Posted by
on Sunday, February 25, 2007 2:34:20 PM
Jack Murtha has been defeated by his own ineptitude, his party, and a unified Republican front, according to the WaPo:
(Hat-Tip: K-Lo @ The Corner)
The plan was bold: By tying President Bush's $100 billion war request to strict standards of troop safety and readiness, Democrats believed they could grab hold of Iraq war policy while forcing Republicans to defend sending troops into battle without the necessary training or equipment.
But a botched launch by the plan's author, Rep. John P. Murtha (Pa.), has united Republicans and divided Democrats, sending the latter back to the drawing board just a week before scheduled legislative action, a score of House Democratic lawmakers said last week."If this is going to be legislation that's crafted in such a way that holds back resources from our troops, that is a non-starter, an absolute non-starter," declared Rep. Jim Matheson (Utah), a leader of the conservative Blue Dog Democrats.
Murtha's credentials as a Marine combat veteran, a critic of the war and close ally of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) were supposed to make him an unassailable spokesman for Democratic war policy. Instead, he has become a lightning rod for criticism from Republicans and members of his own party.
Freshman Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.), a retired Navy admiral who was propelled into politics by the Iraq war, said Murtha could still salvage elements of his strategy, but Sestak, an outspoken war opponent, is "a bit wary" of a proposal that would influence military operations.
"I was recently in the military, and I have to speak from that experience," Sestak said.
Now the WaPo does it's best to remind people that Mr. Murtha's plan could still be pushed through, but he is facing a huge firestorm over trying to bull-in-a-china-shop his way through this. Add that to the fact that the president does not take kindly to threats, especially against the troops, and when it directly challenges his constitutional authority.
The Democrats, at least those on the Nancy Pelosi/Hillary Clinton side, seem to think that the election in November has somehow endowed them with certain new powers. That could not be further from the truth. The Democrats may have a majority, but it is anything but veto-proof. Their misreading of the election results has led them down this road--a road with an issue that could cost them serious constituent support--with 2008 looming right around the corner. They were not reelected for "life," but rather for two years. Nancy Pelosi may have the shortest tenure of the former Speakers with how she is acting.
Jack Murtha needs to be reigned in. He is not helping the Democrats. He is hurting them with his brazenly infant-like antics. HE does not make the decisions regarding the war, the president does. We do not care if he is upset with the war. If he is, then quit trying to pull these end-run games, and make a decision already.
If Jack Murtha is so sure the voters want us out of Iraq, then pull the funding for the mission. But he will not, and neither will the rest od the Democrats. They are using this issue to beat on the president because they know they can. They have enough people in the country that will back them on beating up a president they do not like, but they do not really want to see the troops defunded and withdrawn.
Marcie