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Home Front: Politix
John Murtha, Today's Winner of JFK "Profiles in Courage" Award
2006-05-22
Reading Profiles in Courage as a youth had a big impact on me. It's shameful how they have diminished its worth.

The first Vietnam veteran elected to Congress, Rep. John Murtha took pride in politicking quietly, behind the scenes, with Republicans and fellow Democrats alike. Washington has become more deeply partisan since Murtha was swept into office more than 30 years ago, and so has Murtha in a very public way.

On Monday, Murtha is to be awarded the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award in Boston for his bold pronouncement that U.S. troops should be pulled out of Iraq a statement many say helped change the public debate over the war, because of Murtha's past as a Democratic hawk and retired Marines Reserves colonel who enjoyed easy access to presidents.

"There aren't many around like him any more," said Jack Johannes, a political science professor at Villanova University. "As a result, when the generations change, the environments change, even someone like John Murtha has to change."

Being honored along with Murtha on Monday is Alberto Mora, a former Navy general counsel who warned Pentagon officials that U.S. policies dealing with terror detainees could invite abuse.
Posted by:Captain America, esq

#14  Murtha has an opponent this Fall, Diana Irey. Here's what she wrote me:
Thank you for your pro-American views of life. We face many serious challenges with the war on terror and trying to win the hearts and minds of millions of Muslims around the world through the concept of freedom. Little by little we gain support.

Unfortunately Mr. Murtha would rather publicly humiliate our men and women who serve our great country in the US Military than to afford them their constitutional right of due process.(I am referring to his last attack where he called our Marines “Cold Blooded Killers of innocent Iraqi citizens”) His continued attacks on our government, our military and our military leaders are shameful and can no longer go unchallenged. He needs to apologize to our men and women in uniform as well as to their families.

I plan to extend to Mr. Murtha what he is unwilling to grant our brave men and women who serve and that is due process. Mr. Murtha will learn first hand how due process works in America when his Pennsylvania 12th District sends him home (for good) in the November election.

People say there is no way to defeat Murtha. We have polling data that shows he can be beat if our message gets out to the voters. That is why it is so important for good people such as you to support my effort by contributing to the campaign and spreading the word.

Thank you for contributing to this effort.

Diana

Posted by: Chuck Simmins   2006-05-22 22:27  

#13  Since when does it take courage to "Cut and Run" ? !!!
Posted by: junkirony   2006-05-22 22:19  

#12  Well you never have to worry about Teddy winning one. He will show up for the party however.
My early pick for next year? He nominates his kid.
Posted by: tu3031   2006-05-22 22:16  

#11  Iff IRAN-CONTRA = GWOT, Murtha = Ollie North??? save in reverse??? Notice that Danny Ortega is running for office again, and arguing that Nicaragua should keep all or most of its Soviet RPG's and SA anti air missles.
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2006-05-22 22:10  

#10  Gawd this is depressing. This joker can't even find his way home and more than likely thinks we are still in Viet-Nam. JFK must really be feeling the shame.
Posted by: 49 Pan   2006-05-22 21:15  

#9  ...Actually, it's only fitting: Some years back, it was pretty much determined that Ted Sorenson wrote 'Profiles' and JFK just put his name on it. A phony award for a fraud of a congressman.

Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski   2006-05-22 19:31  

#8  Does anyone know a Marine vet that likes Murtha Harri?

His good friend Scotty Ritter.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2006-05-22 18:32  

#7  This shows how far the Democratic party as fallen.

Kind of sad in a way.
Posted by: CrazyFool   2006-05-22 18:07  

#6  Murtha is a pig.

He claims that things are worse in Iraq now than under Saddam. I suppose that's because he never had the joy of watching family members killed by wood chipper, or nerve agent, or mass grave.

Then his claim is supported by comparisons of crude oil production under Saddam and post-Saddam. That tells us exactly what the war was about.

Or these Saddam supporters love to make comparisons of electricity availablity, but there is rarely a discussion of the fact that the Ba'ath NEVER improved or expanded the electrical grid. There is never a discussion about how outdated the system is. Same thing for water sanitation.

It's really too bad that his entire family was not murdered by the Ba'ath. Maybe then he'd get it.

Posted by: Azad   2006-05-22 18:07  

#5  Anyone who wants to read some real "Profiles in Courage" should pick up a copy of Home of the Brave by Casper Weinberger. Reading it is a humbling experience.
Posted by: Matt   2006-05-22 18:03  

#4  Mutha Murtha not welcome at my USMC reunion.
Posted by: Inspector Clueso   2006-05-22 17:52  

#3  Does anyone know a Marine vet that likes Murtha Harri?
Posted by: Cyber Sarge   2006-05-22 17:43  

#2  Glad you liked it Capt. it did very well in middle schools, just like I intended.
Posted by: Ted   2006-05-22 17:27  

#1  That whirring sound you hear in the east is JFK spinning in his grave.

Gotta figure out how we can hook up a dynamo....
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2006-05-22 17:27  

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