Jun 19 2006
MR. RUSSERT: You stunned a lot of your colleagues with a letter on June 9. It said this: “If we prevail, as I hope and know we will and return to the majority this next Congress, I’ve decided to run for the open seat of the majority leader. I would appreciate your consideration and vote and look forward to speaking to you personally about my decision.”A few days later, Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic leader, put out this statement. “In the spirit of unity to achieve our goal of winning a Democratic majority in November, Congressman John Murtha has informed me that he will suspend his campaign for Majority Leader until after we win a Democratic majority of the House.” Was your announcement of candidacy too premature?
REP. MURTHA: Well, it wasn’t premature because in this business you have to make sure you get your foot in the door. You have to make sure you make a statement, because if you don’t, other people may be running and other people will, will be committed. For instance, I—even as, as early as I was, two good friends of mine said, “Gee, I already committed myself.” So overwhelmingly, people hadn’t committed themselves. But if I’d have waited too long, they would have been committed. And, and I realized, when I talked to the members, every—on—when—the news media, that’s all they asked them. They couldn’t concentrate on anything else. So I, I think it was only—it wasn’t premature, it was essential that I make notice that I was going to run. And there’s a lot of problems, not only involved in the war but in medicine, in, in immigration, all these kind of things we got to talk about and focus the country, and I’m willing to do that. I think, I think we need that kind of talk.
MR. RUSSERT: But one of the primary opponents you would have is Steny Hoyer of Maryland. Is his position on the war one of the reasons you would challenge him?
REP. MURTHA: Well, it was one of the reasons. And, and for a long time, he said withdrawal would be a disaster. Now, he’s come around substantially in, in that position. But you know, I, I feel very confident in, in running for this position. I think I can help lead the Democratic position in a lot of different issues. And the war has so many ramifications, and the public is focused. That’s the number one issue of all the polls that I’ve seen. So there’s a lot of reasons to run, but I think this is one of them.
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