Dual Rallies Show Pennsylvanians Divided About Murtha

Johnstown - There were more hawks and doves in this small Pennsylvania town over the weekend than you could find in an aviary.

Separate rallies on Saturday and Sunday praised and maligned U.S. Rep. John "Jack" Murtha, a 32-year veteran of the House, for his position on the war in Iraq. Murtha, a highly decorated retired U.S. Marine colonel, wants the U.S. to withdraw. He says the U.S. troops are worn out, the war has been mismanaged and our efforts in the Middle East are winning more enemies than friends for the nation.

Murtha's message sat well with Democrat dignitaries who visited Johnstown on Saturday to praise his patriotism. They included Gov. Ed Rendell; former Nebraska Gov. and U.S. Senator Bob Kerrey, a former Navy SEAL and winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor; decorated and disabled combat veteran Max Cleland, formerly a U.S. Senator from Georgia; retired Army General High Shelton and one-time presidential hopeful and former Army General Wesley Clark.

Unsurprisingly, they all are critical of President George W. Bush's handling of the war -and they all love "Jack" Murtha. ,p>Supporters, including many veterans, were bussed in from as far away as Philadelphia to hear Kerrey say, "I'm here for Jack because he has the courage to stand up for veterans. In my view, Jack Murtha's critics don't know jack." Kerrey is now president of The New School, a progressive university in New York City.

Taking time from his own campaign for reelection, Rendell said, "(Murtha) has done more for the U.S. Military than any American alive today. How dare these outsiders come here to Pennsylvania and dispute the patriotism of one of our greatest sons in Commonwealth history?"

Sunday, more than 750 of the anti-Murtha crowd spent over three hours in the Cambria County War Memorial in Johnstown castigating Murtha and comparing his anti-Vietnam War activist Jane Fonda. "Hanoi Jane and Jihad Jack," read some of the posters at the rally sponsored Vets for the Truth and BootMurtha.com.

The anti-Murtha crowd was without the alcohol, buses, elected officials and retired generals who came to shore up Murtha's positions.

They came on their own, paid their own way and listened to the fathers of dead marines; the father of a marine who has been in the brig since May with seven others, waiting to see if he will be charged with capital war crimes; a World Trade Center survivor and David Beamer, the father of Todd Beamer, who died in the crash of United flight 93 that crashed about 30 miles from Johnstown on 9/11. The younger Beamer is credited with leading the attempt to take the flight back from Muslim hijackers and coining the phrase, "Let's Roll," which became a war rallying cry for President Bush.

Murtha was repeatedly accused of being a "cut and run" politician and giving "aid and comfort to the enemy." The attacks on Murtha were met each time with cheers, applause, and cries of "Boot Murtha" from the audience filled with veterans from World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam and Operation Desert Storm.

Giant, unflattering cartoons of Murtha being "booted" filled the arena, along with countless homemade signs and stickers stating disapproval of the congressman.

Murtha's challenger, Republican Diana Irey, did not attend the anti-Murtha rally because federal regulations prohibit independent groups such as BootMurtha.com from coordinating their activities with candidates. Irey said she didn't want to give any impression her campaign was involved with the rally.

Irey is, however, a supporter of continuing the war and has repeatedly criticized Murtha's anti-war rhetoric.

On Saturday, at a press conference, she also accused Murtha of being untruthful about his actions and activities relating to the 1980 FBI sting known as ABSCAM. Several politicos went to jail after accepting bribes from undercover FBI agents in Philadelphia.

Recently released tapes of a meeting with Murtha and FBI undercover agents, Irey said, indicate Murtha was interested in dealing with the agents.

A U.S. House Ethics Committee ruled in 1981 ruled Murtha had done nothing wrong in connection with ABSCAM operation.

Different spin from this KDKA TV report w/ Rendell claiming 'outsiders' were criticizing Murtha.

http://kdka.com/topstories/local_story_275155316.html

Oct 2, 2006 5:15 pm US/Eastern
Campaign Between Murtha, Irey Heats Up
Jon Delano Reporting

(KDKA) JOHNSTOWN, Pa. The congressional campaign in the 12th district heated up over the weekend.

That's the seat held by Congressman John Murtha -- a strong military man who attracted national attention when he called for the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq.

That has brought a lot of attention to the local congressman.

They call it swift-boating -- telling untruths about military veterans and their service to this country and now Murtha thinks he's the victim.

"We're tired of swift-boating in America," said Former U.S. Sen. Max Cleland. "It stops right here in Johnstown, Pennsylvania."

On Saturday, supporters of Murtha, the outspoken former marine, rallied in Johnstown and accused his opponents of distorting his record.

"Of course, he's going to be target," said Gen. Wesley Clark, a former NATO Supreme Commander. "This guy has laid his life on the line for us and our country. And we're not going to let any swift boaters, shrimp boaters, or anybody else take out after Jack Murtha. He's our guy."

Governor Ed Rendell said it was out-of-state groups that were meddling in Pennsylvania politics.

"Jack Murtha is the best asset this state has," said Rendell. "And are we going to let any outsiders come in and tell us we should lose Jack Murtha. Absolutely not. Absolutely not."

But Murtha's Republican opponent, Washington County Commissioner Diana Irey, said no one was attacking his military service just his statements on the war in Iraq.

"That has saddened a great many men and women who wear the uniform, their families, and veterans all across the United States," said Irey.

And, no surprise, says Irey, the national interest in her race inspired the boot-Murtha rally held on Sunday in Johnstown.

It featured David Beamer, father of Flight 93 victim Todd Beamer.

"No way should any of our elected officials in a time of war be taking that kind of public stance," said Beamer.

Irey says strong public feeling about Murtha's opposition to the war, not swift-boaters, are helping her campaign.

"Frankly, his comments have caused have a great deal of people nationwide to get involved in my campaign," she said. "People have volunteered from all across America. I even have two volunteers from Hawaii and I've received contributions from all 50 states and even from soldiers on the ground in Iraq."

Well, whether Murtha's record is being distorted or not, his public opposition to the Bush Administration's conduct of the war in Iraq was bound to attract attention.

But in the end, as both Murtha and Irey acknowledge, it's up to the voters in this region, not outsiders, to decide who represents them in Washington.

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