[dirtboy]

I think this approach will backfire. Best to deal with Murtha in the present, not the past.

[NormsRevenge]

All's fair in 'love and war'. I hear ya on going down this path.

I'll take the guy with a Silver Star and 3 Bronze over 2 Purple Hearts anyday.

Sign the DD180, Mr. Murtha.

[Grendel9]

I agree...too close to the Kerry background
stories.

[Numbers Guy]

I think this approach will backfire. Best to deal with Murtha in the present, not the past.

Agree completely. It would be a murky examination anyway, and therefore he would get the benefit of the doubt (as he should). And he could say he was being attacked at the direction of Karl Rove and play victim.

As you said, respond to Murtha on the merits of his argument. Or the lack thereof.

[BoBToMatoE]

I think this approach will backfire. Best to deal with Murtha in the present, not the past.

---

Correct. Engage him on his ideas.

[Christian4Bush]

I think this approach will backfire. Best to deal with Murtha in the present, not the past.

That's what people said about John Kerry in the 2004 election. The reason I disagree about it backfiring, though it may (and with no disrespect to you, dirtboy) is because Murtha expects us to respect his "present" based on his "past" (as did Kerry). Therefore, it is all fair game.

Besides, if he is one of the people questioning others' ethics, then his should be open for scrutiny as well. I'll be interested to see where this goes (or doesn't).

[RobbyS]

Fact is that politicians with war records tend to "improve" them as time goes on and memories fade. Many civil war veterans who mustered out as sergeants were promoted to Captain or major as time went by.

[cookcounty]

" I think this approach will backfire. Best to deal with Murtha in the present, not the past."

Yes.....now regarding his plan to re-invade Iraq if things go badly: what is his estimate of how many casualties we would take in a re-invasion??????

[river rat]

"I think this approach will backfire. Best to deal with Murtha in the present, not the past."

I disagree ---
The Democrats have foisted Murtha and his "heroic past" in out faces as his "blood earned right" to criticize the war and the President......
How many times have you heard that Murtha was a "hero" and deserved respect....at the SAME time as he is behaving like a traitor and under suspicion by the ethics committee?
Shades of the phony, lying, Kerry --- and his charges against our warriors.....

Just like Kerry -- Murtha can end the questioning by simply releasing his DD214 with Medical Records...

That is the ONLY way to end the questioning.....
Please note that Kerry has still failed to fully release his records, too.....

Another point -- Murtha, like Kerry -- ran on his military record..... He made a freaking career of his "military service", his sacrifice recognized by his TWO Purple Hearts........
I don't think it's asking much of a "civil servant" who has sucked at the public tit all these DECADES to prove his primary running claim.....

Murtha, his record, his behavior, his statements and his whole "being" is beginning to smell VERY bad....

Semper Fi

[righttackle44]

"Best to deal with Murtha in the present, not the past."

Good point. Even Mark Steyn has said he doesn't care
what Murtha did in the last war, but what he's done
in THIS one.

Let Murtha rest in his own hell, if he deserves it.
Let's take him on NOW.

[moog]

I think this approach will backfire. Best to deal with Murtha in the present, not the past. Agreed. The Dems have already gone that route with George Bush. The guy gave 37 years to his country and that I can respect and up until recently, he had been a supporter of the war and no one called his service into question. Now that he has, this comes up. Deal with the DUMB DUMB rhetoric that is coming out of his mouth now. That's a lot easier to act upon.

[gondramB]

"I think this approach will backfire. Best to deal with Murtha in the present, not the past."


But it is so predictable. Criticize whichever adminstration is in power and prepare for an effort to dig up dirt.

It would be better for conservatives if this could stop because liberal voters are much more tolerent of dirt (or alledged dirt).

[nmh]

I don't know about that ... it is from examining Kerry's past that people WERE turned off and he was EXPOSED for what he really is.

[fox0566]

I think his military service should be left alone. I'm sure that he put his life on the line during his military service just like many others did.

As far as present day matters are concerned, that is a different story. I think that Murtha has made some very irresponsible and dangerous comments, and the fact that he did serve in the military should not make him immune to criticism and attack. Stick to what he's doing now instead of dredging up material from years ago that will only reflect badly on those who are trying to make an issue out of it.

[Thumper1960]

A liar is a liar is a liar.

Quite frankly, the fact that Murtha is a Demoncrat, in itself, is reason to doubt any all utterances from his mouth.

Demoncrats use the military, on the whole, for as nefarious reasons as any vicious warmongers who ever existed.

[Redbob]

Murtha's record is this:
he's a liar and a fraud, as his Viet Nam record shows, and as the Abscam scandal clearly showed, he's not gotten beyond being a liar and a fraud.

Yes, this is worth bringing up, when a major candidate in the most recent Presidential election campaigned almost exclusively on his Viet Nam record! (can't seem to remember the guy's name, though...)