Bozell Column: Murtha Scandal Time Arrives

Photo of Brent Bozell.

For most of the last year, Congressman John Murtha has been placed on a pedestal by the major media, painted in red, white, and blue hues as a “hawkish” Democrat who courageously declared we needed to “redeploy” (read: withdraw) from Iraq.

The oohs and aahs began last November. “All of Washington listened,” announced CBS’s Bob Schieffer, since “on military matters, no Democrat in Congress is more influential.” Murtha’s words “followed President Bush halfway around the world,” boasted NBC anchor Brian Williams. CNN’s Bill Schneider declared Murtha’s withdrawal mantra as the “Political Play of the Week,” suggesting it might turn out to be a tipping point just as delicious as Walter Cronkite’s call to get out of a “stalemate” in Vietnam.

Months before the midterm elections, this new media-anointed hero announced he would run for the post of House Majority Leader under a potential Speaker Pelosi. During that time, Democrats were hammering a so-called Republican “culture of corruption,” with Pelosi pledging to “drain the swamp” of the majority’s ruinous ways in Washington. But the national media didn’t exactly wonder how Pelosi would square fighting corruption with installing someone thoroughly tainted with that odor of corruption – John Murtha.

In January, the Cybercast News Service reported a story that made Murtha’s ethical problems clear. In a 1980 video of the FBI’s Abscam sting investigation, Murtha told the FBI agents posing as Arabs that he wouldn’t take money up front, but might “change his mind” later “after we’ve done some business.” In the end, he was listed as an unindicted co-conspirator. He wasn’t convicted of a crime, or even charged, but the tape makes clear that Murtha was amenable to making corrupt deals if the right circumstances emerged.

So what did the media do? They largely ignored these charges as they touted Murtha’s plausibility as a voice against the war. On the networks, Murtha was interviewed as a great sage, and Abscam went unmentioned. In June on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Tim Russert discussed Murtha’s run for the House Democratic leadership, but when it came to ethics, Russert only mentioned that “Some Democrats have pointed out that you were just one of four Democrats to vote against lobbying reform.” Nada on Abscam.

As the elections drew closer, Murtha gained more interviews, but ethics questions were rare. ABC’s George Stephanopoulos was the only broadcast-TV interviewer who used the word “Abscam” before the election, on his Sunday show on October 1: “I am starting to hear from Democrats who worry that having you as leader will send the wrong message. They point to your involvement in the Abscam scandal two decades ago.” Murtha claimed they showed him the money, and he said he didn’t want it. That’s not exactly what the tape showed, and he knew it, of course.

CBS was especially kind to Murtha late in the game. On the October 29 “Face the Nation,” Schieffer was still on the boosters’ bandwagon. He offered no question on the Democrat leadership race or Abscam, just anti-war softballs such as: “We keep hearing from people who say the American military is turning against the war. Now, you have a lot of contacts in the military community. Do you think there's anything at all to that?” Even after the election, with Democrats ascendant, CBS anchor Katie Couric was still syrupy with Murtha, lamenting that he had been called a “defeatocrat” and a “liberal turncoat.” She asked, “Did you feel vindicated last Tuesday?”

Then, suddenly, the day after Couric’s shoeshine, the front page of the Washington Post raised the Abscam scandal and warned that Murtha was damaged goods, and that Pelosi’s backing of Murtha clashed with her vow to make this the most ethical Congress ever. The Post editorial page also endorsed his opponent, Maryland’s Steny Hoyer, for Majority Leader. The next day, Post columnist Ruth Marcus began her anti-Murtha column: “The videotape is grainy, dark and devastating.”

NBC’s Lisa Myers reported a story with the old videotape, complete with pro- and anti-Murtha soundbites on his ethics. They were alone among the major networks. CBS aired nothing on the race before it was over. ABC only aired two perfunctory morning-show anchor briefs and an evening mention by George Stephanopoulos before Murtha was defeated. On the night of Murtha’s loss, both ABC and CBS discussed how it didn’t look good for Pelosi, but even then, neither could be prodded to mention Abscam.

