Pelosi Backs Murtha for Majority Leader

Political Wire ^ | November 12, 2006 | Taegan Goddard

[West Coast Conservative]

Looks like we may have a DemocRat civil war:

Majority of Incoming Freshmen Endorse Hoyer

More than half of the incoming Democratic freshman lawmakers are expected to endorse House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer’s (D-Md.) bid for Majority Leader in a letter to be issued Friday afternoon.

According to the letter, 21 of the 41 Democrats who definitely will be coming to the House next year have offered their support to Hoyer, who is competing with Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) for the No. 2 leadership post in the 110th Congress.

“Having gone through this exciting and tough campaign season just like you, we know how difficult it was to achieve victory. And now that we have won our races, we must turn our attention to governing,” the letter states. “In addition to setting up our Washington and District offices ... among the first — and most important — decisions each of us will have to make is whom to support for our Democratic Majority Leader.”

The letter is signed by Reps.-elect Baron Hill (Ind.), Nick Lampson (Texas), Albio Sires (N.J.), Michael Arcuri (N.Y.), Nancy Boyda (Kan.), Bruce Braley (Iowa), Kathy Castor (Fla.), Joe Donnelly (Ind.), Keith Ellison (Minn.), Brad Ellsworth (Ind.), Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Phil Hare (Ill.), Paul Hodes (N.H.), Hank Johnson (Ga.), Ron Klein (Fla.), Tim Mahoney (Fla.), Harry Mitchell (Ariz.), Ed Perlmutter (Colo.), John Sarbanes (Md.), Heath Shuler (N.C.) and John Yarmuth (Ky.).

Roll Call

[tsmith130]

....and jumps in bed with ultra-corrupt Jack Murtha...

Ewwwww! My mind's eyes...my mind's eyes!

[Marine_Uncle]

Let me borrow onyx's line...."And there you have it......"

[pleikumud]

Murtha the traitor is an excellent choice! By the time 2008 rolls around voters will be so disillusioned with the Democrats, that Republicans will gain back control of Congress, AND take the White House too. Keep up the good work, Pelosi.

[sgtbono2002]

Hoyer has been up there a long time. he knows a lot of people . Wjhat he should do is take this to his friends and run for Speaker.Pelosi cant appoint anyone if she isnt speaker.

[sgtbono2002]

Hoyer has been up there a long time. he knows a lot of people . What he should do is take this to his friends and run for Speaker.Pelosi cant appoint anyone if she isnt speaker.

[sgtbono2002]

Nancy promised us a House full of ethics and she appoints a man who took bribe money ?? LOL

[AntiGuv]

Pelosi and Hoyer notoriously don't get along. He is the leader of the anti-Pelosi elements in the Dem caucus. Pelosi wants to neutralize Hoyer and his designs on the Speaker's gavel, while Murtha is a Pelosi loyalist who will owe his leadership position to her. If Murtha prevails, then this is an eminently rational move on Pelosi's part, and for the Democrats in general to the extent that it minimizes divisions in their leadership. If on the other hand Hoyer prevails, Pelosi will be in a considerably more precarious position than she would've faced anyhow.

That's what it's all about. This signifies nothing further with regard to electoral strategy or relations with the White House. It indicates that Pelosi believes now that with her support Murtha will win, and if she's right then it's a Pelosi coup de grâce.

[PLK]

the most significant move she has made since Democrats scored a historic victory on Election Day

Historic victory? Whatever ... I think it's pretty typical for the party controlling the White House to lose House seats in midterm elections — especially in the sixth year. Ann Coulter just wrote a great piece on this.

I hope they let this go straight to their little pea-brains - it will be the best thing ever to happen for GOP chances in couple years.

[randita]

Any Black Caucus members sign that letter? I doubt it. Pelosi is in the unenviable position of trying to herd cats. In order to keep the Black Caucus happy, she's going to have to give Ways and Means to Rangel and Intelligence to Hastings. And Conyers is in there, too. Moderate Democrats need not apply -- for anything.

[scrabblehack]

Hmmm....Leaders nearly always become Speaker when there's a vacancy...Whips often rise to Leader when there's a vacancy but not nearly as often....

[Omega Man II]

http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/110906/pelosi2.html

More details here. Some indication that this letter of support is a sign of "desperation" on the part of Murtha.

A Hoyer/Harman double victory will signify weakness on the part of Pelosi.. but the flipside is it will be a sign that moonbats won't be running the show in the House unopposed.

[onyx]

I couldn't think of anything else to say.....

[Sen Jack S. Fogbound]

I agree with your post (#50).

We need to let it go for now and get our party cleaned up and straightened out. We must not elect anymore vulnerable gays, homosexuals, and bribeable congresscritters. Clean up what we have now.

Let the Republican party be a party of honor and integrity. And those of Democratic conservatives as well.

Let the Liberals or the Social-Progressives go to hell first!

[WhistlingPastTheGraveyard]

This is the best news I've heard all week. These people can't control themselves.

[Tamzee]

"I worry about a slow withdrawal which makes it look like there's a victory..."

John Murtha, January 6, 2006

http://www.opinionjournal.com/best/?id=110007779

[onyx]

Keep praying for our brave troops.

The true, ugly face of the democrats just might emerge!

[True Republican Patriot]

This is going to p1ss off alot of Demorats and the remaining good democrats as well as all of the remaining Republicans. Madame Pelosi might loose the Speakership before she gets it. They say she has lots of Enemies down there. This might not be the Slam Dunk she thinks it is.

[freema]

LMAO! I'm sure she's too busy covering important stories.

[Mo1]

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