Posted on 08/06/2006 1:52:57 PM PDT by Coop
We cannot recall when, if ever, a congressional race in our corner of the world developed a national focus, but such was the case last week. Unfortunately, it was characterized by the kind of overheated rhetoric that plagues today's politics.
A group of veterans announced it would sponsor a national veterans rally in October to protest Rep. John Murtha's opposition to the Iraq war. "Vets for the Truth" is a successor to one of the organizations that worked against John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election.
But the group does not simply disagree with Murtha that the United States should pull out of Iraq; it claims that things he has said were "treasonous." His position actually is that the U.S. and its coalition troops have done all they can do and that the war can not be won militarily, which is not only a far cry from treason, it's probably a realistic assessment of the situation in Iraq.
Murtha, of course, is a big boy and an old political pro. (When he came out against the war last November, he coupled it with a personal attack on Vice President Dick Cheney.) He also has deep connections to the military establishment and to veterans groups. Last week, the Murtha camp countered the veterans group by producing former U.S. Sen. Max Clelland, who lost three limbs in Vietnam, to counter what he called "the right wing smears against a good man." A news conference held by his opponents in downtown Johnstown Thursday was dwarfed by a pro-Murtha rally at which Cleland was featured, although Murtha wasn't there; he was busy campaigning for a Democrat congressional candidate in Eastern Pennsylvania.)
There were complaints that Murtha, who was also wounded in Vietnam, was being "Swift-boated," a reference to the Navy veterans who hounded Kerry two years ago. The Swift boat controversy was about things that happened better than 30 years before and was a response to Kerry's foolishly making Vietnam the centerpiece of his campaign. The Murtha dispute is at least about what's going on today.
Murtha's Republican challenger, Washington County Commissioner Diana Irey, appeared to be making the most of the situation without joining the protesters. She earlier charged, correctly, that Murtha had unfairly declared that a Marine squad had killed two dozen civilians "in cold blood" in Haditha, even though the accusation was still being investigated.
Also, last week, a Marine Corps sergeant under investigation in connection with Haditha, filed a defamation suit accusing Murtha of spreading "false and malicious lies." There was a curious footnote to Murtha's response to the suit.
A news release from Murtha's office received in our newsroom Wednesday called the plaintiff "a Marine Corps staff sergeant charged in the incident at Haditha." The fact is that, while the initial Pentagon investigation reportedly supports the general accusation, nobody has been charged in the case.
When we double-checked Murtha's Web site on Thursday, the first sentence of the news release had been re-written to remove the word "charged." The original claim had been dropped down the memory hole without explanation.
While all this makes good political theater, its effect in November is questionable. Murtha's party has a huge voter registration majority in the district, he is a master at dispensing pork, and few people in his home area of Johnstown speak ill of him, including the Republican leadership. Even if the insurgency in Iraq were to suddenly collapse, it probably wouldn't hurt him at all.
Besides, you've yet to answer diggers question. I'm not inclined to bother much with your "opinion".
DRAFT 10-YEAR OLDS!
I'll bet the punk who wrote this never served ady in uniform.
With blogs, pundits are a dime a dozen.
author
Of shrill screeds.
successful attorney
A search of Martindale Hubbard reveals no trace of her professional activities. A search on Westlaw reveals no appellate briefs or trial filings with her name in them. In short, she is a non-practicing attorney.
Besides, you've yet to answer diggers question. I'm not inclined to bother much with your "opinion".
That's because real research takes time - and maybe a trip to the library.
When you hit rock bottom, it's prudent to stop digging.
Hang it up, dude. Murtha's a traitor, Cleland is a bitter, uglier version of Cindy Sheehan; and neither of them has an ounce of credibility, on any subject.
If you think they do, then the DU has a free lifetime membership waiting for you.
See, this polarization is exactly what's wrong with the Republican party. I'm unwilling to let character assasination slide, so I must be a member of the screaming idiots over at DU?
Save your "for us or against us" rhetoric for your own echo chambers. Most Americans have rejected this polarization.
I think I will contact Wuterich's attorney and let him know that Murtha's faxed version of his press release stated that Wuterich had been "charged".
Murhta is the gift that keeps on giving, though I'd much rather see him used as daisy fertilizer.
Prove your weak assertion of character assassination.
Try Martindale Hubbell, dude.
Do I smell troll?
Notice how Jude keeps avoiding my posts (at least three now) directly to him/her? Think ol' Jude knows I'm a "hawkish, decorated Marine combat veteran" that can't be easily dismissed? :-D
Most CONSERVATIVES have decided Murtha should be tried for treason and most CONSERVATIVES realize what a leftwing moonbat Cleland has become.
But you'll be happy to know that these guys are genuine heroes on the Daily Kos. But don't let that affect your judgement; afterall, leftwing, rightwing, both are equally loose with the truth, right?
By the way, JUDE, I'm not a Republican. So why bring up the GOP, unless you have an ideological ax to grind? [wink, wink]
I retract "training accident." There are very few sources out there that aren't right-wing blogs. Best I can find is a 1999 Esquire interview, where he says he went out to set up a radio unit, one of his fellow soliders dropped a live grenade, he picked it up, and it went off. (Source).
Best I can do without a trip to the library. But it appears, from the only non-partisan article I can find via Google, that this indeed was in the line of duty.
The crux of my argument stands - it is reprehensible for some keyboard jockeys, because of partisan disagreements, to belittle the sacrifices of a man who volunteered to fight in Khe Sanh and who lost three limbs to a grenade, friendly or not. F--- anyone who says otherwise.
Correct.
My Lexis screen was closed when I posted. I'm sure you never make a typo in the name of a resource you only occasionally use. That's reserved for us mere mortals.
So you're retracting now? Sounds like you were assassinating someone's character. Shame!!
Hell, even I try to avoid your posts, can't blame him for that. ;o)
Nope. I count 1.
Think ol' Jude knows I'm a "hawkish, decorated Marine combat veteran" that can't be easily dismissed? :-D
Behind the keyboard, anonymously, you could be the Queen of England, and I wouldn't know it. But, assuming you are indeed a decorated Marine combat veteran, do you appreciate the slimeballs who minimize Cleland's sacrifice and service? If you don't like what he's done with Ms. Sheehan, fine. I agree - she's an unhinged woman who journalists irresponsibly allow to wallow in her grief over national television, and whose grief the Democratic party has shamelessly exploited. Fine. But that doesn't change the fact that he volunteered for Vietnam, and lost three limbs over there.
In his own words (but I guess that makes it partisan, huh?): On April 8, 1968, I volunteered for one last mission. The helicopter moved in low. The troops jumped out with M16 rifles in hand as we crouched low to the ground to avoid the helicopter blades. Then I saw the grenade. It was where the chopper had lifted off. It must be mine, I thought. Grenades had fallen off my web gear before. Shifting the M16 to my left hand and holding it behind me, I bent down to pick up the grenade.
A blinding explosion threw me backwards.
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