The John Murtha Cut and Run Tour

[red states rule]

Who will go see John Murth on his Cut And Run Tour?
This should be fun to watch!

http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/072606/news2.html
To raise profile, Murtha will stump for 41 Dems
By Alexander Bolton

Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.), who has suspended his race to become majority leader in the event that the Democrats capture the House, plans to campaign in 41 races around the country where he said party leaders believe he can be helpful.

This is a dramatic increase in activity for Murtha, who did not campaign for House candidates in 2004, according to his spokeswoman.

Helping Democratic candidates could pay dividends in a race for majority leader against Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.).

Murtha says he thinks such a race is likely and told The Hill that if the election were held now Democrats would be catapulted into the majority.

“If it was today, we’d win 50 seats,” he said, adding that Democratic strategists have assessed the field of competitive races in which they think he can help.

“In 41 seats they think I can help,” he said. “They’ve got it narrowed.”

Murtha said he plans to campaign in all of them. He also said, “I’m going to where Nancy sends me,” referring to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

A Democratic aide with knowledge of House campaigns said the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) has asked the entire Democratic caucus to travel to campaign events for all House Democratic candidates. Over the next several months, House Democrats will continue to refine and revise their strategy of sending members into certain districts, the aide added.

Hoyer, Murtha’s potential rival, is planning to travel to 36 districts to campaign for vulnerable Democratic incumbents as well as challengers, according to a Hoyer aide.

“Mr. Hoyer has already campaigned and recruited in 51 districts this cycle, plans to travel to almost 40 more before Election Day and has spent five months on the road for House Democrats as whip,” Hoyer spokeswoman Stacey Bernards said. “He continues to work tirelessly to take back the House and make Nancy Pelosi the first woman Speaker.”

A spokeswoman for Murtha said her boss is expected to campaign for a mix of Democratic lawmakers and challengers.

Murtha may be calculating that he needs to do more to help candidates if he is to counter Hoyer’s prolific fundraising for Democrats over years. Hoyer has given $770,000 to Democratic candidates this election cycle, more than any other lawmaker, his aides say. He has also raised $2 million for candidates this cycle, they add.

If Democrats win the House in November, freshmen could determine who becomes majority leader. One Democratic candidate who said Murtha offered to come into his district said the senior Pennsylvanian is doing “spadework for his run to majority leader.”

“Why else would he be wanting to come into districts like mine?” the candidate said, noting that President Bush carried it by more than 10 points in 2000 and 2004.

While Murtha’s new campaign activity for other Democrats suits his self-interest, it is also the case that many Democrats are clamoring for his presence.

Murtha said he has received 100 requests for help. His popularity, particularly among liberal Democrats, has surged since he called last year for U.S. troops to leave Iraq.

He is a retired Marine Corps colonel and the senior Democrat on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee.

Democratic leaders recognize that Murtha has become an important fundraising draw and that he can help shield them from Republican criticism that they are soft on defense.

Last month, Murtha wrote a fundraising e-mail for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee titled “Cut the ‘Traitor’ Talk.”

But some Democrats, particularly centrist lawmakers who support Hoyer, question whether Murtha can be helpful in many races that their party needs to win if they are to capture control of the House.

“I’m sure Mr. Murtha is going to be traveling extensively, but I bet you he won’t be going to Blue Dog districts,” one lawmaker said, referring to members of the caucus of centrist Democrats from the South. “I can’t imagine that he will be very welcome in many Blue Dog districts.”

The lawmaker said that while Murtha has a centrist record on many issues, voters would be most aware of his strong position against the war, which could alienate swing voters in states Bush won. The lawmaker noted that Democrats need to capture districts in those so-called red states.

A centrist Democratic candidate who requested anonymity to protect his relationships with Murtha allies said he turned down an offer for Murtha to come to his district.

Supporters of Murtha, however, argue that the war is the main reason Bush’s approval rating has slumped to around 40 percent, which has given Democrats a chance to capture otherwise Republican-leaning districts.

Murtha said he will shortly visit Connecticut, California, New York and Tennessee.

