Meditation: Obama's Trashing of America

Let's see: Obama's crowd trashing the National Mall area, Obama's trashing the Cabinet by appointing tax cheats and other lowlifes, and Obama trashing Sarah Palin (by calling her a "pig" -- see the column below.) Was the crowd that left the mess below the same one roaring its approval of Obam's stirring words about the need for environmental protection?

The "shining city up on a hill" turning rapidly into Obama-Land

Obama looks out at middle-America, such as those of us in western Pennsylvania (who voted for McCain-Palin), and he doesn't like what he sees. We're the ones he described as "clinging" to our guns, our religion, and our ethnocentrism. We're the ones Obama's ally, Jack Murtha, described as "racists" and "rednecks." When it comes to people like us, no amount of verbal trashing is seen as excessive.

Talk-show-hostess Tammy Bruce got an inbox-full of hate mail for calling Obama "trash." Tammy has a bad habit of telling the truth -- about the murderous O. J. Simpson, about the woman-hating Democratic Party, and about the "Garbage Man in Chief," Barack Hussein Obama. FDR gave us the New Deal; JFK gave us the New Frontier; apparently, Obama is giving us the New Landfill.

As a guest ("Eric") said this morning on FOX, "You can't pour perfume on a skunk." Yes, the poet was right when he said, "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet," but as the poet didn't observe, "A bag of trash by any other name would smell as foul."

Of course, Obama and his "lovely" wife don't see themselves as trash. Instead, they look in the mirror (a lot) and see "beautiful people," the attractive, the rich, and the powerful. The gaze out at American and see "The Great Unwashed," the people to whom they'll throw scraps in the form of the Stimulus Package. As for the individuals they see as particularly unbeautiful, such as the people in Special Olympics, they're little more than the butt of jokes. The unborn? Cast them out with the rest of the . . . trash.

If Obama continues as he has, "America the Beautiful" will turn into "America, the Kingdom of Garbage," the place you see above in the graphic. Change? Yes. But change we will experience with disbelief . . . and a growing sense of hopelessness.

Hillary Supporters: Exacting Justifiable Revenge

Well said by Jean Avery at Moms4McCain: "Last week, Howard Dean and friends gave delegates to someone who wasn't even on the ballot and took half the delegates from a candidate who was. And, by the way, she was also the first woman with a serious shot at the Presidency. Suddenly millions of American women who hung their hopes on Hillary are the Desirable Voting Bloc. (Sure, Hillary had male supporters, but because many women's motives differed, their response to her rejection may differ too.)" Note: That's not Jean below.

Last Democrat Superdelegate holdout warily eyes Barack Obama. This is the first in my "Odd Picture" series, which will appear daily. You send me an odd pic, and I supply the caption. Send to: TalkTop65@aol.com.

The sound of the voice is that of PA Rep. Patrick Murphy, but the words coming out always seem to be those of Nancy Pelosi

"I would rather lose an election than lose a war." (John McCain, uttering words you'll never hear from the John Murtha or Patrick Murphys of the world)

Why is PA Republican congressional candidate Tom Manion (8th district) smiling these days?

Today (Wednesday), I'll be writing more about a fascinating phenomenon I revealed yesterday on my Hillary Supporters for McCain site: the presence of a very large number (it may be in the millions) of Democrats (Hillary Supporters) who will NOT vote for Barack Obama.

Of great interest to GOP congressional and senatorial candidates, those Hillary Supporters are beginning to target "SuperDelegates" who went against the voters of their districts or states to support Obama. Such people include SuperDelegates (a profoundly anti-democratic concept in itself) like John Kerry, Bob Casey, Jr., Ted Kennedy, and Jay Rockefeller. Such individuals now look a lot more beatable than they did a few weeks ago.

I've been discussing one particularly odious individual, Rep. Patrick Murphy of PA's 8th congressional district, centered in Bucks County in Southeastern PA. Murphy, one of Nancy Pelosi's particular favorites, came out for Obama last summer. How did Obama do in Bucks County? He got skunked by Hillary Clinton -- 70,253 votes to 41,791.

