HARRISBURG, Pa. – Rep. John Murtha, the tall, gruff-mannered former Marine who became the de facto voice of veterans on Capitol Hill and later an outspoken and influential critic of the Iraq War, died Monday following complications from gallbladder surgery. He was 77.

Rep. Bob Brady, a longtime friend, said the late congressman's large intestine was damaged during surgery and an infection led him to be hospitalized with a fever.

"There will never be another Jack Murtha," Brady said. "He went out on top of his game."

The Pennsylvania Democrat died at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, Va., where he was admitted on Jan. 31. The gallbladder surgery was performed days earlier at the National Naval Medical Center, in Bethesda, Md., which didn't immediately return messages seeking comment.

In 1974, Murtha, then an officer in the Marine Reserves, became the first Vietnam War combat veteran elected to Congress. Ethical questions often shadowed his congressional service, but he was best known for being among Congress' most hawkish Democrats. He wielded considerable clout for two decades as the ranking Democrat on the House subcommittee that oversees Pentagon spending.

Murtha voted in 2002 to authorize President George W. Bush to use military force in Iraq, but his growing frustration over the administration's handling of the war prompted him in November 2005 to call for an immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops.

"The war in Iraq is not going as advertised. It is a flawed policy wrapped in illusion," he said.

Murtha's opposition to the Iraq war rattled Washington, where he enjoyed bipartisan respect for his work on military issues. On Capitol Hill, Murtha was seen as speaking for those in uniform when it came to military matters.

Murtha "was the first Vietnam veteran to serve in Congress, and he was incredibly effective in his service in the House," said Rep. David Obey, a Democrat and chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. "He understood the misery of war. Every person who serves in the military has lost an advocate and a good friend today."

Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., said that in part because of Murtha, "America is now on track to removing all combat troops from that country by this summer."

President Barack Obama called Murtha, who was known in his home state for helping bring money and projects to areas depressed by the decline of the coal and steel industries, "a steadfast advocate for the people of Pennsylvania for nearly 40 years" with a "tough-as-nails" reputation.

Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, remembered Murtha as a tireless advocate for veterans and the military.

"From health care to weapons procurement, from shipbuilding to pay and benefits, no one understood the needs of our modern military better than he did," Mullen said in a statement.

"That we remain the greatest military in the history of world is testament in no small part to his vigilance and stewardship," he said.

Known for his seriousness, Murtha also had a lighter side. Gov. Ed Rendell recalled Monday that "he was a funny guy, he always enjoyed a good laugh and he was somebody who was a great and loyal friend."

Rendell said Monday that he has not decided when to schedule a special election to replace Murtha. He has 10 days by law; the political parties must come up with their own candidates. The governor said that it would save taxpayer money to hold the election on May 18, the state's planned primary date, but that he might set it sooner in the event of urgent congressional issues.

Murtha was born June 17, 1932. The former newspaper delivery boy left college in 1952 to join the Marines, where he rose through the ranks to become a drill instructor at Parris Island, S.C., and later served in the 2nd Marine Division. He settled in Johnstown, then volunteered for Vietnam, where he served as an intelligence officer and earned a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts.

He was serving in the Pennsylvania House in Harrisburg when he was elected to Congress in a special election in 1974. In 1990, he retired from the Marine Reserves as a colonel.

"Ever since I was a young boy, I had two goals in life — I wanted to be a colonel in the Marine Corps and a member of Congress," Murtha wrote in his 2004 book, "From Vietnam to 9/11."

EX-Marine murtha was one of the MOST CORRUPT MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, not mentioned in a left-wing main stream moron media fairy tale, WONDER WHY?????????????????????

quote:

Originally posted by Bill Koski:
EX-Marine murtha was one of the MOST CORRUPT MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, not mentioned in a left-wing main stream moron media fairy tale, WONDER WHY?????????????????????

The former newspaper delivery boy left college in 1952 to join the Marines, where he rose through the ranks to become a drill instructor at Parris Island, S.C., and later served in the 2nd Marine Division. He settled in Johnstown, then volunteered for Vietnam, where he served as an intelligence officer and earned a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts.


What have you done for your country old man to bash a decorated veteran?

Just like john glenn being a corroupt politician for participating in the Keating five debacle EX-Marine murtha was a CORRUPT POLITICIAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Whatever he did before hand did not inoculate him for being CORRUPT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CORRUPT IS CORRUPT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The only thing I've ever been corrupt about was keeping money the IRS thought should have been theirs!

A HELLUVA LOT MORE THEN YOU HAVE "I'M STUPID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not being a drag racer you don't even belong on "Drag Racing Results"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Senate Rejects Obama's Labor Board Nominee

Craig Becker, a former union lawyer who President Obama nominated for a seat on the National Labor Relations Board, did not get the 60 votes needed to break a Republican-led filibuster.

Two Democrats, Sen. Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas and Ben Nelson of Nebraska, broke with their party to vote against Craig Becker in the key procedural vote, which failed 52-33.

Nelson has said he is opposed to the Employee Free Choice Act, the formal name for the bill.

"Mr. Becker's previous statements strongly indicate that he would take an aggressive personal agenda to the NLRB, and that he would pursue a personal agenda there, rather than that of the administration," Nelson said.

"In addition, the nominee's statements fly in the face of Nebraska's Right to Work laws, which have been credited in part with our excellent business climate that has attracted employers and many good jobs to Nebraska," he continued. "Considering these matters, I will oppose the upcoming cloture motion and the nomination."

Senate Rejects Obama's Labor Board Nominee

Your Union Dues at work for you.

Anti-Tea Party Web Site Part of Scheme to Funnel Funds

A new Web site targeting the tea parties is a part of a complex network of money flowing from the mountainous coffers of the country's biggest labor unions and trickling slowly into political slush funds for Democratic activists.

Funnel Funds







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Former Crew Chief
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Using union dues to lambaste the Taxed Enough Already events will really win over the union members participating at those events, WON'T IT???????????????

Paterson says criticism is racially motivated

"I’m black, I’m blind, and I’m still alive," Paterson said. "Now how much better do they want me to be?"

This is not the first time Paterson has said his critics are racially tinged.

When it was reported last year that Democratic officials were trying to push him out of this year's election, Paterson said "We're not in the post-racial period.
"The reality is the next victim on the list - and you can see it coming - is President Barack Obama, who did nothing more than trying to reform a health care system."

criticism is racially motivated







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NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The Senate's slow-moving effort to spur job creation was thrown into turmoil Thursday.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Democrats will offer a slimmed down jobs bill. Only hours earlier, a key Republican and key Democratic issued a more comprehensive measure that they said had bipartisan support.

The switch left many on snowed-in Capitol Hill scratching their heads, wondering why Reid lopped off most of the provisions included in the draft legislation unveiled earlier by Senate Finance Committee's Max Baucus, D-Mont., and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.

"The Reid announcement undermines the carefully crafted Baucus-Grassley effort and throws sand in the gears of bipartisan negotiation," a Grassley spokeswoman said.

A Democratic aide said Reid was concerned about the Senate's ability to pass a larger bill.

Jobs bill advances ... or does it?







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quote:

Originally posted by Bob H:

quote:

Originally posted by Bob H:

quote:

Originally posted by Bob H:

quote:

What have you done for your country old man to bash a decorated veteran?

Bob, do you, or have you ever bashed veterans?

He was no more corrupt than Cheney and his awarding contract after contract to HIS own business...Haliburton