Dick Morris: John Murtha one step to the right of Cindy Sheehan
Reported by Ellen - November 14, 2006 -
Dick Morris, the man who predicted that the aftermath of Katrina would provide a huge boost for President Bush, must be so disconsolate over last week’s election results that has has lost touch with the present as much as the future. Last night on Hannity & Colmes (11/13/06), Morris completely distorted Congressman John Murtha’s record in order to paint him as some kind of radical leftist. It’s easy to know what sparked that flight from truth: FOX News’ Uber-villainness Nancy Pelosi has just announced her support for Murtha as House Majority Leader. If Pelosi supports something, it must be bad - even if you have to make up the reason.
As Wikipedia points out, Murtha is against abortion, has earned a 0% rating from NARAL, opposes gun control, has earned an A from the NRA, was a co-author of the Flag Desecration Amendment and is generally more hawkish than most Democrats.
Nevertheless, Morris and Hannity kept portraying Murtha as a wild-eyed extremist. Morris, noting that many of the just-elected Democrats were centrist, told Alan Colmes, “On the wings of moderates, the extremists are taking power.”
Colmes responded that he had heard “no extreme positions being put forth.”
Morris claimed, “The dead giveaway was when Nancy Pelosi announced her support for John Murtha, as opposed to Steny Hoyer, for Majority Leader. Steny Hoyer, a former client, is a moderate guy, a centrist, very much in the Bill Clinton tradition. Murtha is a raging guy who led the fight on Iraq, the darling of the movement. He’s sort of one step to the right of Cindy Sheehan.” Morris added that Pelosi’s endorsement of Murtha “clearly indicates that leftist agenda.”
Later, Morris said, “(Murtha’s) terrible. He’s a leftist, he’s a cheerleader for MoveOn.org and she could have chosen a centrist… Instead she chose the most left guy she can find.”