In the final analysis, the networks pulled out this historical chestnut only when it became unavoidable, and certainly not while it might help dreaded Republicans in the midterms. The question they’ve yet to ask, however, is this: What right does Speaker Pelosi have to denounce the GOP “culture of corruption” when she tries to appoint, as the second most powerful leader in the House, and her top lieutenant, a clearly corruptible man?


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Urgent - All Eyes Only

Attn Rep John Murtha <stop>  re: reassignment <stop> congratulations Rep Murtha <stop> mission accomplished <stop> urgent - identity exposed <repeat> identity exposed <stop> effective immediately <stop> redeploy to rear to protect flank <stop> maintain low profile <stop> do not engage enemy <stop> high risk of friendly fire <stop> maintain current grade/salary <stop>    Estab Media Headquarters <stop> 

acumen murtha

LMAO  too true. He showed the yellow stripe and reaped his reward..

acumen...

You should write for the new right leaning comedy/news program that Fox is experimenting with. Unless I'm alone in my appreciation, you have a knack for intelectual comedy, something libs would never get!

acumen, That's funny, thank

acumen, That's funny, thanks.


Give a Democrat Party free America a chance!

Outstanding Work ACU

The only thing necessary here is a warning: :stop: failure to heed warning will result in disavowal, removal, and sterilization :stop: any questions, see Leiberman operation :stop:

What right does Speaker Pelos

What right does Speaker Pelosi have to denounce the GOP “culture of corruption” when she tries to appoint, as the second most powerful leader in the House, and her top lieutenant, a clearly corruptible man?

She's a Democrat. As far as the Media is concerned (and sadly, a large chunk of the populace) Democrats can be rapists, murderers, bigots, extortionists, child molesters, etc.etc. and still remain in office or even advance in their career whereas Republicans aren't safe even if they've never even so much as jaywalked.

mattm - incomplete description

mattm  - incomplete description. Sorry to correct you, but she is a San Francisco democrat. That is another layer of ?? democrat??!!

good point

good point

Culture of Corruption, Redux

mattm,

Let's not forget the impeached Judge Alcee Hastings....another one of Nancy's picks.

Florida can be an embarrassing place to be from, sometimes.   But the weather IS great!

Damn Blonde you always beat m

Damn Blonde you always beat me to the punch..LOL..

Yes, Al hastings is quite the pick of the "elite corruption busters" Eh!!.. BWAahahahaa...Alcee hast....ah,,hahaha...ings.... Nice job Alpelosi, your making a grand entrance... Sorry for the laugh, off to get some botox..cheers blonde.

slaphappy,Question....what ar

slaphappy,

Question....what are you doing with botox?

I'd understand if you were off to get some nitrox....but the botox thing has me a tad confused. 

Bet that was code for a beer run. ;-)

Alcee is going to help Nancy drain the swamp.....riiiiigghht.

Blonde -- hey, not only IMP

Blonde -- hey, not only IMPEACHED by the House, but CONVICTED in the Senate I believe.

Unlike Clinton, who Trent Lott helped "get rid of all this damned nonsense..."

I wonder whatever happened to Trent?

Proud member of the all-powerful and vast
militarist/industrialist/capitalist/zionist-bagelist complex

Drain the Swamp

Jack,

That would be correct.  Impeached by the House, convicted by the Senate and removed from the bench....but apparently he turned state's evidence in the criminal trial in South Florida to avoid a vacation at the local Club Fed.

But my fellow citizens of South Florida continue to vote for this idiot.

Drain the swamp, Nancy?

A tad difficult to do with such stalwart companions.

BTW, Trent's home was blown down by Hurricane Katrina last year....oh, don't even get me started on THAT!

Hastings was removed from t

Hastings was removed from the bench yet was still qualified to serve in Congress if elected, his impeachment ceases to be a factor.

