War Critic Faces Test on Iraq Spending Bill (Jack Murtha)

The New York Times ^ | February 25, 2007 | Robin Toner`

[2ndDivisionVet]

JOHNSTOWN, Pa., Feb. 23 — As Democratic Congressional leaders escalate their challenge to the Bush administration’s policy in Iraq, one of the most influential players will be that unlikely darling of the antiwar left, Representative John P. Murtha of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Murtha’s power comes not just from his role as chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, in charge of the huge spending bill for the war that will advance in the House in March. It also derives from his close alliance with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and from his popularity, ever since he called for an end to the war in 2005, among the party’s antiwar base — at the grass-roots level, among liberal Internet communities, and in the House.

“He has the aura of a folk hero among the legions who want to get out of Iraq,” said Tom Matzzie, Washington director of MoveOn.org.

Still, Mr. Murtha faces an extraordinary political challenge over the next month, and some Democrats are already worried about his handling of it. As they consider the president’s nearly $100 billion spending request for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, Democrats must find a way to satisfy an antiwar wing that wants clear progress toward winding down the war — the Out of Iraq Caucus claims a third of the House Democrats — while producing legislation palatable to the party’s conservatives and centrists.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Mistake #1: sending a senile old coot to do a man's job.

[Darkwolf377]

Murtha's ego will overwhelm him, and when he flips out in public, the shopper's regret over giving Congress to the Dems will begin.

[neverhillorat]

Hey, lotsa old coots out here that know how to do a da%n good job

[goldstategop]

The Democrats are trying to square a circle. They hate America and they do want to high tail it back to Okinawa but they're afraid of being identified as the Party Of Defeat. They're caught between the demands of their moonbat base which wants America to lose and the American people, who want to see their country win.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[hsalaw]

an antiwar wing that wants clear progress toward winding down the war

How do you "wind down" a war? I thought winning was the ultimate goal. The dems are fools and traitors.

[Txsleuth]

Ping

[neverhillorat]

Funny, the NYT used two writers for this and they still forgot to mention Ab scam or Murtha`s brother, the lobbyist. Maybe they should assigned three, opps, maybe they needed four cause the article failed to mention the Flap Murtha created with the "slow bleed" promise.

[Darkwolf377]

Funny, the NYT used two writers for this and they still forgot to mention Ab scam or Murtha`s brother, the lobbyist.

You can bet they will have a front page "breaking news" story about them if he changes his mind about the war. That's what it would take for them to report this "old news".

[hsalaw]

This is interesting. The WaPo is pounding that old cut-and-runner Murtha and his "slow bleed" strategy, and the NYT is trying to resurrect him.

[jazusamo]

No surprise, the NY Slimes is putting the best possible spin on the failing, corrupt murtha in siding with the moonbat left antiwar crowd. Some of the more moderate Dems are concerned with his position and the next few weeks are going to be interesting.

[Txsleuth]

I found the difference in the two articles quite interesting myself.

I can bet I know which one the Sunday talk shows will parrot.

[2ndDivisionVet]

The Defeatocrats need to give Cindy "Mother Moonbat" Sheehan the next vacant House seat so she can assist Rep. Murtha in this screw the troops/cut & run strategy.

[Anti-Bubba182]

I hope there is a rebellion against what Murtha is trying to do that will discredit him even more. I think there will be enough resistance to stop Murtha, but I wish it was enough to humiliate him.

[jazusamo]

I can bet I know which one the Sunday talk shows will parrot.

Yep, they'll go with the NYT piece except FNC, I'll bet they rip him again.

[Txsleuth]

Unfortunately, Brit isn't supposed to be on the show tomorrow..so, I doubt it.

Fred Barnes is supposed to be on..and he is too squishy.

Carl Levin is on Meet the Depressed..I am sure that Fat Timmy will go with the NY Times story IF it is brought up at all. Levin is with Biden trying to get the "do-over" on the 2002 Iraq war resolution.

[smoothsailing]

[jazusamo]

You may be right but Fred got on murtha's case last Tuesday or Wednesday on Special Report so maybe he'll do it again, I hope anyway.

[pissant]

Get a rope

[wildcatf4f3]

“He has the aura of a folk hero among the legions who want to get out of Iraq,” said Tom Matzzie, Washington director of MoveOn.org.

"My name is legion"

[Dick Vomer]

all the people in Murtha's district that voted for him should be held in contempt as well. bunch of nipple sucking traitors....

you can tell who the democrat supporters are....they're the ones with the government nipple marks on their faces...

He's not senile, that gives him the benefit of not knowing he's being bought by the muslim murdering slime that are killing his brother Marines.

I will make it a point to find this b@st#rds grave and p@ss on it when he croaks. Photo and post on the web for the world to see.

The Marines that mentored me are getting up in years but still shake their heads when we talk about what is happening to this country and the men who protect it.

Murtha,