November 18, 2005
Her offense?
Quoting a constituent in her speech -- a Marine colonel.
The fiery, emotional debate climaxed when Rep. Jean Schmidt, R-Ohio, the most junior member of the House, told of a phone call she received from a Marine colonel."He asked me to send Congress a message _ stay the course. He also asked me to send U.S. Rep. Murtha a message _ that cowards cut and run, Marines never do," Schmidt said.
The Political Teen has video of the speech.
Ultimately, Schmidt was compelled to withdraw her remarks so that the obstructionist Democrats would allow The People's business to be conducted.
This is not atypical of the Democrats and their contempt for those who serve in uniform.
In 2000, they did their damnedest to make sure their voices were silenced by getting their votes thrown out in Florida.
Today they prevent the words of a Marine from being quoted on the House floor during a debate on the conduct of the war in Iraq.
The Democrat Party's message to our men and women in uniform remains loud and clear -- "Shut up! You and your opinions do not matter to us."
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Posted by: Adam at Fri Nov 18 13:43:08 2005 (kdFEm)
And while Schmidt was prevailed upon by the GOP leadership to withdraw the comments, it was onnly because the Democrats would not allow the nation's business to be conducted until the words of a serving Marine were dishonored and silenced by stripping them from the record.
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Fri Nov 18 14:16:10 2005 (a2u3C)
Posted by: Dan at Fri Nov 18 14:38:25 2005 (aSKj6)
And any rule that forbids the quoting of an active duty member of the United States military onthe floor of the house is one that merits no respect whatsoever.
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Fri Nov 18 16:15:22 2005 (tFd3x)
Posted by: Tom Alday at Fri Nov 18 18:50:15 2005 (uDboR)
Posted by: Dan at Sat Nov 19 02:01:44 2005 (aSKj6)
Unless, of course, the Democrats want to admit that Murtha's proposal is nothing less than a demand that the US military cut and run, which would implicitly (though not explicitly) lead one to the conclusion that Murtha was being called a coward.
I can't help but note, though, that the Democrats, who undercut those in uniform in Vietnam and labeled them as baby-killers fighting an immoral war, now want to make service in Vietnam the basis for declaring Murtha beyond criticism.
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Sat Nov 19 03:37:03 2005 (frKlf)
Posted by: Tom Blumer at Sat Nov 19 14:40:09 2005 (4fgJx)
Posted by: Tom Blumer at Sat Nov 19 14:44:34 2005 (4fgJx)
"At one point, Democrats surged toward the Republican side of the chamber, shouting for an Ohio congresswoman to take her words back."
Are there House rules against physical intimidation, Dan? Care to do a couple of minutes of research on THAT?
No controversy here?
Posted by: Vinnie at Sat Nov 19 16:49:38 2005 (Kr6/f)
Want to address that point, Dan? I have a whole separate post on it if you do.
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Sat Nov 19 17:08:53 2005 (FYRUs)
I'll second the sentiments of my elected representative...you guys are pathetic.
Posted by: I_fckud_ayn_rand_too at Sat Nov 19 17:30:09 2005 (njOC+)
However, perhaps some day you'll develop a soul and at that point you will undoubtedly rue this day - since you didn't write this post from Iraq, you paradigm chickenhawk.
Posted by: Marion Delgado at Sun Nov 20 00:13:31 2005 (8Ko6I)
And as for your congressman, I think he is pathetic, seeking to shut down the words of a serving member of the US military in defense of a man who has not put on the uniform in over three decades. As far as i am concerned, the automatic respect due Murtha for his service expired a couple decades ago, and he is now simply one more REMF second-guessing the brave men and women int he field.
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Sun Nov 20 04:18:35 2005 (JAIYI)
The simple fat is that Murtha was not called a coward -- but a Marine's words indicating that he and his comrades are prepared to fight on to victory were banned under threat of violence by the Democrats. So much for respecting the troops.