In Nashville he will speak at a fundraiser Aug. 12 for the Davidson County Democratic Party, said Mark Brown, spokesman for the Tennessee Democratic Party.

In August, Hoyer will focus on districts in the South and Midwest, a Hoyer aide said. Indiana and North Carolina are two stops on his itinerary.

Hoyer is likely to tout his record of helping Democratic candidates. He has raised or contributed to 89 House Democratic lawmakers and an additional 44 Democratic candidates in the past year and a half, according to his staff.

Since 1981, Hoyer has given more than $3.4 million directly to the campaigns of lawmakers and candidates and has helped raise an additional $4 million for them, his staff said.

Nearly 84 percent of the members of the House Democratic Caucus have received contributions or fundraising help from Hoyer, they said.

Hoyer has raised $2.7 million for the DCCC this cycle and paid all his dues, $600,000. Murtha has raised $1.2 million and has paid $230,000 in dues of the $250,000 he owed, according to a Democratic aide familiar with fundraising records.

 

[JeffWartman]

Nothing could be more helpful to Republicans than a John Murtha tour!

 

[red states rule]

Nothing could be more helpful to Republicans than a John Murtha tour!

Dems will over play their hand and Republicans will win again in November

Libs are still running on hate and rage

 

[Bullypulpit]

Have you seen combat? Have you acted in support of combat in a theater of operation? Have even served in the military?

Unless you can answer yes to any or all of those questions, and none in Chimpy's administration can, your criticism of a decorated combat veteran for being "cut and run" rings hollow indeed.

The only cut and run I see is the flesh of our troops cut to the bone by shrapnel and weapons fire and their blood running in the streets of Iraq. All this while Chimpy says things are going swimmingly in Iraq. He is as disconnected from reality as you are.

 

[red states rule]

Have you seen combat? Have you acted in support of combat in a theater of operation? Have even served in the military?

Unless you can answer yes to any or all of those questions, and none in Chimpy's administration can, your criticism of a decorated combat veteran for being "cut and run" rings hollow indeed.

The only cut and run I see is the flesh of our troops cut to the bone by shrapnel and weapons fire and their blood running in the streets of Iraq. All this while Chimpy says things are going swimmingly in Iraq. He is as disconnected from reality as you are.

Libs do like to use human shields to sprew their talking points. They select their "heros' and "victims" so if you disagree with them - you are the heartless one.

Murtha is nothing more then a useful idiot to the terrorists. He did vote against his own motion to cut and run from Iraq, along with nearly all the Dems.

 

[-Cp]

Have you seen combat? Have you acted in support of combat in a theater of operation? Have even served in the military?

Unless you can answer yes to any or all of those questions, and none in Chimpy's administration can, your criticism of a decorated combat veteran for being "cut and run" rings hollow indeed.

The only cut and run I see is the flesh of our troops cut to the bone by shrapnel and weapons fire and their blood running in the streets of Iraq. All this while Chimpy says things are going swimmingly in Iraq. He is as disconnected from reality as you are.

Have you seen combat? Have you acted in support of combat in a theater of operation? Have even served in the military?

Unless you can answer yes to any or all of those questions, your praise of a decorated combat veteran for being "cut and run" rings hollow indeed.

 

[red states rule]

Have you seen combat? Have you acted in support of combat in a theater of operation? Have even served in the military?

Unless you can answer yes to any or all of those questions, your praise of a decorated combat veteran for being "cut and run" rings hollow indeed.

Did Bullypulpit vote for Bob Dole? Bush 41? They served their country in combat

He probably voted for the real draft dodger - Bill Clinton

Libs patriotism rings hollow

 

[Gem]

Bully Blathered:

Unless you can answer yes to any or all of those questions, and none in Chimpy's administration can, your criticism of a decorated combat veteran for being "cut and run" rings hollow indeed.

Please, Bully, save the little bit of credibility you seem to be clinging to here and stop using ridiculous arguments like this that make no sense.

