MyDD: Jack Murtha has the votes

[Rose Siding]

Jack Murtha has the votes
by Jerome Armstrong, Tue Nov 14, 2006 at 04:14:51 PM EST

I've heard from a couple of different Hill sources that Murtha is ahead; that newly elected Democrats favor Hoyer by a 2:1 margin, but that Murtha is ahead by about 25 votes overall, which has come about from the standing members after Nancy Pelosi's letter. The vote is Thursday. Let's hope that sticks and Murtha becomes the Majority Leader.

http://www.mydd.com/story/2006/11/14/161451/68

some analysis-
http://www.mydd.com/story/2006/11/14/154750/78

I tend to agree with Matt about this and I hope his Hill sources know what they're talking about. Murtha's leadership with his Iraq position trumps my concerns about some of his other conservatism. It's a painful matter of prioritizing. As well, since Nancy picked him I think it's important for the caucus to respond to her -It enhances her strength as speaker, and a strong speaker will make it easier to pass that bounty of legislation they've promoted.

And Sirota's point here is powerful:

snip>
It seems that the "Yay Iraq War! Oops, Let's Now Pretend We Were Always Against the War" wing of the Democratic Party is trying to nationalize Lieberman's Nixonian model and apply it elsewhere. To understand what I mean, just take a quick look at what's going on in the race for House Majority Leader between anti-Iraq-War leader Rep. Jack Murtha (D-PA) and recently-reconstructed pro-war mouthpiece Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD).

In the last few days, both the Democratic Leadership Council and Hoyer's own allies on Capitol Hill have mimicked Lieberman's tactics in an effort to reposition Hoyer as one of the longtime leaders of the global anti-war movement. The DLC's vice president, for instance, proclaims on his website that "It's not as though Steny has done anything to undermine House Democrats in their criticism of Bush Iraq policies."
....
...in fact, Hoyer led the charge against Democrats taking a strong position on Iraq, publicly attacking the House Democratic leadership for having the guts to follow Murtha's lead and get up the guts to challenge Bush on the war.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/11/14/11534/580

Afterward, Murtha's ethics issues *have* to be resolved but for now, BRING THEM HOME.

[lapfog_1]

1. Like I said before...

I don't think Nancy would have endorsed him if she didn't already KNOW he would win.

Now the question will be about his ethics and the CREW report. But I think for Nancy, it was a matter of repayment and of loyalty.

[FogerRox]

3. Yes CREW..........

CREW BLASTS PELOSI ENDORSEMENT OF UNETHICAL MURTHA FOR MAJORITY LEADER

DEMOCRATS WIN ON ETHICS BUT CHOOSE TO RUN CORRUPT MEMBER FOR LEADERSHIP POST

Washington, DC – Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) questioned soon-to-be House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) commitment to eradicating corruption with her endorsement of one of the most unethical members in Congress, Rep. John Murtha (D-PA), to be Majority Leader of the House of Representatives.

Rep. Murtha was listed in CREW’s report Beyond DeLay: The 20 Most Corrupt Members of Congress (and five to watch). As reported in the study and by the news media, Rep. Murtha has been involved in a number of pay-to play schemes involving former staffers and his brother, Robert “Kit” Murtha. Eight incumbents in CREW’s report lost their races to ethics issues.

“Future House Speaker Pelosi’s endorsement of Rep. Murtha, one of the most unethical members of Congress, shows that she may have prioritized ethics reform merely to win votes with no real commitment to changing the culture of corruption,” Melanie Sloan, executive director of CREW said today. “How can Americans believe that the Democrats will return integrity to the House when future Speaker Pelosi has endorsed an ethically-challenged member for a leadership position? Rep. Murtha is the wrong choice for this job.”

Not only is Rep. Murtha beset by ethics issues, The New York Times reported on October 2, 2006 that he has consistently opposed ethics and earmark reform. Sloan continued, “Rep. Murtha’s opposition to ethics reform does not bode well for future Speaker Pelosi’s promise to enact ethics legislation in the first 100 hours of the new Congress.”


CREW’s report can be found at www.beyonddelay.org .

[Robbien]

2. Great. I sure do hope so.

Hoyer would be a huge disaster, Corporate America's golden hair boy.

[Thrill]

4. ANYBODY BUT HOYER

Thank you

[sandnsea]

5. Earmarking is the "ethics" issue

Change the earmark procedure and Murtha won't have them to use. I'd rather have our actual elected officials funneling money home than have Hoyer let lobbyists write bills and direct where our money goes. No to Hoyer. We'll be damned sorry.

[Thrill]

6. Murtha is a bad ass

you should be happy he's going to be the leader. And he is Republicans worst nightmare. He would actually punch Bush in the face if he got a chance to

[bemildred]

7. Yeah, I think the next two years is going to be scorched earth warfare.

She needs to get things clear, and she needs to know who she can trust.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. If true, then the score after one round is . . .

Nancy Pelosi 1, DLC 0.

[Robbins]

10. My take

Pundints are saying how the Democrats can govern with liberal leaders and a bunch of conservative members just elected.Murtha Is a conservative.Now think about this Republicans will never put a
true moderate In a leadership postion.We are the true big tent party.Murtha has done a lot for us
by having the guts to say he was wrong to support the war and to say we should redeploy out of Iraq.
Now having Murtha as Majority Leader Is Bush's worst nightmare.Hoyer Is trying to postion himself as
the true Democrat yet he Is the candiate of the DLC.If you like having Pelosi as Speaker then
consider Murtha was a big supporter In get her first as Minority Whip and then as Minority Leader
Instead of Hoyer.I am rooting for Murtha and I think all anti War Dems should be as well.

[texpatriot2004]

9. Can't wait to see on Thursday nm