And as i have said elsewhere, I wish I was in Iraq, armed and fighting. But a reckless driver took the military career I wanted (my dad is a retired Navy officer) away from me some 25 years ago by running a stop sign and causing me permanent injuries that kept me from passing my enlistment physical (which I repeatedly took over the next few years). That I am not in Iraq is not due to cowardice. Instead i teach in a low-income, 80% minority school with gang issues as my service to my country. What do YOU do?
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Sun Nov 20 04:38:12 2005 (JAIYI)
we hate you rot in hell you lying jackasses.
semper fi.
ernie
Posted by: ernie at Sun Nov 20 06:07:49 2005 (ocmaF)
semper fi
ernie
Posted by: ernieervin at Sun Nov 20 06:12:44 2005 (ocmaF)
I repeatedly tried to join, and was repeatedly rejected. I sought waivers -- which even when endorsed by military physicians (neighbors), the head of recruiting for the naval district (a colleague of my father) and a senior officer from the Navy's largest boot camp (my father's immediate superior) were ultimately rejected by the DoD. I have nothing to apologize for and no excuses to make -- I did all I could to get in.
And as i pointed out, I am a public high school teacher, and the son of a retired military officer. Would you care to explain where my greed enters into the picture?
And I ask you again -- what do YOU do for this country? How do YOU serve?
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Sun Nov 20 07:57:39 2005 (O0MDv)
Murtha a coward? I don't think so!
Schmidt, a dumbass? Definitely!
Posted by: TruthSage at Sun Nov 20 11:30:24 2005 (/jB+K)
The "serving Marine" never faced combat in the last 30 years of duty! Likewise, the "serving Marine" played a big role in Schmidt's election victory by trying to paint an Iraq war veteran as a "traitor".
But what does anyone know... your blog, you win!
Posted by: Observer at Sun Nov 20 20:42:52 2005 (ZMPvz)
Posted by: JOJO at Sun Nov 20 21:01:56 2005 (9SIY/)
Posted by: JOJO at Sun Nov 20 21:11:38 2005 (9SIY/)
Or that only those members of the military with the right political credentials (Democrat voting registration) can participate in the debate?
Seems to me that you folks are out to establish a military dictatorship.
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Mon Nov 21 02:12:00 2005 (xl0F8)
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Mon Nov 21 02:13:51 2005 (xl0F8)
Why don't you do yourself a favor and take a cue and a clue from Paul Hackett, the Marine who challenged Schmidt, and turn away from the Republican scheme machine and back into the patriotic side of America.
Posted by: tribalfighter at Mon Nov 21 06:21:37 2005 (8Sut0)
And as for which side is the pro-American side, I'll take the same pro-American side as virtually every vet of every war that I know personaly -- the conservative Republican side. I respect the Democrat HACK-ett's service, but not the man.
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Mon Nov 21 06:31:59 2005 (9lcHF)
I am putting your blog into the queue for my blog updates.
Best regards
Posted by: Sharon Ferguson at Mon Nov 21 06:44:46 2005 (p4squ)
Bush is making liberals every day in the military. He made me one.
Posted by: tribalfighter at Mon Nov 21 06:49:48 2005 (8Sut0)
And I did the division because that is how I view Mr. HACK-ett, after hearing several interviews with him.
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Mon Nov 21 07:34:47 2005 (9lcHF)
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Mon Nov 21 07:36:27 2005 (9lcHF)
Now let me see the hypocrisy in you. You believe the only veterans worth something are right wing ones correct???
Posted by: tribalfighter at Mon Nov 21 08:14:13 2005 (8Sut0)
And no, that is not my position -- I believe all are worth something. I simply put more faith in the ones I know.
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Mon Nov 21 08:57:21 2005 (9lcHF)
Hearing it, though, leaves no doubt--she was calling him a coward, and "quoting a constituent" was a ruse to give her a little more weasle room.
Posted by: didjman at Mon Nov 21 09:24:36 2005 (1I4e7)
You are a partisan whore and you are calling a combat vet a partisan whore? How hypocritical. You are a disgusting. You sir are a coward. At least Mr Murtha served this country. You just sit on your comfy couch knowing you will never have to sacrifice anything. How Republican!
