A Bad Week for Media's Favorite Anti-War Veteran John Murtha

MND ^ | Sunday, January 15, 2006 | by Jim Kouri, CPP

[Nasty McPhilthy]

The mainstream news media's favorite anti-war veteran, Congressman John Murtha, has had a bad week. No thanks to the news media, either. The internet and talk radio were the instruments of Murtha's negative coverage.

The first incident involved a young Marine back from Afghanistan. The second involved a story that cast doubts on Murtha's military record.

During a Town Hall meeting earlier this week Democrat Congressmen John Murtha (PA) and Jim Moran (VA) touted their call for a withdrawal from Iraq, an unexpected turn of events occurred.

Moran and Murtha continued the anti-war diatribes which included their relating talks they've had with military officers and rank-and-file troops in Iraq. Murtha has said the military is broken, morale within the ranks is poor, we need to pullout immediately, and other defeatist rantings.

Murtha had just finished his presentation during the Virginia townhall meeting, in which he added that he feared a slow withdrawal may give people the impression the US achieved victory (God forbid Americans think we're victorious), when he opened the meeting for a question and answer session.

At that point a man stood and spoke:

"Yes sir my name is Mark Seavey and I just want to thank you for coming up here. Until about a month ago I was Sergeant Mark Seavey infantry squad leader, I returned from Afghanistan. My question to you, (applause)

"Like yourself I dropped out of college two years ago to volunteer to go to Afghanistan, and I went and I came back. If I didn't have a herniated disk now I would volunteer to go to Iraq in a second with my troops, three of which have already volunteered to go to Iraq. I keep hearing you say how you talk to the troops and the troops are demoralized, and I really resent that characterization. (applause) The morale of the troops that I talk to is phenomenal, which is why my troops are volunteering to go back, despite the hardships they had to endure in Afghanistan.

"And Congressman Moran, 200 of your constituents just returned from Afghanistan. We never got a letter from you; we never got a visit from you. You didn't come to our homecoming. The only thing we got from any of our elected officials was one letter from the governor of this state thanking us for our service in Iraq, when we were in Afghanistan. That's reprehensible. I don't know who you two are talking to but the morale of the troops is very high."

The only response from Murtha and Moran was Moran saying, "That's a comment not a question."

According to former Marine, NYPD first-grade detective and security consultant Sid Francis, "This young guy hit those two phony patriots right between the eyes with one shot. Good for him. Murtha must have forgot that you don't piss off a Marine."

Of course, the mainstream news media never revealed the above exchange to the American people. To them it was a matter of protecting their latest anti-war, anti-Bush heartthrob, John Murtha. However, the new media -- bloggers, conservative news websites, talk radio and Fox News Channel -- made certain that Sgt. Seavey's words did not enter the media-coverage blackhole.

Instead of covering Sgt. Seavey's remarks, the mainstream news media decided to help Murtha thwart a news story that was developing on the internet. Murtha, a decorated Marine veteran who is an outspoken critic of the war in Iraq, has become the latest Democrat to have his Vietnam War decorations questioned. And this time it's fellow Democrats who are questioning Murtha's Purple Hearts and medals.

Here's how the Houston Chronicle opens their story on this latest medals flap:

"In a tactic reminiscent of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth assault on Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., during the 2004 presidential campaign, a conservative Web site [Cybercast News Service] on Friday quoted Murtha opponents as questioning the circumstances surrounding the awarding of his two Purple Hearts."

Opponents? One of the primary sources for the CNS story is a fellow Democrat --former Congressman Don Bailey.

David Thibault, editor-in-chief of the Cybercast News Service, said the issue of Murtha's medals from 1967 is relevant now "because the congressman has really put himself in the forefront of the anti-war movement. ... He has been placed by the Democratic Party and anti-war activists as a spokesman against the war above reproach."

As for how Murtha won the Purple Hearts, the Houston Chronicle quotes a Murtha spokesperson as saying, "We think the congressman's record is clear. We have the documentation, the paperwork that proves that he earned them, and that he is entitled to wear them proudly."

Well, he may possess the documentation, but CNS reported they've never been released and the documentation of Murtha's service record is as elusive as Senator John Kerry's.

[maxwellp]

Mark Seavey made Murtha and Moron (Moran) look like the anti-American fools that they are. I saw Mark Seavey on TV making his remarks and, as an American, my heart burst with pride. Mark Seavey - a great American hero! Murtha and Moron - dog doodle.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

Murtha is headed for deep fecal matter, he pressured defense contractors to steer millions to his lobbyist brother. The excrement will soon be hitting the rotating discs for Murtha, and it is going to splatter and stink.

[Howie66]

"Mark Seavey made Murtha and Moron (Moran) look like the anti-American fools that they are. I saw Mark Seavey on TV making his remarks and, as an American, my heart burst with pride. Mark Seavey - a great American hero! Murtha and Moron - dog doodle."

Agreed!!

I'm sure that the good Sgt. is as proud of his Army tradition as we Marines are of ours, with the obvious exception of Murtha, Scott Ritter and James Carville, that is.

"Hanoi John" Kerry doesn't count, since he is a loser.

[freeangel]

Thanks. I'm so bad at links.