Troops Echo Frustration with War Critic [Murtha]

San Jose Mercury News ^ | 6/21/06 | Kimberly Hefling

[Coop]

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - While Staff Sgt. Randy Myers was dodging roadside bombs in Iraq, his congressman was calling the war a lost cause...

Myers said he backs Murtha, an opinion echoed by a number of other troops and their families. Several share his frustration with the conflict.

Said Sgt. 1st Class George Wozniak, 36, of Murtha: "He's definitely for a strong military and he definitely supports the troops."

Patriotism runs deep in Murtha's district in the Allegheny Mountains, where joining the military is a family tradition and often an economic necessity. Many served in Vietnam and that war exacted a heavy toll... Memorials to those killed are scattered throughout the towns and cities of western Pennsylvania.

Not far from Johnstown was the setting for the Oscar-winning 1978 movie "The Deer Hunter," which explored the impact of Vietnam on the young men of an industrial town.

Doubts about Iraq have surfaced in the region. A Quinnipiac University Poll released last month found that 43 percent in southwest Pennsylvania said all troops should be withdrawn from Iraq...

[Coop note: So the other 57% do not agree? Fascinating!]

His criticism has angered some in the district. Unopposed in 2004, Murtha has a GOP rival this time - Diana Irey, a Washington County commissioner.

Ruth Ann Biesinger-Sliko, 55, a physical education teacher who came to see a fellow teacher and six of her former students return from Iraq, said Murtha has lost her vote because of his negativity about the war.

"I think that makes the guys feel terrible when he starts, you know, bashing. I think you need to support the guys," Biesinger-Sliko said. "I think it's created a lot of bad feelings for the people whose families are over there."

...

[Coop]

This article, like many others, only wants to focus on dove Murtha's selling out of our mission in Iraq. However, his major problem is playing JAG, judge and jury regarding our Marines at Haditha. Keep ignoring this part of the story, media and Murtha, until it's too late.

Here's the solution to disgraceful EX-Marine Jack Murth - Diana Irey

Please FReepmail me if you'd like on the Irey/Murtha ping list

[Coop]

Vets4irey.com now has 661 veterans (disgusted with Jack Murtha) supporting Commissioner Irey.

[Personal Responsibility]

Doubts about Iraq have surfaced in the region. A Quinnipiac University Poll released last month found that 43 percent in southwest Pennsylvania said all troops should be withdrawn from Iraq...

[Coop note: So the other 57% do not agree? Fascinating!]

Just another example of liberal media bias. I think we should pass a law that says "If you are going to quote a percentage statistic, you have to quote the higher percentage" which would turn that quote into:

While some doubts about Iraq may have surfaced in the region, a Quinnipiac University Poll released last month found that 57 percent in southwest Pennsylvania said all troops should finish the job in Iraq.

[Bahbah]

Keep ignoring this part of the story, media and Murtha, until it's too late.

Just like Kerry wanted to ignore John O'Neill and the Swifties. What Murtha did in going public with his accusations that the Marines murdered people in cold blood and that there was a cover up going all the way up the chain to Gen. Pace was beyond the pale, beyond dishonest.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[Coop]

Pulled this post of mine from another thread:

Wanted to give you folks an exciting update on Ms. Irey's campaign.

• Her campaign has now received donations from all 50 states, plus some extra special contributions from troops deployed in Iraq.
• On May 31st there were about 818K hits on website. As of June 16th there were 925K, and right now there are over 951K.
• Total online donations for Diana Irey are around 1,300. No count on snail mail contributions, but they're rolling in.
• Think an appearance on FNC and a mention by Rush Limbaugh helped any?
  Donations last Saturday - 35, Sunday - under 20, and Monday... 290!
• As of late yesterday afternoon they were approaching 200 online donations for the day.

Now this is obviously a campaign gaining momentum, and it's certainly larger than FR. But we can all smile a bit for helping take a chunk out of Murtha's... armor.

Keep helping to spread the word. We're starting to get the attention of the money folks. :-)

[Coop]

Just like Kerry wanted to ignore John O'Neill and the Swifties.

Exactly right.