So, how exactly does Murphy's endorsement of Obama square with the wishes of his constituents? Of course, it doesn't. It shows that his constituents' views play little part in his actions.Can Tom Manion get a large chunk of those primary votes that went to Mrs. Clinton?

Exit polls and political developments on the Internet (see another of my columns) suggest he might be able to get at least one-third of them -- and perhaps more. A lot of those Hillary voters are going to look at people like Murphy as Public Enemy Number 1. Murphy's opponent is 30-year Marine Corp veteran Tom Manion. Mr. and Mrs. Manion lost their son, Travis, a Naval Academy graduate, in Iraq.

Frankly, a totally politicized and cynical creep like Murphy has no business being in Congress. Manion is a better candidate and a better man. Hillary Supporters value toughness and authenticity in a candidate. They certainly won't support a Hillary hater like Murphy.

It's clear how Manion should proceed with the Hillary voters. First, he can ask for them. Second, he can point out how Murphy shafted Mrs. Clinton in the race for the nomination. Third, he can use the primary results to show how Murphy's views are totally at variance with those of Bucks County Democrats -- let alone with the views of Republicans and Independents.

Overall, the best thing Tom Manion has going for him will be the fact that he's not Patrick Murphy.

Tom Manion: go out and win this election. To do so, he needs your help -- including your donations.

Murphy has money pouring into his campaign from special interests, including far-left extremist groups like Moveon.org and the Daily Kos. In fact, the Daily Kos, which loves the Murphys of the world, expelled Hillary supporters from its web site. Its constant message could be summed up in two words: "Hate Hillary." If people like you support Tom Manion, he can win this race.

I've suggested that people who are really serious about getting rid of Murphy give a part of their economic stimulus check to Manion. But even donations of as little as $10 to $20 will be very helpful.

Melissa Hart: Beating Jason Altmire

"American in 2008 is a mean place." (Michelle Obama, who apparently would like to become First Lady of this "mean place")

As you'll notice, my views about a Melissa Hart victory over Jason Altmire are not all that different from what McCain has to do to win over Obama in Pennsylvania. It's important to understand that Jason Altmire, who's one of Nancy Pelosi's and John Murtha's "pets" in Washington, will try to portray himself -- falsely -- as a centrist.

Also, as the campaign goes on, he and his surrogates and financial backers will try the same approach they relied on in 2006: to use their slime buckets in an attempt to heap mud on Melissa. Since Altmire will say anything and do anything to win, it's important that voters know exactly why so many observers describe him as a political guttersnipe

I'm working to get bloggers and other onliners to "link" (technically, emotionally, and politically) to Melissa's site -- and to keep going there. I also ask them to make small contributions (I mention $20 to $50) on the theory that if they make one, they'll make more. The 4th congressional district (north and west of Pittsburgh) is not a household term in, say, Texas or Oregon, but if it gets portrayed accurately as the most important congressional race in the country (and one that's critical to McCain's future), then it should get people's attention.

It's important to keep reminding people that Altmire called Murtha his "campaign manager" because, outside the 12th congressional district Murtha is as unpopular as it gets. I also link Altmire's name with that of Pelosi, on the basis that Altmire voted for her as Speaker and regularly votes with her on critical issues. On insignificant issues, Pelosi occasionally allows him to vote in accord with the wishes of voters in the 4th.

Also, on the Obama comments: he portrayed Pennsylvanians as a bunch of Bible-thumping, gun-toting rubes who take out their economic frustrations on immigrants and people who are "different" from Obama's supporters. Altmire apparently agrees on that point.

Finally, there's the issue of Altmire's radical donors, as revealed on www.opensecrets.org (go there and type in Altmire's name). He apparently believes he can accept huge amounts of money from radical left-wingers -- and somehow continue to portray himself as a centrist. In fact, Altmire is getting his "donations" from the same people who cheered Obama's sneering comments about Pennsylvanians and other average Americans. The contributors are people who believe in economic protectionism and in waging the War on Terror with rhetoric and platitudes rather than effective actions.

The America-haters of Moveon.org play as big a role in financing Altmire's campaign as they do in Obama's. (I'm going to write extensively in coming days about Altmire's money-men.) It's eminently fair to use Altmire's radical donors against him, because they're the ones who call the tune he dances to.

