The Return Of A Liar (10/20)

Wow, I think I’m witnessing what is truly the most bilious political garbage in the Bucks County Courier Times that I have ever seen concerning Patrick Murphy, which should be no surprise I guess since Patrick represents the biggest threat to the 8th district Repug status quo that has been seen in these parts since the days of Democrat Peter Kostmayer, who served in the U.S. House prior to Jim Greenwood (who of course preceded Mikey – I didn’t live in Bucks County at the time Kostmayer served, so I can’t post authoritatively on him as of now).

Someone today alleged in the Courier Times that “Patrick Murphy may be an Iraq veteran, but he’s not a war veteran” (which to me begs the question, “What exactly is going on in Iraq then, a tea party?”). Of course, a physician wrote in and said that Murphy is automatically beholden to trial lawyers since Patrick has a law degree himself (and as we all know, trial lawyers are responsible for high medical costs in this country, not high insurance premiums, “reasonable and customary” charges and treatment, and ridiculous medication costs courtesy of Big Pharma, right?).

The “residency issue” has made an inglorious return, and someone yesterday took Patrick to task because he couldn’t recall immediately that Bucks County has 13 school districts (somehow, with our troops dying in Iraq and Dubya flailing away incompetently as he pretends to be president, I think there are bigger issues at stake). Speaking of Iraq, Patrick was also accused of waffling (really?) in “his immature, 32-year-old fashion” (it is to laugh, honestly), and Mikey, of course, raised the biggest boogeyman of all today when he said that Patrick Murphy “would raise our taxes” (horrors!), even though Patrick has never said any such thing (though, as the article points out, Mikey raised our taxes six times in ten years when he was a Bucks County commissioner).

(Also, as I’ve said before, Republicans are absolutely silent on this issue of payroll taxes, and that’s where we suffer one of the biggest tax bites that there is).

And on top of all of this, you’ll never guess who slithered out from under the muck once more in the form of a letter to the editor in yesterday’s Philadelphia Inquirer (the second one accessible from this link).

That would be Kevin Kelly, the individual primarily responsible for “swift-boating” Patrick Murphy (with Mikey’s blessing, of course) a couple of weeks ago.

His letter obviously merits a response, and he’ll get it.

Contrary to what the Patrick Murphy campaign is spinning, he's not being "swift-boated" ("John Kerry hits Fitzpatrick over 'Swift-boating,' " Oct. 11). Every veteran who spoke up for the reelection of U.S. Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick (R., Pa.) at an Oct. 6 press conference praised Murphy for his service in Iraq. I respect him and thank him, just as I respect all those who serve.

Here is what you said about Patrick at your press conference, according to the Courier Times story: he “was not a frontline fighter,” and he “didn’t see the same things we did,” clearly implying that Patrick’s time was spent in some air-conditioned office shuffling papers.

You’re a liar for not owing up to that, Kelly.

Where I disagree with Murphy is the statements he makes on behalf of the men and women still serving in Iraq. Murphy has stated that our soldiers don't understand their mission and are disillusioned. I disagree. I was there five months ago. I worked, briefed, and flew combat operations with our troops and supported them under fire. They understood the mission and overwhelmingly felt it was among the most honorable endeavors we have undertaken as a nation.

Says you...

This consensus extended even to the many wounded servicemen I spent time with at the combat hospital in Balad, Iraq. What our troops don't understand are defeatist statements.

I also disagree with Murphy when he says we must withdraw from Iraq. This would result in the torture and murder of tens of thousands of Iraqi citizens who bravely stand with us now. This is to say nothing of the message it would send to the future generations of those willing to risk their lives in opposition to tyranny.

Putting aside the partisan idiocy of that statement, I should point out that it doesn’t reflect the fact that the National Intelligence Estimate has said that our presence is contributing to the war, as well as the recommendation of the Iraq Study Group along the lines that Patrick announced months ago. Kelly also mischaracterizes Patrick’s plan to keep an over-the-horizon force in the region to contain the violence in Iraq from spreading to other countries while also drawing down our troop strength, which of course isn’t surprising.

My problem with Murphy has never been his honorable service in Iraq, but the flagrant way in which he uses that service to act as spokesman for our fighting men and women in harm's way. He doesn't speak for me or anyone I know.

He speaks for me and the vast majority of the people in this nation including Bucks County, and I don’t much care if he doesn’t speak for you or not.

Something else that deserves mention is that Kelly identifies himself in the letter as the chairman of the Philadelphia Federation of Young Republicans.

And isn’t it funny in a way that Kelly feels the need to try and explain his actions this way? Gee, do you think it’s because he knew his little PR stunt blew up in his face?

By the way, here are some letters supporting Patrick published in the Courier Times yesterday (couldn’t quite size them the way I wanted, but they’re readable).

And here are some from today:

Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick has never served in the military for a single day in his life. Democrat challenger Patrick Murphy devoted a decade of service to his country in the armed forces. Now Iraq war vets appearing at a Fitzpatrick news conference accuse Murphy of mischaracterizing his military record. This baseless attack should not be left to stand.

Congressman Fitzpatrick should remember that veterans of every rank and order have helped to make our country free.

He should remember that bullets and bombs don’t distinguish between officers and enlisted men, because on the streets of Baghdad they are all just targets (targets without a clear mission, and targets who are bravely serving in a questionable war for questionable leaders).

Targets that have returned to demand change, and been shunned by politicians unwilling to listen.

It is up to us, the voters of Bucks County, to stop these attacks, If Fitzpatrick wants to let his campaign be used by people specializing in rumor and innuendo, that’s his choice; it’s our choice to vote him out of office.

Linda Rossi
Middletown Township

Is there a front line in the Iraq war? I think the whole country is the front line and that any American serving over there is in a combat zone.

The two Iraq war veterans who accused Patrick Murphy of mischaracterizing what he did in Iraq are wrong.

Could these two veterans have the same backers as the veterans who attacked Sen. John Kerry’s war record in Vietnam (another country that had no front line)?

They helped re-elect George W. Bush so he could have another four years to continue this unjust war he started.

I like Mike Fitzpatrick and was on the fence as to who I was going to vote for in this election.

After reading the story in the Courier Times about the two veterans targeting Pat Murphy, I now have a “Murphy For Congress” sign on my front lawn.

Al Litz
Bensalem Township

Way to go, Kelly, you dunce (and I’ll try to get to something else on Patrick a little later).

And as always, to help the Patrick Murphy For Congress campaign, click here.