Lieberman elicits General's warning on premature pull-out; Murtha not acceptable

Why Lieberman's Victory Mattered
Weekly Standard Worldwide Foreign Policy Posts Nov. 16, 2006
Its significance was on display at yesterday's Senate Armed Services Committee hearing. From today’s New York Times:

But no sooner had Mr. Levin outlined his case for a phased pullout of troops beginning in four to six months than the new Independent Democratic hero of the hawkish wing, Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut, began acting the role of cross-examiner, leading Gen. John P. Abizaid, the top American military commander in the Middle East, to say that such a withdrawal would increase violence and instability.

''I take it by your answer that you profoundly disagree?'' Mr. Lieberman asked. With the Democrats, he meant.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/Weblogs/TWSFP/TWSFPView.asp

Do you think the Democratic Caucus should have select John Murtha as its House Majority Leader?
Yes: 198....30%
No: 459....70%
Total: 657...100%
http://www.kqv.com/opinion.php?vo=10

Washington Journal guest Ruth Marcus Washington Post discusses Murtha/Abscam after caller tries to suggest the Abscam tape was out there on the Internet long before the election. Marcus disagrees, says American Spectator broke the story with the videotape/transcript in September...
Hoyer Wins House Majority Leader Race, Giving Pelosi First Setback
Thursday, November 16, 2006
WASHINGTON — Rep. Steny Hoyer emerged victorious Thursday after a bruising battle to win the No. 2 House leadership post in the 110th Congress.

Hoyer defeated Rep. John Murtha, who had the backing of House Speaker-nominee Nancy Pelosi to be her chief deputy when Democrats take back the House in January.

The success is a setback for Pelosi, who had faced her first leadership challenge by tossing aside her current deputy, with whom she had a chilly relationship, in favor of her longtime ally. Pelosi had been nominated earlier in the day to be the Democratic nominee for House speaker, the first woman to become second in line in succession for the presidency.

Hoyer defeated Murtha 149-86. His success was aided by his record of campaigning in 82 districts this past election season, winning support ahead of time from both moderate and liberal members of the party and earning the backing of many of the 29 new Democratic House members.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,229819,00.html
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=52965
wnd.com

Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., who has been endorsed for House majority leader by presumed speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi, escaped indictment in the 1980 Abscam scandal by a single grand jury vote, according to reports.

But a video posted by an anti-Murtha campaign shows it's clear his recorded refusal to accept a $50,000 bribe "at this point" was because he had bigger goals in mind.

"I expect to be in the [expletive deleted] leadership of the House," Murtha said on the profanity-laced video posted by BootMurtha.com, where former Navy Seal officer Larry Bailey, who served in Panama, Bolivia, Scotland, Colombia, Vietnam and the Philippines, runs campaigns opposing the congressman for his anti-military views.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=52965

House race pits Murtha vs. ethics
By Charles Hurt THE WASHINGTON TIMES
November 16, 2006

http://washingtontimes.com/national/20061116-120155-7377r.htm
Chris Matthews Questions Murtha About Bribery Tape
Posted by Brad Wilmouth on November 15, 2006 - 20:40.

http://newsbusters.org/node/9111

reference to youtube tape

Hannity and Colmes (Fox news)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwjkQTNPDAg

Rep. John Murtha defends his ethics
"Hardball" host Chris Matthews asks Murtha about leadership, Iraq, ethics
MSNBC Updated: 3:06 p.m. PT Nov 15, 2006

In his first interview since reportedly calling a Democratic bill on lobbying and ethics "total crap," Rep. John Murtha told "Hardball" host Chris Matthews he meant it was "crap" to deal with ethics problems when there are more serious issues facing the nation such as the war in Iraq.

"It is total crap that we have to deal with an issue like this when we’ve got a war going on and we got all these other issues," Murtha said.

Matthews also asked Murtha about leadership in the House and withdrawal from Iraq.

You can read the full transcript of their conversation below.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15737141/


video John Murtha - Abscam
Full video of Murtha's Abscam meeting with the FBI
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2131539854655700584

I didn’t know anything about these tapes until I saw David Holman of The American Spectator on Hannity and Colmes last night. The media just really hasn’t been that interested in this corrupt congressman. Murtha Must Go has a transcript from the show.

http://bluestarchronicles.com/2006/10/03/john-murtha-and-the-abscam-scandal/