What's more, he needs to explain why he's taking money from union dues paid under duress by union bosses from members who support Melissa Hart. Because of his actions, Altmire should always be on the defensive -- right through November 4.

Overall, it's critical for people in the 4th who vote for John McCain to support Melissa Hart. She will back McCain's practical, yet often visionary, policies. Altmire would not.

In the 4th, the numbers look good. McCain will win the district by tens of thousands of votes (perhaps as many as 40,000 -- Bush having won in 2004 by 30,000). Thus, McCain should be putting wind in Melssa's sails.

Despite the vast amounts of money the far-Left is pouring into Altmire's campaign, Melissa Hart is looking more and more like a winner. Please visit her informative web site.

Bloggers who would like to reprint any of my material, including this column, are cordially invited to do so.

NOTE: ON MY OHIO AND NEW JERSEY SITES, WHICH I HOPE YOU'LL VISIT, I HAVE A SHORT PIECE TODAY ON BARACK OBAMA AS "AMERICA'S PET ROCK." Those sites are at: http://pennsylvaniaforjohnmccain.blogspot.com and http://newjerseyforjohnmccain.blogspot.com. In general, those sites focus on the particular states, although on occasion I cross-post. I have yet another site (yikes): http://pennsylvaniaforjohnmccain.blogspot.com. Its emphasis is on the relationship between the McCain Campaign and efforts by Republicans to take or hold congressional seats. I'm looking to hand off the Ohio and New Jersey sites to willing bloggers from those states.Your comments are always welcome.

McCain, Altmire, and Melissa Hart

Today (Saturday), I'm cross-posting from my Pennsylvania site (http://pennsylvaniaforjohnmccain.blogspot.com). Melissa Hart's site is at: http://peoplewithhart.com/.

Starting this weekend, I'm be writing more about congressional candidate Melissa Hart and her opponent, a loathsome creature named Jason Altmire. He won the seat in 2006 mainly by spewing falsehoods about Melissa --she called them "a pack of lies" -- and by making false promises to the voters of the 4th congressional district (where I live).

For example, he told the voters he opposed a "timetable" for withdrawal from Iraq. However, when he got to Congress and Nancy Pelosi and John Murtha showed him the Democratic "trick," he fell all over himself to vote for the timetable. He claimed to be pro-life, but in Washington he voted for federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research. He claimed -- and claims -- to be a conservative Democrat, but he voted for the largest tax increase in history. His motto seems to be: "Ask me no questions, and I'll tell you no truths." He's a piece of work, and he must be defeated.

Please visit Melissa's web site (http://peoplewithhart.com) and offer your support. If you can make a donation, I assure you it will be much appreciated.The Hart-Altmire will be one of the nation's most important. The national Democrat Party is pouring money into the race in order to prop up a weak and feckless candidate, Altmire, a former lobbyist. (Please check out Altmire's campaign funding on http://opensecrets.org. As you'll note, he is selling out to every interest group that comes bearing a bag-full of cash.

How does Melissa Hart's campaign relate to that of John McCain? Frankly, everyone in the 4th Congressional District -- and the country as a whole -- that wants to support McCain needs to back candidates like Melissa. It will do little good if we send John McCain to the White House -- and confront him with a Congress full of Altmire types.

So, how can you support Melissa Hart? You can do so by linking your blog, if you have one, to Melissa's. Also, visit her site regularly. And if you can do so, please consider contributing to her campaign so you can counter the national Democrats' effort to buy the seat for Altmire.

Finally, if you know people who lives in the 4th congressional district -- mainly north and west of Pittsburgh -- please ask them to support Melissa. The best way to ensure John McCain has a successful presidency is to send people like Melissa to Congress. Thanks for your help!

Note: If you would like, please reprint this material on your own blog. The Hart-Altmire race will be the most intensely fought contest in the U.S.

POLITICAL REALITIES: PENNSYLVANIA'S 12TH CD

www.blogtalkradio.com/libertarian -- If you'd like to go the archive, you'll hear Eric Dondero and Steve Maloney (yep, me) interviewing New York state congressman Peter King and others about the candidacies of Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romeny, John McCain, and others. I say something nice about Hillary Clinton, which may be an historic first.