Representative Murtha is a public official who has been elected by citizens of the state of Pennsylvania. Because of this, his political opinions and actions are open for scrutiny and discourse - both for and against.

His previous military record, while worthy of praise and thanks, is completely irrelevant when it comes to whether or not people on this board or anywhere else are able to criticize his political opinions.

He called for the immediate withdrawl of troops on more than one occassion. Many people see that as "cutting and running." It is not a slam against his military record, but rather a way to describe his political opinion.

People like you, Bully, try to make it about his military record because you are trying to make it impossible to criticize him or his opinions without being pegged as insulting to his military service. You tried the same thing with Kerry - it didn't work. Similarly, your party and its supporters are trying the same thing with presenting people as untouchable victims - and labeling those who have probelms with their opinions are evil for speaking out against them.

It is a small, childish tactic. It is also completely transparent. You should be embarrassed to fall back on such a tactic. During Clinton's presidency, mentioning military service was strictly verboten by people like you - and it certainly did not make the person whose opinion you agreed with or disagreed with immune from discourse. Now that it is convinient for you to play this card you do...proving an opportunism and hypocrisy that would be laughable if it wasn't so predictable and sad.

For your sake, stop falling back on this silliness. It is right up there with "if you are against gay marriage you are secretly gay," or "if you are against the war in iraq you are anti-american" in the top 10 lamest ways to try to win an argument ever.

 

[red states rule]

Motor Mouth Murtha will help the voters remember why Dems cannot be trusted with national security and the defense of this nation

 

[Bullypulpit]

Have you seen combat? Have you acted in support of combat in a theater of operation? Have even served in the military?

Unless you can answer yes to any or all of those questions, your praise of a decorated combat veteran for being "cut and run" rings hollow indeed.

Yeah...I'm a veteran. Piss off.

 

[Bullypulpit]

Libs do like to use human shields to sprew their talking points. They select their "heros' and "victims" so if you disagree with them - you are the heartless one.

Murtha is nothing more then a useful idiot to the terrorists. He did vote against his own motion to cut and run from Iraq, along with nearly all the Dems.

My what a lovely dance you've performed in order to avoid the question. I'll take the answer to any and all as a "No". You haven't served.

 

[Annie]

Yeah...I'm a veteran. Piss off.

Bully, I know you are a vet. Does that give you or Murtha more of a say than myself?

 

[Bullypulpit]

Bully Blathered:


Please, Bully, save the little bit of credibility you seem to be clinging to here and stop using ridiculous arguments like this that make no sense.

Representative Murtha is a public official who has been elected by citizens of the state of Pennsylvania. Because of this, his political opinions and actions are open for scrutiny and discourse - both for and against.

His previous military record, while worthy of praise and thanks, is completely irrelevant when it comes to whether or not people on this board or anywhere else are able to criticize his political opinions.

He called for the immediate withdrawl of troops on more than one occassion. Many people see that as "cutting and running." It is not a slam against his military record, but rather a way to describe his political opinion.

People like you, Bully, try to make it about his military record because you are trying to make it impossible to criticize him or his opinions without being pegged as insulting to his military service. You tried the same thing with Kerry - it didn't work. Similarly, your party and its supporters are trying the same thing with presenting people as untouchable victims - and labeling those who have probelms with their opinions are evil for speaking out against them.

It is a small, childish tactic. It is also completely transparent. You should be embarrassed to fall back on such a tactic. During Clinton's presidency, mentioning military service was strictly verboten by people like you - and it certainly did not make the person whose opinion you agreed with or disagreed with immune from discourse. Now that it is convinient for you to play this card you do...proving an opportunism and hypocrisy that would be laughable if it wasn't so predictable and sad.

For your sake, stop falling back on this silliness. It is right up there with "if you are against gay marriage you are secretly gay," or "if you are against the war in iraq you are anti-american" in the top 10 lamest ways to try to win an argument ever.

I will take Congress Murtha's stance as a principled one given that he has seen the horrors of war first hand and he knows all too well the toll it takes, unlike most if not all of the current administration.

