Back-Room John Part Two

As I posted here earlier, soon to be Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, has thrown her full weight behind Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) to be the next House Majority Leader. The New York Times had this to say back on October 2, 2006: Rep John P Murtha, leading Democrat on House military spending subcommittee, has proved adept at delivering Democratic votes needed by Republican leaders in tacit exchange for earmarks for himself and his allies; delivered enough votes to narrowly defeat number of Democratic proposals in past year; he alone secured $80 million for his Pennsylvania district in 2006 appropriations bills and $120 million for state; acknowledges that some Democrats grouse about his history of leading others to vote against party, but says he has always acted on principle, working with Republicans either because he agreed with them or to uphold private agreements about spending bills. If this is what Murtha claims as "always acted on principle", then Nancy Pelosi has some serious thinking to do about her endorsement. It looks to me like Joementum LIEbermann isn't the only person who was disloyal to his fellow Democrats.