[Non-Sequitur]

How many of those 661 are from the district? Regardless, it should be an interesting race. If Murtha is defeated and if the reason for his defeat can be identifeid as his opposition to the war then it'll be interesting to see how fast other Democrats change their tune.

[redstatesrock]

[Coop]

I have no idea, but likely not very many. It's just a measure of the anger out there at what Murtha has done in betraying our troops. And many of those 661 have likely been sending her campaign $$$.

[Just mythoughts]

The 'cold blooded' slaughter of the two troops magnifies who it is that we have taken a stand against. Murtha and his anti-American cohorts, silence about this evil cannot be ignored.

I cannot imagine what these military bashers would say IF we allowed this evil to become common place in this nation.

[hawkaw]

That's a classic picture ..... hahahahaha

[squarebarb]

Kimberling Hefling, AP reporter, was embedded with a unit from Fort Campbell KY in 05 in Iraq and in Afghanistant in 04, graduate of Kansas State. Her reporting doesn't look too extremely left, but apparently she has decided to go all out for Murtha and in doing so, lie to her readers that the troops are behind 'In Cold Blood' Jack.

[Kolb]

Hopefully Murtha will get replaced by someone with a lick of sense. Voters, this is your wake up call. Get this dumb a$$ out of there!

[Coop]

Murtha won't be easily defeated. His opponent - Diana Irey - needs help from all of us, whether or not we're from Pennsylvania.

Jack Murtha chose to make this a national race back in November.

[olezip]

In connection with his playing JAG, judge, and jury of our Marines in Haditha, thus compromising their case and skipping over "innocent until proven guilty," Murtha and his ilk are important friends of our enemy. I suspect that Murtha is not intelligent enough to realize that he has become a useful idiot to the leftists in this country and the terrorists abroad. Or Murtha is simply so blinded by hate for Bush that he has abandoned our marines. I heard a Marine on the Mike Savage Show suggest that Murtha's hero claims from his military service are questionable, even more questionable than the claims of Kerry. I agree with the Swift Vets "Unfit for Command."

[Coop]

Another article: Murtha, Irey Get National Attention

Excerpt:
...[t]he congressman has been re-elected to his position 17 times and has served in Washington for 32 years. Most of those races were easily won, but his current opponent, Diana Irey is getting much attention.

Irey appeared on a national morning show Tuesday, saying Murtha has lost touch with 12th district constituents. She also called for Murtha to apologize for his comments about the Marine scandal.

"(Murtha) stated this when in fact not a single Marine has been charged. By doing this, he served as prosecutor, judge, and jury, and that's not the way we do things in America," Irey said...

[4yearlurker]

A good friend of mine has a son who is in the Marines (Marine reserves I think) and is stationed in Johnstown,Pa. I asked this Marine what he thought of Murtha. He looked at me and said "No Comment" His father tells me that Murtha is not well liked among the Marines in Johnstown. The locals do have respect for the Marines. The young marine stated that when he goes in a local deli for a snack or lunch,The residents see him in uniform and offer to pay for his meal. As it should be! This young man also told me he loves being a Marine!

[topher]

I think there needs to be more publicity about our Troops frustration with the US Media.

If Rep Murtha was a true backer of our military, he would be attacking the liberal media for their bashing of our troops (Gitmo, etc).

Instead, it apears Rep. Murtha is hurting our Troops by supporting US Media critism of these Troops.

There was a report by Retired General Barry Cafferty which listed as one of the 13 points in which he discussed the situation.

The 12th point he made in the report was that our troops have a hostility to the US Media.

This is somethng that Rep. Murtha should be fighting for.

[topher]

I think if anything, Murtha is helping fuel the hostility of our Troops to the US Media with what he is doing.

This should be a point in the campaign of his opponent - that Murtha seems to be siding with the US Media and not with our Troops in terms of how our Troops view the media.

Maybe there should be Congress men and women who start being vocal critics of the US Media and how they are covering the war and why our Troops resent this.

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

This article is about weekend wariors returning from active duty deployment.

1) Note the ages. I suspect they thought they'd never have to be shot at before they got their 20 years completed. They were hoping for a soft ride just like Murhta got when he was in the reserves.