Later this week I'll write one of my last pieces on the Russell-Murtha race. After analyzing the race carefully, I believe -- sadly -- that the election will not be winnable by Bill Russell; however, any Republican candidate that can chalk up (nearly) 100,000 votes would be in a good position to win the seat when Murtha retires or passes away. (Note: Based on past experience, it appears that Murtha will get approximately 145,000 votes in November, give or take a few thousand.)

Diana Irey has been the strongest challenger Murtha has faced, and she got nearly 79,000 votes (39% of the total) -- and they came in an off-year election. In off years, many people -- tens of thousands -- in the 12th CD don't bother to vote. A viable candidate needs to get a lot of them registered and then to the polling places.

There are ways, over time (perhaps four years), for a strong Republican candidate to win in the 12th. If a candidate shakes 100,000 hands and builds an extremely strong, volunteer-based organization, he (or she) can ESTABLISH A FOUNDATION FOR WINNING.

Right now, I don't see that happening. That means a majority of voters in the 12th will engage in their "Pavlov's Dog Syndrome," salivating every time they see Murtha's name on the ballot.

In the 12th, a truly strong candidate must disabuse voters of the notion that "John Murtha brings home the bacon." In fact, the median household income (MHI) in the 12th is an anemic $30,600 annually. That's one of the lowest totals in the state, about the same MHI as in inner-city Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. So, where's the bacon?

The MHI in the 12th is below the statewide average in either Mississippi and Alabama. The 12th CD is a depressed area. No major companies are interested in establishing facilities in the district. A major reason is that they don't want to deal with a corrupt bully like Murtha.

If a candidate explains such "inconvenient truths" to voters, it may not do a great deal of good. Old illusions, especially ones about Murtha, die hard. If the electorate wants to reward Murtha for bringing his district almost to the economic levels of Alabama and Mississippi, then there's little in the short-term that can be done.

I was getting ready to spend much of my next year working on the Russell-Murtha race. However, I've come to the view that, if 12th District voters want Murtha, then let them have him.

I'd rather spend the time working with candidates, such as Melissa Hart in PA's 4th District, who have a decent chance of winning. I believe she's willing to shake her "100,000 hands," and to build a huge volunteer base. She's committed to doing whatever it takes to win back her seat in Congress.

I wish William Russell all the best in his campaign against Murtha. If he goes door-to-door each day between now and next November, then he has a chance of doing well -- although not of winning outright. I urge voters in the 12th to support him. I also urge him to begin listening to people like yours truly, who have good ideas about how he can sharply increase Republican votes in his district.

I'm going to write more tonight and tomorrow about the New Hampshire primary. My father was born in Berlin (stress first syllable), New Hampshire, and I visited the state frequently when I lived in New England (VT & CT). The registration patterns in NH are unlike those in any other state -- with a tremendous number of "Independents."

Regarding Hillary Clinton, whom I regard as the best (by far) of the Democratic candidates. My friend Cindy at http://thepinkflamingo.blogharbor.com/blog wrote me that Hillary is at her best when she's apparently "down" and behind.

My response to Cindy: Monday, January 7, 2008: Hillary's another person who should hire you and me -- we wouldn't accept, but she needs some political realists around her. Also, she has a few conservative instincts and she should start letting them blossom. Obama is terrible on the WOT and other key issues, and Hillary should start pointing that out -- not be always trying to win the far Leftists whom she needs to avoid. Twenty percent of the registered Dems in the U.S. want us to lose in Iraq. She needs to wash her hands of those people. She must emphasize that the U.S. wins the WOT or else nothing that patriotic people (Dem. and Repub.) want for themselves and their children will come true. If she goes down, she should go down with guns blazing. Hillary should demonstrate her understanding that America's problems will be solved by the American people -- not by any particular President. Her husband understands that key point, and she should also.

