Furious Spin

This is a very interesting article indeed. Although the reporter spins it furiously in favor of John Murtha, I see definite signs that he is in trouble. The reporter quotes returning soldiers who support Murtha all through the first few paragraphs, but then comes this part:

Doubts about Iraq have surfaced in the region. A Quinnipiac University Poll released Wednesday found that 25 percent in southwest Pennsylvania said all troops should be withdrawn from Iraq, while 38 percent in Pittsburgh and its surrounding suburbs said they should all be withdrawn.

This is a minority view. Spin it how you like, Murtha may have worked himself into a corner on this issue. Still more important facts come later:

His criticism has angered some in the district. Unopposed in 2004, Murtha has a GOP rival this time — Diana Irey, a Washington County commissioner.

Ruth Ann Biesinger-Sliko, 55, a physical education teacher who came to see a fellow teacher and six of her former students return from Iraq, said Murtha has lost her vote because of his negativity about the war.

"I think that makes the guys feel terrible when he starts, you know, bashing. I think you need to support the guys," Biesinger-Sliko said. "I think it's created a lot of bad feelings for the people whose families are over there."

….

Not everyone in the district is happy with Murtha's outspokenness or higher political profile. The congressman has said if Democrats capture control of the House, he will seek the job of majority leader. Murtha also plans to speak at Democratic meetings in New Hampshire and Florida in the next few weeks.

A banner proclaiming, "Welcome Home Soldiers: Got-R-Done," greeted the troops when they returned. Many of the soldiers declined to be interviewed. Or, when asked about Murtha, said they didn't know enough to have an opinion.

Tom Geiger, a 79-year-old World War II veteran, said he thinks Murtha is "50 percent right and 50 percent wrong."

"Maybe they should have searched a little bit more" for weapons of mass destruction, Geiger said. "But once you're into it, you're stuck with it."

No matter that the reporter downplayed this, there is a strong anti-Murtha sentiment building. Will it be enough to send him into retirement? It very well could be judging from those poll numbers. As the reporter states, this is an area that has sent a lot of people into the military. That means a lot of those men and women support the troops. Murtha is not doing that, no matter how he protests otherwise. He is endangering and attempting to demoralize the troops.

Help Diana Irey send Murtha home.