Our side refuses to fight for themselves while the dems support whatever is necessary. And the news media cloaks it.

WAL-MART

JDW

Kerry: "You know, education, if you make the most of it ... you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq."

Impeached Officials

Why is it not a law that any government official (state or federal) who has been impeached and removed from office cannot take any other federal office?  Why was this man even allowed to run after he was removed?

He was impeached as an APPO

He was impeached as an APPOINTED OFFICER to the JUDICIAL BRANCH, not an ELECTED MEMBER of CONGRESS.

His friend took the hit for everything, did some time, Clinton pardoned him, and Hastings was able to run for office.

JDW

Kerry: "You know, education, if you make the most of it ... you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq."

Who'da thunk it.In a mere

Who'da thunk it.

In a mere 12 months Murtha's press goes from Zero to Hero to Nero..

Nero? Murtha fiddles, while Pelosi burns.

Proud member of the all-powerful and vast
militarist/industrialist/capitalist/zionist-bagelist complex

LMAO Jack...what originality

LMAO Jack...what originality as usual...still laughing as I post this!

Btw...True too!

BT -- ah, but Murtha would

BT -- ah, but Murtha would probably say, (a la Jimmah Carter) that he only fiddled in his heart as he never took the bribe, only "thought" about it.

But Pelosi is definitely burning up over the slap to the chops she got from her "colleagues".

Proud member of the all-powerful and vast
militarist/industrialist/capitalist/zionist-bagelist complex

Alright Jack, you owe me 2 k

Alright Jack, you owe me 2 keyboards now...One for last week, and one tonight...Oh, and throw in a bag-o-pretzells.....quick wit ...cheers

I just feel disgust looking at Murtha

I just feel disgust looking at Murtha. Mouse face. The media control and power in this matter is amazing to me.

Is it the "compartmentalized" thing that I never quite understood ? The lib media figures, " Iraq war is one congressman" his election bid " Is another congressman", and finally the leadership spot is the only thing they won't toe the line on since " It's another congressman who has to be clean and free of corruption and ethical misconduct" only in the 3rd congressman case.

 I suppose there are dozens of dirty democrats the press keeps silent on.

This Steny Hoyer is from Maryland, not exactly a mid America conservative area. How liberal is he ? Do they have a good near hit ?

Media Control?

Somehow, Murtha was a hero until he came up aginst Steny Hoyer. Gee, is there any chance Steny called in some favors at the local Wash Post? The dims will eat their own when power is on the line. Murtha was obligated to report a bribe attempt - and didn't - an ethics violation.

"There is no such thing as a free lunch" - Milton Friedman

What right does Speaker Pel

What right does Speaker Pelosi have to denounce the GOP “culture of
corruption” when she tries to appoint, as the second most powerful
leader in the House...

Did Pelosi truly believe it was up to her party to not only remove the troops from Iraq but implement Murtha to get the job done?

JDW

Kerry: "You know, education, if you make the most of it ... you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq."

Pelosi says she will have the

Pelosi says she will have the most ethical congress ever. Then she nominates Murtha followed by this corrupt judge. She is on a great start.

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. 

Ethical Congressional Leaders

ChemO,

I've got H &C on, Alcee is up next.  Mr Chair of the House Intelligence Committee.  Another Nancy nominee...so squeaky clean and, um, above the law.  He escaped jail only by turning informer, IIRC.  Impeached by the House, and convicted and removed from the federal bench by the Senate.

Creepy.

Now we get to reap what we have sown.  Democrats.

I may have to turn off the television news for the next two years.

<edit> Hoyers, Pelosi, Conyers, and Rangel were in the democratically controlled House and voted to impeach Hastings in '89.  How's that for a little pot-calling? 

Sheesh....laughing, now.

Ya I was watching H&amp;C ear

Ya I was watching H&C earlier about it, I was surprised on how quite Hannity was being.  I thought he would have attacked it stronger.

