Hoyer A Winner Without Pelosi's Support

He'll Be #2 Among House Dems; Key Posts Go To Clyburn, Emanuel

(CBS/AP)  Murtha gained national prominence last year when he called for an end to U.S. military involvement in Iraq.

He and Pelosi have long been close, and when Pelosi issued a statement supporting Murtha on Sunday night, it raised the stakes in the party leadership election.

"I was proud to support (Murtha) for majority leader, because I thought that would be the best way to bring an end to the war in Iraq," said Pelosi, talking to reporters after the vote.

The Murtha endorsement, says CBS News chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer, is not viewed as a political plus for Pelosi. "What has stunned even her supporters is why she would want to wade into this battle where she didn't need to take sides," said Schieffer. "It has raised questions about both her leadership and her judgment."

The outcome was foreshadowed Sunday night by a supporter of Hoyer's, Rep.-elect Baron Hill of Indiana, who pointed out then that Pelosi - keeping a longstanding promise by endorsing Murtha - did not, in her written statement, ask other Democrats to vote for him.

Pelosi and Hoyer, 67, have had a difficult relationship at times. The two ran against each other in a leadership race several years ago. Pelosi won, but Hoyer rebounded more than a year later when he was elected the party's whip.

Hoyer's margin of victory Thursday reflected a pre-election strategy in which he showcased support from moderates, veteran lawmakers in line to become committee chairmen and more than half of the incoming freshman class — the majority-makers whose victories on Election Day gave the party control of the House.

"Steny was more where the mainstream of where the party was," said Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank, who will become chairman of the House Financial Services Committee."

Of Pelosi's endorsement of Murtha, Frank said, "She's a very smart woman who made an error in judgment."

The intraparty battle had preoccupied Democrats, overshadowing Pelosi's promotion to speaker — a position that is second in line of succession to the presidency.

Many Democrats were dismayed that the family feud had broken out in the first place and objected to heavy pressure placed on longstanding Hoyer supporters.

Murtha pursued the position despite a record of not always being a leadership loyalist. He often supplied votes to GOP leaders who were struggling to pass bills. The none-too-subtle trade-off: Murtha and his allies would do better when home state projects were doled out by the Republicans.

Murtha, 74, was furthermore viewed as a problematic candidate because of his involvement in the 1980 Abscam scandal, a sting operation in which FBI agents offered bribes to several lawmakers, pretending to represent an Arab sheik who wanting to live in the U.S. and was seeking investment opportunities.

Offered $50,000, Murtha was recorded as saying, "I'm not interested... at this point." A grand jury declined to indict Murtha, and the House ethics committee issued no findings against him.

"I told them I wanted investment in my district," Murtha told MSNBC's "Hardball" on Wednesday. "They put $50,000 on the table and I said, 'I'm not interested.'"

[stick130]

When the Pubs got in Newt's pick to be Majority Leader lost also,remember? Tom Delay won. Let's hope we never see the like's of Tom DeLay again.

[chicatibu]

The security of America should never be for sale either in cash or political payoffs.
John Murtha isn%u2019t the kind of man who should be in congress let alone in the leadership.
Not only is Murtha stupid he%u2019s arrogant and stupid.

[getcentered]

ozilot:

Well said!

Quote from above:
"The outcome was foreshadowed last Sunday by a Hoyer supporter, Rep.-elect Baron Hill, who pointed out then that Pelosi - keeping a longstanding promise by endorsing Murtha - did not, in her written statement, ask other Democrats to vote for him."

See Nancy gave Murtha the nomination because of loyalty. She did not press the issue on other Democrats.

The MEDIA keeps saying that there was fighting amongst the Democrats when there really was none.

[flyboy737-2009]

ozilot..Stop making excuses for Nancy Peloci.

[bluestardad]

Biggy Rat has been working for this job for months now behind the curtain.

[joeshields56]

I think what we just saw with the Democrats picking their leadership in the House is very healthy. Governing should not always be about nice and neat consensus. It's a good sign to see our elected officials thinking and arguing and discenting from their leadership. We have seen what happens when they all go along with a leader like a bunch of sheep. Keep up the good work Dems. I expect great things from this Congress.

The fact that it gives political pundits something to get all excited about is just a bonus.

Instead of questioning Pelosi's judgment on national news, it might be fairer for CBS to cover why she decided to back Murtha. Perhaps this was a back-room pay-off she felt obligated to give. Who knows, but talk of her poor judgment with such obvious glee appears mighty biased to me, if not sexist.

[mh4cbs1]

When can we throw BUSH and CHENEY into JAIL where they belong?

They were they ones that LIED us into this needless, horrific War OF Terror. While they and their super-wealthy friends profit, middleclass kids are dying every day. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civillians have died. Hundreds of Billions of dollars of OUR money has been spent (handed over to create windfall profits for Haliburton and other defense contractors).

Yes, Bush IS responsible for more innocent dead than Osama and Saddam combined.

