Hoyer in as House Majority Leader over Murtha
The Trib puts it:
There's excitement on Capitol Hill. It's just been announced that Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) won the House Majority Leader's post and it wasn't even close. He had 149 votes while Rep. Jack Murtha (D-Pa.) had less than 90.Man, is it ever the "storyline".
This is a big loss for Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.,) the House Speaker designate, who had publicly supported Murtha in recent days. It means her power has been questioned and resisted in her first major test. So she will begin her speakership in a weaker position than she would have otherwise. That will be the story line today across the media.
I don't think this is nearly as momentous a defeat for Pelosi as the media pack mentality is making it out to be.
The other backstory is that this is somehow an indication on how Dems will position themselves on Iraq, being that Murtha's well-known view that troops should be withdrawn gradually to positions "over the horizon" differs from Hoyer's, who is regarded as having a more "stay the course" view.
I certainly hope that Hoyer's win doesn't entrap the Dems in continueing the do-nothing Iraq policy the voter's rejected and which is continuing to produce a steady stream of body bags at Dover Air Force Base.
Interesting in this as well is that Murtha flat out stated that he had the votes to win to Chris Matthews last night, saying so in no uncertain terms.
These elections are done by secret ballot, and somehow a ton of votes evaporated overnight for Murtha.
posted by The Inside Dope @ 11/16/2006
8 comments
8 Comments:
This is the first chink in the National Democrat Party armour. Once again the Liberal have over read their victory. What's our next issue, "Gays in the Miliitary"?
Democrats need to understand that being in power is a different skill then throwing bombs.
Hoyer is a grimy hack with little sustance. This afront by her will hurt many for years to come. the only thing you have in government is loyalty. When you can't trust your memebership -- it's TKO.
Well, obviously for you, hope springs eternal.
I don't think you're analysis is remotely true.
The Dems are going to work together and seize the opportunity to remind the country what it was like back when the government actually functioned for their benefit.
Diehard! Long time, no see.
And hey, we're not supposed to be mean to poor George.
And after all, he's finally going to Vietnam. 30 some years late, but....
Demgorilla,
To follow the right wing spin of assuming Murtha is ethically challenged because he was investigated but found utterly clean in the Abscam investigation THIRTY FREAKING YEARS AGO is pretty sad.
And you're a Dem?
Nevertheless, it will be fine that Paul Rumler's old boss is now the top dog. I just hope he doesn't give Bush much cover on Iraq.
Interesting that there wasn't so much as a peep about Trent Lott being selected as Minority Whip by one vote.
Hoyer is a solid choice, one that Arsenal employees should especially embrace. Not sure how many of them realize this (because they mostly lean right), but Hoyer has been a huge advocate for civilian employees over the years. In fact, last January, when Bush tried to lower their annual pay raise, Hoyer fought for, and eventually won the amount that was originally sought.
Dope, you said Murtha was found to be "utterly clean." I thought he was named as an unindicted co-conspirator.
I'm assuming that meant they didn't have enough evidence (in typical legal speak), but to say he was "utterly clean" might be stretching it a little.
OK... if you want to get into semantics, I see your point. How about not guilty?
I mean, you can say someone's tainted or corrupt if they were investigated and never even indicted. You know what they say, any decent prosecutor can indict a ham sandwich.
If they didn't charge Murtha with anything, you can be sure they had no evidence of any wrong-doing.
I just think it's pretty unfair to suggest Murtha is somehow a shady dealer because he was tangentially involved in that investigation, which happened 30 freaking years ago, I might add.
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