The race for House Majority Leader is apparently down to two contestants, John Murtha (D-PA) and Steny Hoyer (D-MD). Murtha appeals to the antiwar left, apparently has the backing of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and has been a frequent critic of the Bush administration's policies in the Iraq region. Hoyer is no less a critic of the Iraq war, but he carries less baggage than Murtha and would be less controversial, and seems to be the more pragmatic, moderate choice.
I'm not the type to advise the Democratic Party to shy away from confrontations with conservative Republicans or making controversial choices, but Murtha carries way too much baggage from
ABSCAM to
to using his position on the Appropriations Committee to earmark funds in benefit of his brother, a registered lobbyist. He even
had the dubious honor of being named as an honorable mention on the most corrupt members of Congress 2006.
I love Nancy Pelosi and I truly believe that she will make a great Speaker of the House, but her support of Murtha for the position of House Majority Leader is a mistake and sounds like pure pandering to the more virulent members of the antiwar left. A major aspect of the Democratic victory in the 2006 midterm elections was their ability to showcase the excessive corruption of the GOP and how they would be different, more ethical, more humane, and, therefore, it would be a slap in the face to all those who believed those position statements if they then nominate and approve a corrupt member of their own. Just because he is a member of the Democratic party does not make Murtha any better than Cunningham or Delay. A pig is a pig, and Murtha is a pig.
Also, I find it interesting that John Murtha is now the poster boy for those against the Iraq war, but yet he waited until the most convenient time to express his opposition to the war. Men and women of principle had long opposed the war, even when it was unpopular to do so, before Murtha voiced his opposition, conveniently right when the American citizenry began to move in that direction. Murtha isn't stupid, he saw the writing on the wall and made the politically smart move, but it wasn't made from conviction. Since he voiced his opposition he has been everywhere, from Tim Russert to FoxNews, representing the antiwar sentiment of America, but he seems to protest too much. I think Murtha is a whore for the limelight and that may be why he jumped on the antiwar ship, not only for potential power if/when the Democrats took power in the House, but also to get fame, which, incidentally, helps in achieving more important and powerful positions in the political sphere. Politcs, after all, is a popularity contest.
Like Senator Barack Obama (D-IL), I get the feeling that Murtha is all hype. I'm not as politically astute or involved as some, but, honestly, I had never heard of John Murtha before he dropped his bombshell in 2005 and the media jumped all over it saying it was the death knell to the Bush administration's war. If he was as important as the major media outlets would like us to believe, then wouldn't he had been more visible to even the casual political observer?
It isn't just his ethics baggage, or his convenient opposition to the Iraq war that bothers me, but his overall views on many different issues do not reflect the Democratic Party very well. He is against abortion, against separation of church and state, opposes campaign finance reform, strongly opposes gun control and strongly supports the death penalty.
Hoyer, on the other hand, when looking at his positions, reflects the Democratic party positions more closely. He is pro-choice, much stronger in his support for gay marriage rights, opposes the death penalty, supports gun control, and supports the separation of church and state.
I fear that Pelosi's support for Murtha is less about conviction or representing the voters that placed the Democratic party in power, and more about pandering and sticking it to someone (Hoyer) who she sees as a rival. There are many Democrats who support the candidacy of Hoyer and Hoyer does say he has the votes necessary. For all of us, let us hope that he does.
Cross posted at South Georgia Liberal.