2) I'd be willing to bet that you couldn't get these quotes from reservists called up from those states that made up the confederacy.

[trooprally]

Thanks for the ping.
I know not just veterans tired of the lies and betrayal of Murtha . Now he has Polisie pulling his stings. That man is not man is is a A hole!! [Mrs T]

[Blackirish]

Murtha was incoherent on MTP Sunday.

He should not be allowed a drivers license much less a congressional seat.

[jazusamo]

BTTT!

Diana Irey
http://www.irey.com/

[Logical me]

This man is mentally ill. He needs to go before he can cause more insane remarks.

[Albion Wilde]

Great thread, Coop.

[W04Man]

Bump & Elect Diana Irey!

POSTERS NOW AVAILABLE:

http://Vets4Irey.com

[Landry Fan]

bttt

[Mrs. Darla Ruth Schwerin]

Let the voices of those totally repulsed by Murfa's remarks be heard, loud and clear...

[Gondring]

While some doubts about Iraq may have surfaced in the region, a Quinnipiac University Poll released last month found that 57 percent in southwest Pennsylvania said all troops should finish the job in Iraq.

We shouldn't lie like this just because the lefties present poll numbers that we don't like.

[Personal Responsibility]

Thats not a lie. That is the correct statement of the results from the poll, not slanted to the left.

[Coop]

Show me where the lie is. You can fault PR for perhaps leaving out a third or even fourth category, but since our wonderfully objective media didn't include any internals/methodology, PR and I understandably surmised that the remaining percentage (read: MAJORITY) does not agree with the 43%'s take on Iraq.

[91B]

Coop-what do you think about those of us who support Irey making some sort of pledge? Say we contribute a certain amount to Irey every time Murtha says something treasonous or stupid.

Sure we would have a lot of work to do keeping up, but there is no way Irey's campaign would be short of funds.

[Coop]

Sounds good to me.

Sure we would have a lot of work to do keeping up

Yep. Best of luck! :-)

[91B]

Well, I'll kick in for $10 for each stupid/treasonous remark.

But from this moment until the election only. No retroactive Murthaisms (I'm not Bill freakin' Gates here).

[petercooper]

Dump Murtha! Click the logo and donate to Diana Irey for Congress!

[Gondring]

Thats not a lie. That is the correct statement of the results from the poll, not slanted to the left.

No, it's fallacious logic.

Sometimes I wonder if the news media can do anything right in the eyes of FReepers. Would you have preferred for them to have reported that only 32% wanted to keep the same number of troops (17%) or increase the number (15%)?!? Would that have pleased you?

Or how about if they'd reported that 64% wanted to pull some or all of the troops out?!? (Yes, those are the actual numbers...it's not too difficult to check out yourself.)

Sheesh...reality is reality, and rather than try to cover it up, we should figure out WHY people polled this way in Southwestern PA and address it. Is it still the case now that people are finding out how wrong Murtha was, and now that al-Z has been bagged? Do we need to counter Murtha's claims, or is he turning people off himself? Et cetera.

I think that conservatism has the facts on its side, so we shouldn't start playing into the dishonest fantasy game that the libs love so much.

[Coop]

Nobody was dishonest.

[Coop]

Or are you being dishonest? The poll you linked to is for PA voters. The article references southwest PA voters (in vic of Murtha's district). So what's your point? From my view it didn't do much for your argument about having facts on one's side.

[Gondring]

See question #23. You can't expect every article to list all the internals about polls that were already reported on a month ago! But here you go...

                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



A) Increase troops      15%     20%     10%     18%     19%     12%
B) Keep same amount     21      33      11      20      22      20
C) Decrease troops      24      24      25      22      23      25
D) Remove all troops    32      16      48      30      29      36
DK/NA                    8       8       6      10       8       8



                        Alghny  Philly  NthEst  SthEst  NthWst  SthWst  Cntrl



A) Increase troops      15%     14%     14%     17%     13%     15%     15%
B) Keep same amount     24       9      23      22      26      17      23
C) Decrease troops      21      16      20      29      31      21      26
D) Remove all troops    32      53      34      25      23      43      27
DK/NA                    8       8       9       7       6       5       9

TREND: From what you have seen or heard about the situation in Iraq, what should the United States do? Should the U.S. -- A) increase the number of U.S. troops in Iraq, B) keep the same number of U.S. troops in Iraq as there are now, C) decrease the number of U.S. troops in Iraq, or D) remove all its troops from Iraq?