Posted by: tribalfighter at Mon Nov 21 09:25:07 2005 (8Sut0)
He wanted to tear down the President, but when push came to shove lacked the courage to do what he called for.
And as for the content of Schmidt's statement -- she quoted a maine and she quoted him accurately -- and in no way called Mutha a coward.
But I will, based upon his unwillingness to carry through on what he called for the day before. But then again, it appears there are only three honest and courageous anti-war folks in the entire House.
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Mon Nov 21 09:33:38 2005 (uL9sh)
Night is day. Black is white. War is peace.
Posted by: didjman at Mon Nov 21 11:10:31 2005 (1I4e7)
Posted by: Jojo at Mon Nov 21 13:01:00 2005 (9SIY/)
What a loser.
Posted by: didjman at Mon Nov 21 13:11:56 2005 (u/50d)
Posted by: Jojo at Mon Nov 21 13:14:58 2005 (9SIY/)
Posted by: Jojo at Mon Nov 21 13:27:56 2005 (9SIY/)
Well, my friend, let me introduce you to a little document called the United States Constitution, and one of the concepts it contains -- the subordination of the military to civilian control. What you propose is the suborrdination of the civilian government to military control. That is found in the Constitution of Turkey, not that of the United States.
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Mon Nov 21 13:35:21 2005 (FZKIm)
Do you really think Murtha is a coward? He's a congressman from Western PA, which is one of the most hawkish, and pro-military regions of our country. I doubt he would make the statements he made unless he felt that those statements reflected the heavily pro-military voters of his district as well. Unless he doesn't care about being re-elected, and therefore is speaking on principle (which doesn't sound very cowardly to me). If you've done any research on Murtha you'd know that he is seen as Capitol Hill's "voice of the pentagon", and has supported the military in literally hundreds of battles against the lefty hippy elites you're now lumping him in with.
Stop being so reactionary and do some sober independent thinking about this situation. You risk your credibility as a serious commentator when you go too far out on a limb, like you have been on this subject. Your talking about a guy with Purple Hearts. He goes to Walter Reed every week and visits with the wounded for crying out loud!
Posted by: proud lieberman voter at Mon Nov 21 13:42:22 2005 (/QB5e)
Posted by: Jojo at Mon Nov 21 13:55:15 2005 (9SIY/)
Posted by: Jojo at Mon Nov 21 13:59:44 2005 (9SIY/)
I respect his service, but I don't think he is immune from criticism or his positions are infallible for having served on the line.
Remember, please, that Benedict Arnold and Adolph Hitler were both combat veterans. Were they and tehir positions above reproach?
Lee Harvey Oswald and Tim McVeigh both served -- is it wrong to question their actions?
Personally, I am much more supportive of a man I have met several times -- Congressman Sam Johnson (R-TX), who served 29 years in the Air Force, including 7 as a POW in Vietnam. His position? No cut-and-run at the behest of anti-war Democrats intent upon forcing the abandonment of Iraq just as tehy forced the abandonment of Vietnam.
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Mon Nov 21 14:15:40 2005 (FZKIm)
I think that civilians have every right (and at times a duty) to disagree with the military.
I'm trying to point out that there is ceratinly a multiplicity of opinions among those who have served and who are serving.
But I'm also trying to apply the current Demcorat standard (the one that applies when they are not calling our soldiers war criminals and baby-killers) to to the cases of those who take the exact opposite position from Murtha. Are tehy equally beyond reproach? Is disagreeing with them also an attack upon them and their service and their heroism? I don't think so -- and I also don't think that Murtha and his proposal to "cut and run" are beyond question, either.
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Mon Nov 21 14:22:52 2005 (FZKIm)
Posted by: Jojo at Mon Nov 21 14:23:50 2005 (9SIY/)
And all I can say, JoJo, is that I suspect your increasingly incoherrant posts make me wonder if you are not getting better acquainted with "dick" right now -- which will make your keyboard sticky if you are not careful.
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Mon Nov 21 14:30:02 2005 (FZKIm)
Posted by: Jojo at Mon Nov 21 14:31:11 2005 (9SIY/)
Posted by: Jojo at Mon Nov 21 14:37:47 2005 (9SIY/)
I don't think only war veterans should be allowed to comment on wars, but then again, I also don't believe that only war supporters should be allowed to comment on wars, either, as some righties have argued.