Its alright, Ill just watch FNC for the next two years and raise the ratings, by 2008 MSNBC, ABC, CBS will be plotting terror attack's on FNC.   Their ratings continue to tank, FNC continues to stay strong and grow. Long live conservatism.

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. 

Pelosi ethics

I can see what kind of ethics---San Francisco ethics!!!

ha, SF Ethics require two gal

ha, SF Ethics require two gallons of KY Jelly and a whip. 

God help us all if our country follows SF's example.

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. 

two gallons?

Lawsy me , miz Nancy wut you gonna do wif that whip?????

The man with the fixed scowl,

The man with the fixed scowl, frown has nothing to say.  Sure, he would take the money--just not right now.  I'm ready for Murtha to go away.  He's done his share of the damage. 

Who in Pennsylvania elected him over Ms. Irey?  My guess is welfare livers and cowards.  His district must be filled up with them.       

Never relent.

I dont live in Pennsylvania,

I dont live in Pennsylvania, but I can only assume the local/state media was doing a snowjob on Ms. Irey.  Only an assumption, but I would venture to guess I am not far off.

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. 

I don't live there either--bu

I don't live there either--but for the life of me, I don't understand how they could re-elect this crook.  You're probably right--and he avoided debating her too.  That much I am aware of.  He's truly a chicken-sh*t Washington based thief who has done no telling what--because to the libs and a few republicans there's a never-ending well of money out there for them... they forget whose money it is.  

Never relent.

Two reasosn to elect a crook...one is valid

I'll give you two examples...one good and the other bad:

  1. Louisiana 1991 Governor David Duke v. Edwin Edwards.  David Duke ex-imperial wizard of the KKK versus a known crook.  I'll take the crook hands down.
  2. New Jersey 2006 Senate Menendez (D) v. Keane (R).  Keane is a Republican and Menendez is a crook.  The crook wins like Murtha because the (R) after your name is worse than being on the take!

Red v. Blue Charity Link

Murtha = Crook you Know

I am from PA and thank God not represented by Murtha. His area is east of Greensburg and takes in Johnstown and Ligonier (where they used to make Rolling Rock beer). It is old steel and coal area with a lot of farmners: these people vote Democrat on reflex. Murtha has been their rep for years and has brought in much Fed money over the years. It is another example of the crook you know.

PSPC: I spent six very good y

PSPC: I spent six very good years near Berwick--and the beautiful Susquehanna.  The people were truly great--and the friendliest I've ever had the honor of knowing.  They are a strong lot--with family convictions and hearts.  To think a bag like Murtha represents some like those I knew is a shame, a damn shame. 

Never relent.

Murtha is a "decorated Vietnam War veteran"

The esteemed Representative from Pennsylvania is a "decorated Vietnam War veteran".  He was "fresh" off his tour of duty back in 1980, we can't hold him accountable for his actions back then.  I mean, 1980 was when Ronald Reagan and George Bush were running for office.  Clearly this was a dirty politcal trick of Reagan, oh wait Reagan is dead, I mean Bush...it is Bush's fault.  And since George W. Bush is the son of George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush is obviously guilty too.  You see it is the evil Republicans that perpetuated this dirty political trick on the then-young Congressman from Pennsylvania.  Who by the way is a "decorated Vietnam War veteran"...don't know if you knew that or not.

Red v. Blue Charity Link

Benedict Arnold was a

Benedict Arnold was a decorated War veteran too, so does that forgive his treason, er I mean mistake?

If elected, I vow to repeal the 17th Amendment, change the
minimum military enlistment age to the minimum drinking age and push for term
limits for all politicians in federal government.

More of the Same

Yeah, this election cycle has made one thing very clear: the big networks are nothing more than a DNC mouthpiece. The hosts of ALL the Sunday talk shows are announced Democrats, the "reporters" on the nightly news programs are all overtly hostile to the administration.

There's really no pretense anymore.