Dems Running for the Tall Grass After Murtha Surrender

I reported yesterday on the statement of unconditional surrender offered by Dem Rep. John Murtha of PA. Murtha has been portrayed by much of the media as a "hawk turned dove", despite the fact that he's been making defeatist statements about Iraq for at least a year and a half.

UPDATE: Best of the Web Today has more on Murtha's checkered past (when it comes to Iraq) here. I'll bet you haven't heard mentioned in his current glowing press that he was one of only two members of Congress who voted to reinstate the draft in October, 2004.

Although I'm sure many of his Dem colleagues agree wholeheartedly with his call for an immediate pullout of Iraq, they don't dare say it openly lest they risk reinforcing the image the Dems have of a party weak on national defense. Here were some of the reactions yesterday, from Dana Milbank's column in the Washington Post:

It was a lonely day for once-mighty Murtha, who has long served as Democrats' conscience on military matters because of his moral authority on the subject. But Democrats were cutting and running yesterday -- not from Iraq, but from Murtha.
"I don't support immediate withdrawal," came the statement from Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).

Aides to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) hinted that she would back Murtha, but when she finally spoke, it came out as "Mr. Murtha speaks for himself."

Murtha being to the left of his Democratic caucus on military affairs is like Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) being to the right of the caucus on gay rights. But Murtha seemed unconcerned. Asked if he had any co-sponsors, he replied, "I didn't ask for any."

[...]

There was a long silence in the room when Murtha finished, as journalists assessed the damage. It was a political temblor, a Murtha-quake. But would it make a difference?

It would not. In the Speaker's Lobby off the House floor, Democrats ran for cover. Rep. Norman Dicks (D-Wash.) walked away when reporters asked if Murtha's move would change the Democrats' position. Asked if he agreed with Murtha, Rep. Ike Skelton (Mo.), the ranking Democrat on the Armed Service Committee, replied: "Talk to you later."

Murtha had said he got a "standing ovation" when he announced his position to colleagues in the morning.

Evidently, they were just being polite. At her afternoon news conference, Pelosi was meticulous in avoiding any agreement with Murtha's "very provocative" statement.

"But do you agree with the call for immediate withdrawal?"

"As I said, that was Mr. Murtha's statement," she replied.

It looks to me that "Mighty Murtha" has struck out.

UPDATE 2: The House GOP, sensing some weakness on the Murtha proposal, is going for a quick vote:

House Republicans, sensing an opportunity for political advantage, maneuvered for a quick vote and swift rejection Friday of a Democratic lawmaker's call for an immediate troop withdrawal from Iraq.

"We want to make sure that we support our troops that are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill. "We will not retreat."

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi had no immediate reaction to the planned vote.

The GOP leadership decided to act little more than 24 hours after Rep. Jack Murtha, a hawkish Democrat with close ties to the military, said the time had come to pull out the troops. By forcing the issue to a vote, Republicans placed many Democrats in a politically unappealing position _ whether to side with Murtha and expose themselves to attacks from the White House and congressional Republicans, or whether to oppose him and risk angering the voters that polls show want an end to the conflict.

Could there be a GOP spine developing??

UPDATE 3: The vote will be on the floor of the House between 2:45 & 5:45 pm (PST) today. This ought to be good.

UPDATE 4: The House voted 403-3 to reject a nonbinding resolution calling for an immediate troop withdrawal.