It's not really silliness to listen to the voice of experience and heed its message over the bluster and puffery of those who never had the experience to begin with.

 

[Bullypulpit]

Bully, I know you are a vet. Does that give you or Murtha more of a say than myself?

Again, the voice of experience carries more weight with me than that which has none. It does not give me, or anyone else more of a say...Just a different perspective.

 

[Annie]

Again, the voice of experience carries more weight with me than that which has none. It does not give me, or anyone else more of a say...Just a different perspective.

So experience at arms, does or doesn't give you and Murtha more of a say? I'm not following?

 

[-Cp]

Yeah...I'm a veteran. Piss off.

Your argument is lame - that's like saying we can't critize NFL Referee's for making bad calls in this last superbowl only because we have never ref'd a game...

Wrong is wrong - regardless of whether or not he's a vet... people change - he's obviously gone looney..

 

[Gem]

Bully

It looks like you are trying to find wiggle room in your original statement. I am not going to let you do that. You first said:

Unless you can answer yes to any or all of those questions, and none in Chimpy's administration can, your criticism of a decorated combat veteran for being "cut and run" rings hollow indeed.

This implies clearly that unless I have served in combat, I can not criticize Murtha's plan without having my criticisms, however legitimate, "ring hollow."

Now in your response, you try to alter your statement a bit by saying that you just meant his opinion should have "more weight." While this is arguable, it wasn't what you were saying originally...

Bush has been President of the United States, you never have...should your criticisms "ring hollow" until you are elected to that office, Bully? Somehow I doubt you feel that way.

Murtha is a veteran. He is deserving of our thanks and respect for that. But HIS PAST MILITARY SERVICE does NOT give his opinion more weight about an entirely different war, in an entirely different place, under entirely different circumstances! To imply that it does is ludicrous, because it sets the precedent of giving undue respect or power to someone because once in the past they did something noble.

Murtha's opinion might hold more weight because he is a state representative with access to more information than we have. It might have more weight because he has been briefed on more information than we have been able to access, because he has read more, visited the area, read up on the culture, etc. etc. etc. But it has no more weight because of his service...and to say otherwise is to make a crucial mistake in your debate.

 

[red states rule]

I do hope Murtha, Dean, Kerry, and the other MoveOn.org nuts keep screaming their defeatest talking points.

November will be good for Republicans and libs will have to increase their dosage of meds

So buy Rx stocks!

 

[CSM]

Have you seen combat? Have you acted in support of combat in a theater of operation? Have even served in the military?

Unless you can answer yes to any or all of those questions, and none in Chimpy's administration can, your criticism of a decorated combat veteran for being "cut and run" rings hollow indeed.

The only cut and run I see is the flesh of our troops cut to the bone by shrapnel and weapons fire and their blood running in the streets of Iraq. All this while Chimpy says things are going swimmingly in Iraq. He is as disconnected from reality as you are.

Not that it means anything, but I can answer "YES" to all three of your questions. Does that mean you are willing to lend as much credence to my opinion as you do to Murtha's?


I thought not.

As for what you see, perhaps you are a tad myopic. Looking at a picture through a soda straw does not make the picture smaller, only your view of it. But then, you know that, don't you! I get the feeling that you do indeed see the whole picture but for the sake of stirring things up around here you choose to scope and slant the facts in such a manner as you do, hoping that no one will notice that straw in front of your eye.

 

[red states rule]

Not that it means anything, but I can answer "YES" to all three of your questions. Does that mean you are willing to lend as much credence to my opinion as you do to Murtha's?


I thought not.

As for what you see, perhaps you are a tad myopic. Looking at a picture through a soda straw does not make the picture smaller, only your view of it. But then, you know that, don't you! I get the feeling that you do indeed see the whole picture but for the sake of stirring things up around here you choose to scope and slant the facts in such a manner as you do, hoping that no one will notice that straw in front of your eye.

Did Bullypulpit vote for Bob Dole? Bush 41? They served their country in combat

He probably voted for the real draft dodger - Bill Clinton

Libs patriotism rings hollow