a new training ground for al Qaeda. Forgive me if I don't see the wisdom in that policy. The upside is that President Bush can paint Pelosi and Murtha into a corner by telling them they have to defend their decisions to the nation.
In voting for John Murtha, PA-12's voters voted for someone who talkec up his visits to soldiers at Walter Reed for the cameras to see, only to then denigrate those soldiers by associating himself with the Code Pink protesters that held signs that read "Maimed for a Lie" and "Enlist here to die for Halliburton." Forgive me if I don't see the wisdom of electing that disgusting man when they could've chosen Diana Irey, who is vastly more qualified for the job and who has infinitely more integrity than Mr. Murtha has.

As I said when Leo invited me to this blog, when John Murtha threw a bunch of Marines under the bus without so much as an investigation or without getting briefed on them, he did it by first throwing the Constitution out the window. Murtha couldn't have done that if he revered the Constitution for what it is: the greatest governing document in the history of the modern world.

To John Murtha, the Constitution is nothing more than whatever best fits his warped agenda at the moment. What virtue is there in that? The voters in PA-12 should be ashamed of themselves for throwing the Constitution under the proverbial bus. Frankly, they've proven themselves unworthy of a woman with the integrity of Diana Irey.

I've said before that Diana Irey and Michele Bachmann were ideological twin sisters. It's unfortunate that Diana won't be joining Michele in Washington this time. Let's hope that Diana joins Michele in 2009.

One thing that tonight definitely does is it forces Republicans to rethink their agenda for 2008 onward. One thing that will definitely become part of the GOP agenda is reform. They walked away from that the past 2 years and it cost them.

One thing working in the GOP's favor is that it'll be easy to cast themselves as reformers when comparing themselves to corrupt fossils like John Murtha, Alan Mollohan, William Jefferson and extremist ideologues like John Conyers. One thing that's going to happen is that Pelosi, Murtha and Conyers can't be the opposition party anymore. People will expect them to actually do things. If their agenda is impeachment, passing minimum wage and unilaterally withdrawing from Iraq, this will be a short-lived majority.

The worst part of Murtha defeating Diana Irey is that it says most people don't have a clue about the threat we face. It's a grim day when voters put a higher priority on soundbites and pork than on preventing terrorist attacks and national security.

Captain Ed is right in saying that the American people have spoken, saying that they wanted a different direction and that "now they have to experience its consequences."

Technorati: Election 2006, Murtha, Pelosi, Reform

Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog