To be added to the Murtha Watch ping list please notify myself or RedRover.
Posted on 04/26/2009 9:18:33 PM PDT by smoothsailing
Best Served Cold Watch: Obama abandoning Murtha.
by Moe Lane
Sunday, April 26th 2009
I have to admit that when it comes to avenging slights made against it this administration has both total recall and infinite patience. What’s below (via Instapundit) is probably the most important part of this New York Times article about Jack Murtha’s travails:
While past presidents often courted Mr. Murtha with phone calls and private meetings, President Obama has extended to him no such courtesies. On a visit to the White House, the lawmaker told senior defense officials that it would be “foolish” and “ridiculous” to cancel all of a $13 billion contract to buy new presidential helicopters, as he later recounted to a defense industry newsletter. But Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has insisted on scrapping the deal as a symbol of waste.
And in a recent meeting with the secretary, Mr. Murtha pushed a plan to divide a $35 billion contract to build a new airborne refueling tanker between two rival contractors — a compromise that pleases both but would cost the government much more. Mr. Gates listened with little response, several people briefed on their conversation said, but he later dismissed it.
You see, restrictions on how, how often, and how much one may trade favors for cash can be finessed. There’s always a loophole or an exception; in fact, often simple indifference on the part of those with oversight can be enough. But Jack Murtha’s power comes from his supposed access. He is not supposed to be one who can be slighted - or worse, ignored.
I wonder if Murtha is regretting going with Clinton in the nomination fight? - Because I’m not going to pretend that I believe that the Obama administration particularly cares about responsible money management, and they’re certainly not that interested in pushing back on corruption. That leaves belated political revenge. But is the administration petty enough to do something like that?
Moe Lane
*No apology, no public disapproval, no comment. That equals “endorsement.” Sorry, but I’m just the messenger.
Heh.....
Obama kumbaya’d the Hitlery herself. Is this the only thing that is responsible for the Murtha-Obama split?
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates makes me ill too. He is nothing but a political hack.
Murtha is about defense spending. At least we get something for that money and it creates jobs. Obama would rather give the money to people that aren’t doing a damn thing for it.
“In the weeks since the news that prosecutors had raided the offices of the PMA Group — a lobbying firm founded by a former Murtha associate that became a gateway to his office and his biggest source of campaign money — about two dozen rank-and-file Democrats have risked his wrath by calling for a House ethics investigation of the matter. One Democrat has even foresworn seeking earmarks for the military contractors in his district because of ethical concerns about the process. . . .
Now Mr. Murtha lost another fight to block a new rule requiring competitive bidding on earmarked contracts. Furthermore, one of his usual lieutenants — Representative Peter J. Visclosky, Democrat of Indiana and member of the defense subcommittee who is chairman of the energy and water panel — unexpectedly switched sides to back the new restrictions, perhaps because he too is under new scrutiny for his ties to the PMA Group. . . . Even among donors, mainly defense interests, Mr. Murtha’s standing appears to be slumping.”
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Oh dear, it looks like the end of an era. The PMA scandal will build and consume Porky and this time the word is out from the Capo de Tutti cappi that Porky is not under his protection. Allies are deserting left and right, it looks like he’s all alone this time.
To be added to the Murtha Watch ping list please notify myself or RedRover.
Yup, Obama and Murtha would be in the same boat pushed out to sea without a paddle on my property too.
LOL! Thanks for the beer!
Porcine Flu Poster Child....(I see this is a drinking thread)
This is an ongoing Clinton-Obama fight. Remember Richardson dumped Hillary and after the election he got shivved by the Clintons. A scandal, probably the Clinton FBI files, was dropped on the Mexican American porky on NM.
More recently, Hillary shivved Caroline Kennedy. She was the last hope to keep a Kennedy in the Senate.
Why not Dodd?
Must be all that Fannie Mae-Freddie Mac campaign cash they both raked in.
Yes and yes, Murtha fits right in with both. :)
Agreed! He may be more radioactive than even we imagined.
The big unanswered question is Pelosi, if she walks out on Murtha, he's finished.
And your qualifications to be able to call Gates a "political hack" are______________?
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