MURTHA: BUYING VOTES IN PENNSYLVANIA

In 2002, Edward Rendell, a candidate for Governor, spent a huge amount of money on his campaign: $42 million. For Election Day "activities," he spent $700,000. Of that money, $450,000 went to Rendell backers in the 66 wards of Philadelphia. (Note: This information comes from The Almanac of American Politics, 2008 edition.)

In Democratic Party tradition, the $450,000 is known as "walking around money." It goes to individuals -- usually in cash -- who are supposedly getting out the vote for the Democrat, Rendell in this case.

Gee, does some of that vast sum of money get spent to pay people to vote for someone like Rendell? Of course it does.

But isn't buying votes illegal? Technically, yes. However, it occurs all over the country, mostly in heavily Democratic areas -- and usually in mostly Black areas.

How did Rendell do in Philadelphia? He won 79% of the vote there. He prevailed statewide by 57% to 43% -- even though he carried only TWO counties outside the Philly metro area. The massive vote for Rendell in Philly obliterated the large vote against him outside his home turf.

How did Philadelphia do under Mayor Rendell? It became the Misery Capital of the U.S., with extremely high rates of poverty, murder, and hopelessness, as well as an educational system in a state of collapse. A man with no sense of irony, Rendell called it "The Philadelphia Miracle."

Does John Murtha buy votes? Surely you jest: of course he does.

In a previous column, I noted that Murtha spent nearly $1.6 million on his campaign in 2004 -- when he was unopposed. He got 100% of the vote.Could he won if he had spent, say, $0? Yes, and he still would have gotten 100% of the votes cast, because there was no one opposing him.

But why would companies, executives, unions, and lobbyists have given him $1.6 million IF HE HAD NO NEED OF THE MONEY?

I regret to inform you that they gave him the money "for services rendered." He designated tax monies -- YOUR tax monies -- to various organizations that rewarded him with his "cut" -- that is, his portion of the tax monies. If you have another explanation, I'd love to hear it. I'd also love to hear Murtha's explanation, although that will not happen in the lifetime of anyone reading this.

In his campaigns, Murtha spends lots of monies on private investigators. Among other tasks, they exert a lot of energy trying to dig up dirt on Murtha's opponents, perhaps including yours truly, but certainly including opposing candidates.

He also sends money to various printers, political hacks, and old friends who make sure Jack Murtha gets re-elected until the time when God in His infinite wisdom "takes him home."

John Murtha is not a candidate who has anything so mundane as a campaign slogan, but if he did, it might be: "You scratch my back; I scratch your back." Or, if he went for just a few words, it could be: "Let's make a deal."

People ask me: "Why on earth would the good people of the 12th District vote for such a corrupt cynic as Murtha?" Many people do so out of habit. Others have given up on politics and don't vote at all -- one reason the 12th has the lowest vote totals in Pennsylvania. Still others are afraid that without Murtha an economically distressed area -- which most of the 12th is -- will collapse and start resembling the economies of Somalia or North Korea.

In fact, the greatest barrier to economic growth in the 12th -- a beautiful area with hardy people -- is Murtha himself. What companies are going to invest in an area where the federal representative and his cronies always have their hands out for "donations?"

Even in Murtha's hometown of Johnstown, the Median Household Income is about half the total for the U.S. as a whole. Population has been declining in Johnstown for 60 years -- it has lost an additional 6% in this century. It has many buildings named after John Murtha and his relatives, but not many local residents actually working in those buildings. The young people get good educations at the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown and other institutions, but after they graduate, most of them leave to find real jobs.

My bet? That John Murtha will not buy able to buy enough votes this year to win in the 12th congressional district. Lt. Col. Bill Russell is his worst nightmare -- and the best hope for the people in this long-neglected district.


I wrote the following to a (small) conservative group that spends a lot of time deciding the (long) list of Republican candidates they won't vote for. In politics, there's always one candidate who better than the other one, so we vote for the best one -- period.

I usually find out that people unwilling to compromise their "principles" are the ones that really don't have any. Having a bunch of ideological crochets and misinformation is not a sign of principle. There's an old saying that we "all have a right to our own opinions, but we don't have a right to our own facts." So-called principles based on fear and isolation aren't worth a pistachio nut.

