Murtha's key positions in the House:
For first Iraq war -OK
For use of force in Iraq, 2002 -OK
Against using troops in Bosnia - OK
Against using troops in Somalia - OK
For re-instatement of the draft - Not necessarily
For Alaska oil drilling - OK
Against Bush tax cuts - whassup with that?
Against human cloning -OK
Against partial-birth abortion -OK
For loosening gun restrictions - OK
For a dumb dem - not a bad record. Why did he go and do this? For Oil?
Hillary showed him his FBI file?
For a dumb dem - not a bad record. Why did he go and do this? For Oil?
Perhaps the Dems thought that by putting an ex-military man up, they would gain some traction. They thought the same thing with John Kerry's candidacy. Murtha's ex-Marine status gives him a 'shield' when the Repubs start attacking his position. The Dems will scream "...he's a former Marine, how dare you criticize him."
By the way, is anyone monitoring the comments on DU?
"Why did he go and do this?"
He puts his finger into the wind to find out which direction it is blowing. He better hope the polls are right.
He did it to follow his leaders who have convinced him they are on a roll and will win the House in 2006 and he wants a Chairmanship - they are promising it to him and he is following like a little puppy his Traitorous leaders. Sad day for a marine.
Again, it's bad politics and bad strategy to worry about Murtha. Maybe he had a real change of heart, for whatever reason. Don't debate the MAN, debate the wrong-headedness of the decision.