Speaker-in-waiting Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has endorsed John Murtha (D-Pa.) for the number two position of House Majority Leader. This is no surprise since Murtha is Pelosi's longtime ally, and his opponent Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) is not.
Her endorsement has the potential to turn the race, especially if she chooses to campaign on Murtha’s behalf. . . In an interview on the C-SPAN program "Newsmakers" earlier this fall, Murtha said that Pelosi would determine who ultimately would become majority leader.
Asked at the time whether the "person who will win this [race] is the person who gets the tap on the shoulder" from Pelosi, Murtha said, "I think that's probably true. ... We have a close relationship but we'll see what happens."
Pelosi's endorsement of Murtha is also a signal to the Bushies that she will not be backing down on Iraq:
[I]n her first real decision as the incoming speaker, Pelosi said she was swayed by Murtha's early stance for a withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq.
Her letter of endorsement yesterday made clear that she sees Iraq as the central issue of the next Congress and that she believes a decorated Marine combat veteran at the helm of the House caucus would provide Democrats ammunition in their fight against congressional Republicans and President Bush on the issue. . .
It was surely a dark day for the Bush Administration when you spoke truth to power," she wrote. . .
Pelosi's decision could be a significant blow to Hoyer, who has worked for years to move up in the Democratic leadership. Political handicappers had regarded Hoyer to be the strong favorite when House Democrats meet Thursday to choose a majority leader for the 110th Congress. Although Murtha's stance on Iraq has made him a hero among many grass-roots party activists, his positions against abortion and gun control have pushed many House liberals into Hoyer's camp, including the leader of the Out of Iraq Caucus, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.).
Since Nancy Pelosi has proven herself to be such a talented leader, as well as gifted in the art of instilling fear in the hearts of the Dark Side, it is obvious that Speaker Pelosi should get whatever she deems necessary to both keep the House in order, and pursue an aggressive stance on Iraq. I'm guessing/hoping she will find a way to keep the contest from getting nasty.
What they're saying: Step Aside Steny: Murtha for Majority Leader and It's Still About Iraq [Photo credit: AP]
Nancy Pelosi Politics News John Murtha Democrats Republicans Bush Steny Hoyer House Majority Leader Iraq
