So Much For Dem Unity: Murtha Challenging Hoyer

[cali]

for number 2 position. Lousy timing.

From the New Republic:

BREAKING--MURTHA V. HOYER:

Major news from the House: Pennyslvania Congressman John Murtha has begun delivering a letter to his Democratic House colleagues announcing plans, should Democrats retake the House this fall, to seek the number-two job of House Majority Leader. This would almost certainly entail a showdown with the current House Minority Whip, Steny Hoyer. I just called Murtha's press secretary, who confirmed the letter and read me the following statement from Murtha:
<snip>

As readers will probably know, Murtha is a close ally of Nancy Pelosi who favors a fast withdrawal from Iraq. Hoyer is more inclined to tough it out in Iraq, and has a long history of friction with Pelosi.


Update: Steny Hoyer's office has given me its own statement in response:


Mr. Hoyer has worked extraordinarily hard to unify the caucus and take back the House for Democrats and that is his first focus. As a result of that unity he is confident that we will be successful in November and intends to run for Majority Leader. He believes his work as whip, caucus chair, and with the DCCC has earned the support of the overwhelming majority of House Democrats.

Adds a senior Democratic aide: "A lot of members are very angry that Jack Murtha has decided to blow up the caucus and declare a leadership race when we are the most unified we've been in years. We're really focused on taking back the house and should not be distracted with a leadership race. It's going to be a huge diversion."


<snip>

--Michael Crowley

http://www.tnr.com/blog/theplank?pid=19949

[papau]

1. Murtha would be great in that position- but only a few folks get a vote on

the issue.

[Stand and Fight]

2. Hoyer should be challenged.

After having examined his record, I am not convinced that he is the best person to represent us in the position of majority leader IF we win a majority. For that matter, I do not necessarily feel that Murtha is the best one for the job either. Nonetheless, it is well within Murtha's right to step forward and take the job, and given Hoyer's recent defense of Bush, Murtha would be a damn sight better than little Steny Hoyer. IMHO.

[acmejack]

21. Hoyer has been trying to subvert Pelosi.

The recent Emanuel for Speaker talk hasn't went unnoticed either you can be sure! But hoyer has been playing for a while. But this is the killer:
snip>
Folks are rightly outraged today about House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer vigorously coming to the defense of President Bush. You know there's a huge problem with our political system when the number two Democrat in the House is throwing himself in front of the media to defend an extreme right-wing President.

But then, we shouldn't be surprised by Hoyer's behavior. As I document in my new book Hostile Takeover, Hoyer has long led the charge to emasculate the Democratic Party. Whether on economic policy, on the war, on trade policy or on just generally selling out to Big Money interests, Hoyer has self-servingly gone out of his way to undermine his party. Put another way - if you are looking for one of the root causes of the Democratic Party's problems, look no further than Steny Hoyer.

Let's take a look at Hoyer's recent behavior in aiding and abetting the hostile takeover of our government. On economics, here's what I pointed out back in January:

You remember, it was Hoyer - the Democratic Whip - who refused to whip votes together to try to defeat the corporate-written Central American Free Trade Agreement. When Pelosi tried to build opposition to the disgusting bankruptcy bill, it was Hoyer, the second-ranking Democrat in the House, who not only didn't whip against the bankruptcy bill, but actually voted for it, after pocketing massive campaign contributions from the banking industry...And when Pelosi worked to keep her caucus together in opposing the GOP Energy Bill, it was Hoyer who voted for the nauseating legislation after pocketing more than $300,000 from energy/natural resource industry cash. That legislation that literally gave away billions of taxpayer dollars to the energy industry profiteers who proceeded to bilk Americans with higher and higher gas prices.

http://www.mydd.com/story/2006/5/3/123758/5207

[acmejack]

22. I would be remiss if I didn't back up the material in Post #21 with this!

Davisd Sirota's blog at the HuffPo way back in December of last year raised the point about Steny's kinsurrectionist behavior: "Here are some questions every Democrat in America should be asking: why is Steny Hoyer, the House's second-ranking Democrat, going out of his way to undermine the Democratic Party's message on Iraq? Why is Hoyer using his taxpayer-paid staff to place stories bragging about his efforts to shakedown corporate lobbyists? And why has Hoyer undercut his party on critical votes that would have helped Democrats craft a strong, crisp message?

I used to think it was because Steny Hoyer was just an extraordinary stupid person who had been insulated in the Beltway for so long that he was simply suffering from severe brain rot. But alas, I was stupid in thinking that. What's really going on is very obvious: Hoyer is waging a not-so-secret, but oh-so-self-serving campaign to topple House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D) and assume the top job in the Democratic Caucus - a job he has coveted since Pelosi beat him out for whip a few years back. And he's waging his campaign even though it is destroying his own party."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sirota/hoyers-campaign-to-under_b_11848.html

[Wrinkle_In_Time]

27. Did you write "kinsurrectionist" intentionally?

If not, then you should.
If so, then well done!

Insurrection against kin. Brilliant.

Of course, one person's "kinsurrectionist" is another person's "kfreedom fighter" or maybe a "kDINO".

[Bucky]

3. You have to wonder if his recent outspokeness on Iraq is behind it or V.V.

It could be his recent "come to Jesus" awakening on Iraq is impelling him to challenge a "go slow" Democrat like Hoyer. Murtha's certainly more moderate image-wise than Hoyer. But basically I'm neutral on this. I don't think too many people care about who the floor leader is when they vote for Congress, so I doubt it'll effect too many votes.