                        May 11  Apr 6
                        2006    2006



A) Increase troops      15      12
B) Keep same amount     21      23
C) Decrease troops      24      31
D) Remove all troops    32      28
DK/NA                    8       6

I find it interesting that

• Beaver
• Cambria
• Fayette
• Greene
• Indiana
• Somerset
• Washington
• Westmoreland

polled 9 points higher on "Remove all troops" than Allegheny County alone did.

But guess what... New poll numbers are due today, and see if they show a bounce back from the previous month's numbers...

[Coop]

You can't expect every article to list all the internals about polls that were already reported on a month ago!

Actually, yes I can. With the media's PATHETIC history, I don't apologize at all for what was obviously identified as a derogatory comment by me. And I don't appreciate someone accusing me of dishonestly.

Now, you're correct, the linked poll did show the internals by region.

[RandallFlagg]

Vets4irey.com now has 661 veterans (disgusted with Jack Murtha) supporting Commissioner Irey.

Make that 670 (Including me).

[Coop]

Good work!

[Gondring]

Or are you being dishonest? The poll you linked to is for PA voters. The article references southwest PA voters (in vic of Murtha's district).

Coop...I love ya, man, but read more carefully...the poll had the information by region, too. In fact, I posted it just above, and listed the counties they consider "Southwestern PA"... I'm not being dishonest; I'm making a very valid and important point, IMHO.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

[Gondring]

And I don't appreciate someone accusing me of dishonestly.

I didn't do so, and I'm sorry if/that you thought I was.

[Coop]

That's cool. I did miss the linked poll's regions and conceded so above. But I really have no regrets over my clearly marked comment. No, I'm not a fan of the media. :-)

[Gondring]

Hey, guess what... the new poll numbers are out, and how about that--they proved my point! :-) The "Remove all troops" number has dropped from 43% in May to 25% in June!

22. From what you have seen or heard about the situation in Iraq, what should the United States do? Should the U.S. --

A) increase the number of U.S. troops in Iraq,
B) keep the same number of U.S. troops in Iraq as there are now,
C) decrease the number of U.S. troops in Iraq, or
D) remove all its troops from Iraq?

                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



A) Increase troops      12%     16%      8%     13%     16%      8%
B) Keep same amount     24      40      13      21      27      21
C) Decrease troops      27      24      29      28      22      31
D) Remove all troops    31      13      45      33      29      33
DK/NA                    6       7       5       5       6       6



                        Alghny  Philly  NthEst  SthEst  NthWst  SthWst  Cntrl



A) Increase troops       8%     10%     16%     13%      7%     14%     12%
B) Keep same amount     26      15      17      22      30      23      31
C) Decrease troops      22      21      35      32      20      34      24
D) Remove all troops    38      53      30      26      30      25      24
DK/NA                    6       1       3       8      14       3       8

TREND: From what you have seen or heard about the situation in Iraq, what should the United States do? Should the U.S. -- A) increase the number of U.S. troops in Iraq, B) keep the same number of U.S. troops in Iraq as there are now, C) decrease the number of U.S. troops in Iraq, or D) remove all its troops from Iraq?

                        Jun 21  May 11  Apr 6
                        2006    2006    2006



A) Increase troops      12      15      12
B) Keep same amount     24      21      23
C) Decrease troops      27      24      31
D) Remove all troops    31      32      28
DK/NA                    6       8       6

[Coop]

That is great news, and it has data to back it up as opposed to a Coop comment. :-) I was just looking for that poll, because I'd seen it earlier regarding Santorum. Thanks for pulling it in here, because it does show statistically significant movement since Murtha's verbal vomit and Diana Irey taking him on.

[Coop]

And the "Keep numbers the same or increase" in Southwest PA jumped five points.