I've spent more time than I should talking about the pros (many) and cons (some) of Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, and other candidates. My strong impression is that most people know very little about those candidates or their histories. Instead, they have half-baked opinions mostly based on the latest uproars from Michael Savage or Rush Limbaugh, two highly verbal individuals who lack any sort of basic education or ability to look at any issue in a balanced way.


Somebody recently wrote about how young people (ages 18-30) don't matter. I have worked with conservative (mainly Christian) young people on politics for nearly 40 years. We Republicans and conservatives got skunked in 2006 by younger voters voting for Democrats. The young people apparently assumed the Democrats cared about them while we didn't. There's some truth in that assumption.

We conservatives have written off a majority of the American people: Hispanics (legal ones, the largest minority group), Blacks (the second largest minority group), young people, women professionals (teachers, businesswomen, doctors, lawyers, and journalists), gays/lesbians, people who are pro-choice, and on and on. We can't win much of anything (outside Mississippi and Alabama) with that strategy.

I mentioned that Republicans and Democrats had equal numbers in 2004. Now, the Democrats (the liberals!) have a 10-point advantage.

People can say what they want, but shouldn't we be talking about ways to make the Republican Party (or whatever) more competitive? People telling me that voters were disappointed in Republicans so they voted Democratic aren't really helping much. They're essentially saying we should do more of what turned people off in the past. That makes no sense.

We need to be smarter about how we look at politics. We need fewer opinions (mistakenly called "principles") and more facts. We also need to get more in touch with the American people -- and less in touch with people who share our prejudices.

WHERE DOES MURTHA'S MONEY GO?

The following three paragraphs are from an e-mail I wrote to a friend. I will expand on these comments in Monday's column. Most conservatives are against Campaign Finance Reform (CFR), but frankly, something has to be done -- otherwise our congressional elections will continue to look more like coronations. Any suggestions?

Right now, the congressional candidate who has the most money wins 94% of the time. Is that really what the Founding Fathers had in mind?

In my blog, I write regularly about John Murtha's financing, which is basically bribery money. In 2004, when he had NO opponent (he got 100% of the votes cast), he spent nearly $1.6 million on his "campaign."

Can any of my readers figure out how he "spent" $1.6 million in a race with NO OPPONENT?

(Hint: It's going to pay off supporters for their votes and donations. Yeah, I'm saying he's transferring back money that orginally came about as earmarks. Yikes.)

Apparently, he has spent nearly $1,000,000 in 2007 (for a race in 2008). Think your very worst thoughts about where that money is going. The exact figures should be out in approximately 10 days on http://www.opensecrets.org/.

The best way you can do something about this situation is to send a contribution to William Russell.

James H. said the following in the Comments section:

Let em say this about Campaign Finance reform. I think the key to reform is not limiting money but it being very transparent!!!

If I wish to spend my money promoting political cause x I think that is sacred. I think that should be protected.

As to Murtha. I guess after last year and his weird comments on troop deployments I can never understand why people would vote him in. I suppose as Tip O'Neil said All politics is local and he must have an angle there that I am not seeing a thousand miles away.

The following is my response:

James: I hope there is a debate about campaign finance. Some of the donations (so-called) are transparent. In Murtha's case, they are from people (UPMC, PMA Group, CTC) who have benefited from huge handouts (earmarks) and are paying Murtha back for them.

If Murtha accepts a bag-full of money from the PMA Group, it's illegal. If it comes in the form of checks, it's legal. The Democratic Left (George Soros and friends) is winning the fund-raising battle. As long as that happens, "democracy" becomes something of a sham, a process designed to re-elect incumbents unto something approaching eternity.

All that said, I hope you'll contribute to William Russell, which you can do by going to: http://williamrussellforcongress.com/. He's an outstanding candidate.


My Fellow Conservatives, Please Grow Up!

Like my fellow conservative Cindy, at The Pink Flamingo, I must be part of a declining breed: i.e., someone who'd rather win an election with a good candidate than lose one with an ideologically pure individual. On one board, someone was writing about how Republican presidential candidates had to be more conservative. I wrote the following:

My response is that the candidates seem to be running for President of the United States not the President of Alabama and Mississippi. I've just been reading the wonderful Almanac of American Politics about the election of 2006. All the Democrats in the House (more than two-thirds of them) who voted against the border fence got re-elected -- not most of them, all of them.