[hedda_foil]

4. The vote on leadership does not take place until after Jan 1.

It doesn't affect the November election. There's nothing unusual about Murtha positioning himself to compete with Hoyer for Majority Leader next year. And there's nothing destructive about it in terms of taking back the house. Only the Congressional Dems are involved in the leadership vote. It's unlikely they'll be so engrossed in deciding whether to vote for Hoyer or Murtha -- in the event of a Dem majority in November -- that they'll forget to do what they need to win their own races and take back the House. The members who are very angry are Hoyers' hangers on, for heavens sake and they're pissed that THEY might have to protect the privileges of their patron instead of just positioning themselves to be first in line for the spoils when Hoyers takes over. Sorry boys -- that's politics.

[MADem]

11. After all, Hoyer and Pelosi fought it out for her job

and Pelosi won.

I've met Steny, spent several days with him in fact. He's quite personable, and fairly low-maintenance for a Congress creature. Pretty mellow, too.

That said, I don't care who gets the leadership slots, so long as the Speaker is a Dem and the agenda of bringing sanity back to this madhouse of a nation can begin.

[Bucky]

15. But who gets DCCC campaign support for November will matter now

Incumbents in a tight race, or Dem challengers to vulnerable GOP seats, may have to pick sides early on, depending on who's controlling DCCC dollars.

[hedda_foil]

23. Murtha won't control DCCC dollars.

That leadership vote isn't going to happen until after the election is over. Pelosi and Emmanuel control those bucks, probably with input from Hoyer. This is internal House politics and won't disrupt the November elections. Anybody who's in a tight race or challenging an incumbent GOP House member won't dare rock the boat.

[bigluckyfeet]

24. Don't Count Your

Computer voting machines before they are hatched.

[Justitia]

5. Competition for the seat is normal party stuff, not a big blow up.

I think Hoyer is just a bit huffy about not automatically rising to the post.

[porphyrian]

6. Unwarranted unity is no better than none at all.

The end doesn't justify the means.

[Teaser]

7. Hoyer is a smack

who deserves this and more.

[Tom Joad]

8. Anyone who wants to "tough it out" in Iraq should go to

the Republican Party. Or hell.

[kstewart33]

9. Sounds great to me. nt

[Bucky]

10. The thing about Majority leader is that if the new Speaker trips...

I imagine Pelosi will be a strong Speaker in the O'Neill model--paying respect to the established committee heads. Not a puppet like Hastert, not a dictator/feather ruffler like Gingrich. She'll need a strong floor leader to balance all those competing interests. But the real value of Floor Leader will come from the fact that any Democrat in power needs a strong understudy. They get targeted, I believe it's called being "whitewatered" or perhaps being "kenstarred." If she gets taken out--and they will try--then the floor leader would move up. This job should be awarded as cautiously as the speaker's job.

[MADem]

Solid analysis, all points valid NT

[fujiyama]

12. Good

Hoyer is terrible and doesn't deserve either the position of whip or leader. How many successes has the party had in the House? It's the likes of Hoyer that have backstabbed Pelosi and made her look innefective. Unlike many she DOES take the right stand on many issues.

Also of interest is that Hoyer recently issued a statement stating that "Bush is entitled to respect" after the Colbert speech at the correspondent's dinner.

Fuck Hoyer.

[wiley]

20. That's why Hoyer said that!

He's obviously been running as the moderate unifier of the House. That may appeal to Republicans and Independents and moderate Dems. It's a good thing - if that's your goal! A congress that does nothing, says nothing and sings songs together in the Beltway. I have a proposition. All House members should have to live in their districts, dress like they do when in their district, and speak to constituents on a daily basis. They can review and discuss legislation and then come to DC every three months to vote, unless an emergency arises.

[AnnieBW]

26. Hoyer Does Live In His District

But only because it's a quick commute into DC for him.

[oasis]

13. Hoyer did an excellent job in thwarting Bush plan to privatize s.s.. I'll

give him extra points for his leadership in that effort.

[LaurenG]

14. Whats the problem

I feel it's great news. I'd love to see Murtha take the position. Hoyer just isn't the man for the job. I say GO Murtha!

[Crowdance]

16. Murtha's anti-choice. Hoyer is pro-choice.

If Dems do take the House, the House itself and the Senate's Democrats, will be led by two anti-choice politicians with Murtha. This would seem to be proof that a candidate's positions on issues matters greatly--not just his/her party. Murtha's been great on the war, but he's terrible on domestic issues, and those issues are of great importance when considering a majority (or minority) leader. Murtha's pursuit of this position will further divide the party by further alienating those who care about issues like women's rights. IMHO, it would be bad for the party.

[GreenPartyVoter]

17. That is a concern for me

[rucky]

18. There's a difference between competition and division.

this sounds like competition. may the best person get the job. nobody's entitled to it.

[BlooInBloo]

19. What rucky said.

[AnnieBW]

25. Hoyer Is My Congressman

He's got a safe seat because of gerrymandering from the Dem-controlled state legislature. He's got two Repugs running to challenge him, only one of which looks like he could put up a decent fight, but they're both neocon-types. Hoyer will keep getting re-elected because he takes care of the many Federal employees in his district, of which I am one. I wish that some progressive Dem would step up and challenge him, but *sigh* they wouldn't stand a chance. Besides, Hoyer's district is made up of some more conservative parts of Maryland, like Charles County. I wish they'd move my area over to be under Van Hollen and not Hoyer.