[Tennesseahawk]

John Murtha died of complications from gall bladder surgery. He was 77.

Another no good libocrat gone. He treated his constituents like dirt; and they were stupid enough to keep him.

Like I said with Ted... good riddance.

[skyraider]

Some day we may know what got in to both of them, maybe.

[chefdennis]

Garbage in garbage out, at least the grass around him will be green...as was said, "good riddence"....

[TeamDriven]

By PETER JACKSON, Associated Press Writer Peter Jackson, Associated Press Writer
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. He was 77. The Pennsylvania Democrat had been suffering from complications from gallbladder surgery. He died at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, Va., with his family at his bedside, the hospital said.

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."

Murtha was admitted to the Virginia hospital on Jan. 31 after complications arose from surgery he had received at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.

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."

Murtha's criticism of the Iraq war intensified in 2006, when he accused Marines of murdering Iraqi civilians "in cold blood" at Haditha, after one Marine died and two were wounded by a roadside bomb.

Critics said Murtha unfairly held the Marines responsible before an investigation was concluded and fueled enemy retaliation. He said that the war couldn't be won militarily and that such incidents dimmed the prospect for a political solution.

"This is the kind of war you have to win the hearts and minds of the people," Murtha said. "And we're set back every time something like this happens."

Murtha was a perennial target of critics of so-called pay-to-play politics. He routinely drew the attention of ethical watchdogs with off-the-floor activities, from his entanglement in the Abscam corruption probe three decades ago to the more recent scrutiny of the connection between special-interest spending known as earmarks and the raising of cash for campaigns.

Murtha defended the practice of earmarking. The money, he said, benefited his constituents.

He became chairman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee in 1989.

Murtha's critics recall the Abscam corruption probe, in which the FBI caught him on videotape in a 1980 sting operation turning down a $50,000 bribe offer while holding out the possibility that he might take money in the future.

"We do business for a while, maybe I'll be interested and maybe I won't," Murtha said on the tape.

Six congressmen and one senator were convicted in that case. Murtha was not charged, but the government named him as an unindicted co-conspirator and he testified against two other congressmen.

Murtha's district encompasses all or part of nine counties in southwestern Pennsylvania and embodies the region's stereotypes of coal mines, steel mills and blue-collar values.

State Sen. Don White, an Army veteran and a Republican who represents a portion of Murtha's district, said he and Murtha were longtime friends, despite holding different political views and serving in different branches of the military.

"He made sure that Washington, D.C., knew where Johnstown, Indiana, Kittanning and a lot of other sites in western Pennsylvania were located," White said.

Survivors include his wife of nearly 55 years, Joyce, and three children.

The first vietnam vet elected elected to congress.
A man who fought for the people of his district and for vets rights. He left college to enlist.
A 55 year marriage.

RIP John

[Oilerman1957]

You guys are sad, really really sad.

[TeamDriven]

Originally Posted by Oilerman1957

You guys are sad, really really sad.

Not to mention cruel and heartless. Then they will tell you what fine upstanding christians they are. One day they will see the errors of their ways. Talk about climate change. LOL

[layoutshooter]

He lied about what my son and nephew were doing in Iraq, as did Obama. A liar about one subject is a liar in all. I am sorry he died, I hate to see a life end. I will not miss his lies and politics.

[Oilerman1957]

Originally Posted by layoutshooter

He lied about what my son and nephew were doing in Iraq, as did Obama. A liar about one subject is a liar in all. I am sorry he died, I hate to see a life end. I will not miss his lies and politics.

You never have lied? I dont know what he said about Iraq but what has been said here is just wrong, not by you.

[layoutshooter]

I of course have lied, never claimed to be perfect. I have NEVER stood up and lied on the floor of the House about what our brave men and women we doing in Iraq. Maybe if I get a chance when I am not so tired I will look up that vile speech for you. It should be known how some talked and act in our scumbag congress.

You do know from reading what I write in here that I do NOT support EITHER of our two political parties, the Dumb-O-Crats or the ReBumLiCans. I don't remember you being in here during the election but I often compared both the candidates for president to diseases. I said Obama was the same a terminal brain cancer and McCain was the same as drug resistant tubruculosus. I did not like either of them and have always said that.

[LDB]

I would not have wished him dead but certainly would have wished his political career dead many years ago. I don't truly wish any of them dead however there are many whose death would be a blessing to the sovereignty and political well being of the nation. Murtha was one of that group.

[Toronto40]

When somebody dies, I think its best if you don't have anything good to say, then just don't say anything at all. The guys is dead and he is not coming back. And please don't try and sound patriotic as a reason to put the guy down. RIP

[greg334]

Well I am glad he is out of congress, doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.

He was a disgusting old man who helped our enemies by putting our soldiers at risk by ripping down their moral. He was wrong in his position about our military and the people in uniform, he represented the people who elected him so I point to the fact that they too felt the same way.

It doesn't matter if the guy was a "hero" or did something in his past that was good, his actions are judged by us, the people because he was a public servant and didn't serve with any honor while being a politician.

[Steady Eddie]

Rep. John Murtha, a Pennsylvania powerhouse in Congress for 36 years and an early ally for Speaker Nancy Pelosi in her rise to the top of the House, died Monday afternoon as a result of complications from recent surgery.


An announcement from his office said Murtha died at 1:18 p.m. at the Virginia Hospital Center, where he had been admitted last week after having his gallbladder removed at Bethesda Naval Hospital.



Read more: John Murtha dies at 77 - David Rogers - POLITICO.com


All I can say- Murtha Murtha Murtha.....

[chefdennis]

Well ANOTHER good thing might come from this pos dying...

American Thinker Blog: Bad news for Dems: Here comes another special election

February 09, 2010

Bad news for Dems: Here comes another special election
Thomas Lifson

The death of Rep. John Murtha will require a special election to replace him before November, according to Pennsylvania Law. The Washington Post reports:


According to state law, the governor has ten days once the vacancy is officially declared to decide on the date for the special election, which can come no sooner than 60 days following that proclamation.


That likely means the special election will be held on May 18, which is the date already set for federal primaries around the state. (Special elections costs the state huge sums of money and it's likely that Gov. Ed Rendell will choose to go with an already established election day to save some cash.)


There is a good chance that the Republican Party will pick-up another House seat in the special election. The Post notes:


Murtha's district is the only one in the country won by Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) in 2004 and by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in 2008, according to Republican sources, and that trend line coupled with the volatile national environment for Democrats ensures Republicans will heavily target the contest.


Ed Lasky points out:


Murtha's death makes Pennsylvania perhaps the most competitive state in the country when it comes to the battle for the House. Republicans will target the 4th, 7th, 8th, 10th, 11th and 12th districts while Democrats see opportunity in the 6th and 15th.

Special elections have been a disaster for the Democrats lately. If they hold Murtha's seat, that would stanch GOP momentum to a degree. On the other hand, a GOP victory would further weaken Obama's hold on Congressional Democrats.

[Pilgrim]

Originally Posted by greg334

Well I am glad he is out of congress, doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.

He was a disgusting old man who helped our enemies by putting our soldiers at risk by ripping down their moral. He was wrong in his position about our military and the people in uniform, he represented the people who elected him so I point to the fact that they too felt the same way.

It doesn't matter if the guy was a "hero" or did something in his past that was good, his actions are judged by us, the people because he was a public servant and didn't serve with any honor while being a politician.

Well said - it's a shame his service in Congress wasn't as honorable as his service in Vietnam.