Monday, February 8, 2010

John Murtha, 1932-2010

Representative John Murtha has died. House Minority Leader John Boehner is quoted at the New York Times, via Memeorandum:

“Today, our nation has lost a decorated veteran and the House of Representatives has lost one of its own. I was saddened to hear of John Murtha’s passing, and my thoughts and prayers are with his friends and loved ones. I also want to express my condolences to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who valued Congressman Murtha’s advice and friendship. He will be missed.”
Congressman Murtha generated tremendous heat for his outspoken views on the Iraq war a few years ago. He seemed to characterize the Democratic Party's "cut-and-run" defeatism. Murtha was also the most prolific pork-barreler in recent Congresses, and thus epitomized the Democrats' hypocrisy on "earmark" reform.

That said, I appaud Representative Boehner for his statement, and I hope that other conservatives will avoid the kinds of demonization campaigns that are so familiar on the left upon the death of controversial political leaders.

Bless this man and his family as he's laid to rest. We can all fight another day.

A full obituary is at the Washington Post, "
Rep. John Murtha dies at 77."

Added: Check Michelle Malkin as well, who notes, "we can show Murtha’s family more decency and respect than he ever showed the Haditha Marines."

1 comments:

Kenneth Davenport said...

You are much more charitable than I, Donald. Murtha was corrupt ethically and despite his Vietnam service, proved himself to be a shill for the anti-war crowd at a time when American troops were in daily combat in Iraq. I make no distinction between Murtha and Harry Reid and his "the war is lost" comments. Murtha was no patriot. Sorry to say this but my feeling is "good riddance".