Posted by: didjman at Mon Nov 21 14:39:08 2005 (u/50d)
Posted by: didjman at Mon Nov 21 14:42:58 2005 (u/50d)
Posted by: Jojo at Mon Nov 21 14:47:45 2005 (9SIY/)
And by the way -- I never raised the spitting issue.
As for my sexuality, it is unquestionably heterosexual -- my wife will confirm that for you (although she will likely note my fondness for Broadway showtunes made her wonder when we first met).
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Mon Nov 21 14:56:51 2005 (FZKIm)
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Mon Nov 21 14:58:28 2005 (FZKIm)
I'm glad u don't think Congressman Murtha's a coward. Maybe you can take back your comments from earlier when you called him a partisan whore. If u take a look at his voting record he's pretty moderate, and reaches across the aisle quite a bit. Again, there's no way he would keep getting reelected if his moderate bona fides weren't solid. He's doesn't deserve to be called a whore.
Comparing him to Hitler and McVeigh also goes too far, and there's not much need to take up too cyberspace pointing out why. Sometimes I think you write controversial things just too get people riled up (you wouldn't do that would you?).
I guess the main point of the debate here, aside from blowing off steam after a hard days work, would be whether we should keep fighting in Iraq or not. Obviously people on both sides have strong feelings. Personally I think we should stay the course. But when a guy like Murtha says what he said, you've got to listen to the man, hear him out. He talks to folks at all levels of the service. You know he wouldn't say what he said if the people he talks to said everything was a-ok.
I think the Bush administration needs to put more troops on the ground, provide more strategic input, not less (which appears to be the case, from what I hear Rumsfeld has pretty much spends most of his time on military transformation issues), and show more progress on reconstruction. I want to hear things like: Oil production is up vs. pre war levels, unemployment is down "x" percent, School attendance is up "x" percent, and overall GDP growth is "x". Then I'll feel a little better about things.
Most importantly I want to hear that the Iraqi military consists of more than one Division, which was disclosed by General Casey at his last hearing before the Senate a month or so ago, (after hearing at previous hearings the Iraqi army was up to 3 divisions, all of a sudden they lose two divisions, what the hell is that about).
Furthermore, this Iraq issue is making all other initiatives difficult. The President's recent trip to South America was a disaster, they performed like early first termers, not experienced second termers. And the recent trip to China wasn't exactly a reenactment of Nixon's trip.
So needles to say I'm not so much in disagreement with the policies being pursued, but the execution of the policy.
Posted by: proud lieberman voter at Mon Nov 21 14:59:39 2005 (/QB5e)
Posted by: Jojo at Mon Nov 21 15:07:16 2005 (9SIY/)
1) I'll take back the whore comment -- and leave it at hack.
2) My use of the examples you cite was intended NOT to equate Murtha with the evil individuals in question, but rather to point to the absurdity of the "how dare you questiona a veteran" standard being proposed by the Left.
3)as for the rest of your comment, we are in agreement.
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Mon Nov 21 15:08:01 2005 (FZKIm)
Posted by: Jojo at Mon Nov 21 15:22:41 2005 (9SIY/)
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Mon Nov 21 15:28:33 2005 (FZKIm)
Posted by: Jojo at Mon Nov 21 15:39:04 2005 (9SIY/)
I, on the other hand, have no problem making the comparison -- it is pertinent to the discussion.
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Mon Nov 21 15:52:29 2005 (FZKIm)
It's clear that not only is Jojo literate and not a moron, he likely is far more intelligent than you are--able to look at complex situations and understand their complexitiy, not having to resort to extreme simplification.
It's a typical righty tactic to throw out an outrageous comparison, then be outraged that anyone would take offense at the outrageous comparison. That's exactly the Jean Schmidt tactic.