When will we put our own War Criminals, BUSH and CHENEY, in JAIL ?? And throw away the key

[wayfedup]

getcentered...

unfortunately, we are ALL victims of Karl ROVE/MARX. Fortunately for Us,OUR Democracy remains strong enough to prevail over the MADNESS of the now LAME DUCK regime of ROVE,BUSH, CHENEY, RUMSFELD, RICE & Co.

[getcentered]

kingjudd:

You are victim of Karl Rove.

Blanket statements and talking points.

If you want to debate then bring some information into the discussion, don't just bash people and point fingers.

Turn the channel, please.

[flyboy737-2009]

kinhjudd...."Could not have said it better myself."

[wayfedup]

kingjudd...
I've always heard that Louisiana places at the Bottom of the academic lists of all schools in the nation; I can see why now! Dig the cotton out of your ears and listen to someone besides Bill O' and your I.Q. will probably jump at LEAST 10 points!

[kingjudd]

Hey DoDo Birds,

Look! So what if Fox News slants to the right of the spectrum, You yourself slant left. Just as ABC, CBS,NBC CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, THE CBC, BBC, the list goes on.
What irritates you more is that their ratings, are better than your ratings or the guys. You all act like your better than everyone else, and now your losing the ratings game, so you now you have to bash Fox every chance you get. You have no substance, you all have no skills in getting news stories.
All you talk about is how dumb Pres. Bush is and we should get out of Iraq, Look none of you ever would have done anything about Saddam's killing of people, nor did you ever do anything about the Sudan, Ethopia, Chad, Somalia or Dafur before Pres. Bush got into office. The liberals "talk the talk" but they can't "walk the walk". They want the US Govenrment to pay for everything except for the military needs.
If liberals are so caring, put your money where your mouth is!!! Go Live in Iraq, Iran, Mexico, any where in Africa, Asia , and South American for more than a year. Also leave your money behind, live as the peasants do if you are so brave. You will really see how the socialist governments work. GET A CLUE!!!!

Justin Hadley
West Monroe, La

[fascistusa]

Vietnam lasted 10 years. The events surrounding Vietnam are almost EXACTLY like what is happening NOW.

Gulf of Tonkin.
9/11.

Commmunists. Muslims.

Nixon. Dictator. Bush. Dictator.

News. Propoganda.

WAKE UP!

[fairandbal]

i laughed at the Bill O'Rielly quote earlier. Anyone quoting that man has has absolutely ZERO credibility in any rational discussion of political events.

[getcentered]

tiddsandbeer:

I hope your wrong, and the fact that you give any credence to what Bill O. from Fox News says, shows me you are probably ill informed.

One thing I agree with you on is that wars do polarize our nation and put leaders in power but like in the last elections, they can take leaders out of power too.

Get Centered Yall!

[bushrocks1]

What? We're still in Iraq? I thought that's why Democrats were elected. To back out. Right away. But now the Democrats that got elected aren't saying anything. What gives? Why aren't we out of Iraq? I'm waiting...

[tiddsanbeer]

NANCY PISLOSI A FIGHTER???!! READ BILL O'REILLYS/FOX NEWS STORY ON SAN FRANCISCO ROTC PROGRAM BEING SHUT DOWN. Make no mistake, there will be another war down the road, and even if you don't agree with this one, the next one will indeed unite America again. Pislosi is too far left for the job, and the dems will be sorry they put her there. It is their first mistake, and it will gaurentee a gop President in 08, thank GOD, pun intended.

The reps deserved to lose this election and if your a honest right winger like me, admit it, don'd defend our parties wrongdoing,and move on. DO NOT be like the left and defend there own wrongdoings at any cost. These things will sort themselves out, and there is plenty of time for the dems to start showing their real colors, and remind us all why we put the gop in the first place.

LET'S STOP THE VENOM.. ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ISLE.

[getcentered]

bushrocks1:

Your comments are off the mark too, way off.

Good job Democrats! Thanks for showing unity!

[getcentered]

Quote:
"Nancy Pelosi really did not help her cause today," "And what has stunned even her supporters is why she would want to wade into this battle where she didn't need to take sides. ... It has raised questions about both her leadership and her judgment."
Says CBS News/Bob Schieffer.

This guy BOB SCHIEFFER is a fire starter. His quote is so off the mark it's amazing. If you just read the story above there are so many quotes from the people who matter that show you Bob's quote is just plain wrong.

Take these quotes for example:

"There's such universal respect and affection for Nancy. She's gutsy as hell and she's willing to take a chance ... push the envelope. "It was bitter between the two candidates, I suppose, but it wasn't bitter among the members of the caucus. People get over this stuff."

"Nancy and I have worked together for four years, closely and effectively, and we have created the most unified caucus in the last half century," Hoyer said after Thursday's vote. "It was not that somebody was rejected today, it was that a team that had been successful was asked to continue to do that job."

GET IT RIGHT BOB, or get out of Washington and go do stories on immigration or something, you know another meaningless sensationalized debate.