Posted on 12/04/2005 8:31:46 PM PST by Former Military Chick
WASHINGTON - Rep. Jean Schmidt, the lowest-ranking member of the House, can't escape the firestorm she caused by calling 30-year congressman and Vietnam veteran John Murtha a coward for wanting U.S. soldiers out of Iraq.
So Schmidt, R-Ohio, is trying to laugh at the ridicule.
Her staff obtained a DVD copy of Rachel Dratch's spoof of Schmidt on NBC's Saturday Night Live. And Schmidt pores over positive notes from constituents, some of which say ''You go girl!'' and at least one of which requested her hand in marriage.
Schmidt said her biting Nov. 18 remark about Murtha -- ''Cowards cut and run, Marines never do'' -- was a mistake. She said she didn't know Murtha, D-Pa., was a decorated Marine veteran, and that she got the message from another Marine, Ohio state Rep. Danny Bubp, who later denied mentioning Murtha.
''Would I have changed the words? Yes. Would I change the message? No,'' Schmidt said. ``I am sorry to have caused any consternation to Congressman Murtha.''
Schmidt's Washington office fields angry calls daily from around the country -- mostly blue states. The Democratic National Committee held her up as an example of Republican callousness, and is raising money to erect a billboard near Schmidt's Portsmouth district office that reads, ``Shame on You, Jean Schmidt: Stop Attacking Veterans. Keep Your Eye on the Ball -- We Need a Real Plan for Iraq.''
Rep. Vic Snyder, D-Ark., a Vietnam veteran who demanded that Schmidt be admonished under House rules, accepted her request to withdraw her comments and doesn't think his party will hold a grudge.
''Everyone makes mistakes and she made a doozy, but I think she realized it and apologized for it and learned from it,'' Snyder said.
Schmidt's chief of staff, Barry Bennett, says while it isn't all positive, Schmidt's growing reputation as a passionate conservative isn't all bad either.
''You're not important in this town unless they're talking about you, and they're definitely doing that now,'' said Bennett, who's been on congressional staffs for two decades.
Before she criticized Murtha, Schmidt was struggling to know her more senior colleagues.
She promised in her first floor speech Sept. 6 that she would not engage in name-calling from the House floor. Republican rivals say she went back on her word, lied about who was responsible for what she said, then avoided the media for four days.
Schmidt bested a crowded GOP primary field and went on to defeat Iraq veteran Paul Hackett in this year's special election to replace Rob Portman, who left Congress to become U.S. trade representative. Two rivals in the primary, former Rep. Bob McEwen and current state Rep. Tom Brinkman, say Schmidt has become the poster child for rising anti-Republican sentiment, which might embolden Democrats to try to unseat her next year.
Schmidt says she's unconcerned about the Democrats, and calls her GOP opponents ''a fringe group'' who are plotting a future challenge.
But among war critics there is still hope that Schmidt's few words will be her undoing. Jeff Szabo of Amelia, an independent whose son served in Afghanistan with the Air Force, predicted in a letter to The Cincinnati Enquirer that military families might turn against her.
''She's embarrassed the Republican Party, no doubt about it,'' Szabo said.
''You're not important in this town unless they're talking about you, and they're definitely doing that now,'' said Bennett, who's been on congressional staffs for two decades.
Another Republican caves to the Dumbocrats...
Dare I request a picture?
Really makes you just want to puke when you really see what Washington has turned into -- we are in a lot of trouble...
And when people called Clinton a coward for being a draft dodger the media . . . . .
Schmidt has now guaranteed she will hold that seat as long as she wants. She's somebody now.
"Jeff Szabo of Amelia, an independent whose son served in Afghanistan with the Air Force, predicted in a letter to The Cincinnati Enquirer that military families might turn against her. "
How far did the reporter have to go to find THIS military representative? He certainly has his right to opinion, but my guess is that MOST military families backed Schmidt...but of course the AP won't quote them...because they don't KNOW them.
Not quite -at most she provided the lunatics at air america something additional to add into the mix of spewed delusion they broadcast to all the morally devoid critical thinking peace activists, abortion activists, homosexual activists, and tree huggers that comprise the dummycrat political party...
Murtha is a coward on policy - his past service does not mean his actions as a member of Congress are above scrutiny. He suggested we pull out of Somalia - the suggestion was taken, and Osama bin Laden and other terrorists hailed that as a sign the U.S. was weak and encouraged them to continue attacks on the United States. Murtha's opinion on foreign policy is not to be respected because it is dangerous.
What about Murtha insulting the troops currently on the field, calling them "broken"?
Murtha has continued to prove himself a disgrace, where is HIS apology to our troops. I wouldn't vote for him as dog catcher.
I know one thing...the night of the vote..when she made that speech, she became a hero of sorts on the FR LIVE thread...
I hate that she has backed off...she didn't say anything wrong...but, I do find it troubling that she is now saying she didn't know Murtha was a decorated veteran at the time...
My goodness, the whole reason for that vote and debate was because of him...and he was all over the place with his speech...
That was NOT a good excuse.
Loved what she said, cause frankly it was true. The man is a fat, lying turncoat.
Schmidt was merely quoting one of her constituents and not referring to Murtha directly - whereas in the same runup to the vote in which Schmidt made her remarks, Murtha himself read several letters from his own constituents which included all the cliche vitriol we've been hearing for months - Bush lied about WMD, radical rightwingers got us into the war, and on and on, with not a word of objection about his own lack of respect for those disagreeing with him.....
I don't recall Schmidt calling Murtha a coward, or even implying it.
But that makes no difference to the White Flag Democrats or the Media.
Congresswoman Schmidt should try this "Dear Mr. Murtha, I'm sorry you are a coward". There, that should do it.
Ridiculous. She never called him a coward.
the whole reason for that vote and debate was because of him...
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Murtha is a POS socialist. It is a disgrace that he ever wore a uniform for this country.
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