Posted by: didjman at Mon Nov 21 18:20:37 2005 (1I4e7)
Posted by: Jojo at Mon Nov 21 18:37:24 2005 (9SIY/)
Posted by: Jojo at Mon Nov 21 19:13:05 2005 (9SIY/)
Posted by: Jojo at Mon Nov 21 19:23:16 2005 (9SIY/)
http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051122/NEWS01/511220352
"Danny Bubp, a freshman state representative who is a colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve, told The Enquirer that he never mentioned Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., by name when talking with Schmidt, and he would never call a fellow Marine a coward.
"The unfortunate thing about all of that is that her choice of words on the floor of the House - I don't know, she's a freshman, she had one minute.
"Unfortunately, they came out wrong," said Bubp, R-West Union."
Posted by: ccrevival at Tue Nov 22 06:03:15 2005 (GRujN)
Posted by: Didjman at Tue Nov 22 11:01:08 2005 (1I4e7)
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Tue Nov 22 13:03:44 2005 (Phdzx)
Posted by: Jojo at Tue Nov 22 14:21:44 2005 (9SIY/)
Posted by: Jojo at Tue Nov 22 14:21:55 2005 (9SIY/)
Posted by: Jojo at Tue Nov 22 14:25:34 2005 (9SIY/)
Posted by: Jojo at Tue Nov 22 14:25:49 2005 (9SIY/)
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Tue Nov 22 15:20:44 2005 (Phdzx)
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Tue Nov 22 15:22:37 2005 (Phdzx)
Posted by: Jojo at Tue Nov 22 15:49:55 2005 (9SIY/)
Posted by: Jojo at Tue Nov 22 16:17:30 2005 (9SIY/)
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Tue Nov 22 16:23:24 2005 (AOU2g)
Posted by: Jojo at Tue Nov 22 16:26:28 2005 (9SIY/)
Posted by: Jojo at Tue Nov 22 16:28:29 2005 (9SIY/)
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Tue Nov 22 16:45:11 2005 (AOU2g)
Posted by: Jojo at Tue Nov 22 16:57:53 2005 (9SIY/)
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Tue Nov 22 17:46:23 2005 (AOU2g)
Posted by: Jojo at Tue Nov 22 18:05:12 2005 (9SIY/)
Calling it a night because I have to take my wife for an MRI tomorrow and probably ought to get some sleep tonight? Yeah.
I merely asked the question above because you are obviously sitting and waiting for responses to your semi-literate comments. You seem to have reached the point of obsession with this site, and are more interested in insulting me than in actually engaging in dialogue.
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Tue Nov 22 18:17:45 2005 (AOU2g)
Posted by: tribalfighter at Wed Nov 23 02:18:02 2005 (8Sut0)
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Wed Nov 23 02:24:30 2005 (3wvNJ)
Posted by: Jojo at Wed Nov 23 13:13:42 2005 (9SIY/)
Rhymes With Right: "I repeatedly tried to join, and was repeatedly rejected. I sought waivers -- which even when endorsed by military physicians (neighbors), the head of recruiting for the naval district (a colleague of my father) and a senior officer from the Navy's largest boot camp (my father's immediate superior) were ultimately rejected by the DoD. I have nothing to apologize for and no excuses to make -- I did all I could to get in."
Rhymes With Right: "I think a more accurate way of putting it is that I WAS NOT PERMITTED TO SERVE. I did all in my power to enlist, and was turned away due to circumstances beyond my control."
Rhymes With Right: "in 1982, I was a passenger in a Camaro which was cut off by a security company van which ran a stop sign at the Buckley Road exit from the Tri-State Tollway a few miles west of the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, where my father was stationed. I sustained injuries to my back which prevented me from passing my already scheduled induction physical, and despite therapy I was unable to pass the physical during later attempts to join the military."
Me thinks thou doth protest too much, Rhymes With Right! That happens most often when someone lies through their teeth.
Posted by: Chet at Mon Mar 13 14:59:37 2006 (BJYNn)
Suffice it to say that I have attempted to join the military, and, having had that path barred to me, choose to serve this country as a teacher ) following in the footsteps of the many educators in my family). My conscience is clear.
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Mon Mar 13 16:41:53 2006 (qgsjM)
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