Many of the Republicans who voted for it (and all but six did) lost. That scenario is of course the opposite of what some people are assuring us will happen in 2008, though there's no poll evidence to suggest they're right.

Do we really need to make ourselves into a permanent minority? We're very much headed in that direction.

Look at it this way: in 2006, many Republican conservatives (in the upper house, Sen. George Allen, Sen. Jim Tallent, Sen. Mike DeWine, Tom Kean, and Sen. Rick Santorum) lost. Who won against them? Oh, the Democratic liberals. Anyone who ignores that development has nothing to say on the political situation.

CALLING ALL BLOGGERS: RUSSELL CAMPAIGN

The blogging community will play an important part in helping Lt. Col. Bill Russell defeat John Murtha. If you look on my other site (one that has the same postings as this one), you'll discover approximately 40 blogs listed as "4 Russell." All these blogs have printed material supportive of Russell; several of the bloggers have contributed to the campaign; a few are actively involved in their own fundraising efforts for the campaign; an important group of the bloggers (Douglas Gibbs, Eric Dondero, Jenn of the Jungle, and Snooper) have interviewed Bill and other people supporting him on BlogTalkRadio.

Traditionally, liberal, the "netroots" (or "nutroots," as some call them) have been better than we conservatives at online politics. That's changing -- as it must if we're to say competitive.

In 2004, Joe Trippi ran the successful Internet campaign for Howard Dean, and it was a tremendous success. In Trippi's book The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, he says that Dean's "Meetup" site had 600,000 participants. The Dean Campaign rasied more than $50 million, much of it coming from people online.

No Republican Campaign has come anywhere close to those numbers, although Ron Paul is setting some records of his own. In one day, Paul raised a total of $10 mllion from people contributing online.

To defeat John Murtha (who will spend $4 million-plus in this election cycle), Bill Russell needs to raise at least $500,000 -- preferably more. As usual, the Murtha campaign will throw money at his supporters in ways that are of questionable legality. In contrast, the Russell effort will be scrupulously legal and very efficient, with every dollar aimed at finding and getting votes.

In terms of contributions, Russell is doing well online, but needs to keep doing better. Correction, those of us campaigning online have to do better. We have to keep spreading the message that Murtha can be beaten -- and will be with the supportive of the conservative online community.

Yes, John Murtha will receive many millions of dollars from lobbyists and companies that he's essentially bought and paid for with federal dollars, a percentage of which are returned to him in the form of campaign contributions.

You can check out the malicious mess that is the Murtha Campaign by going to http://opensecrets.org and keying in the name "Murtha." You'll see that for the 2008 election, he'd already spent by last September 30, a total of almost $700,000. By the December 31 Federal Election Commission reporting date, Murtha will have spent more than a million dollars.

I assure you the contributions didn't come from lobbyists and companies committed to Good Government.

How can those of us committed to Russell overcome that avalanche of payoffs to "The Prince of Pork?" We can do it by outsmarting him in the campaign, which luckily won't be that hard. We can also do it by making the maximum use of an inexpensive medium -- the Internet. For example, this particular communication is not costing me anything, aside from the blood, sweat, and tears always involved with writing.

What do we need? At least 30,000 people online backing the Russell Campaign by advocating his candidacy (relax, we apparently have more than 1,000 already). Of the 30,000 as many as 2,000 should be bloggers. We also need 3,000-plus people to go the Russell web site and contribute money. A lot of contributions of $20, $50, and $100 will go a long way toward defeating Murtha.

Politics isn't brain surgery. It consists of the three M's: message, mobilization (of supporters), and money, which is necessary to get the message out and to mobilize thousands of people to win this race.

What can you do? Be one of those people that spreads the message; also, be a person who asks others to join you in volunteering to help Russell.

The third part is the most important. We conservatives need to start out-contributing the liberals.

Go the Russell web site and so what you can to make sure this outstanding candidate has the support he needs. Trust me: you'll feel good about it.

"SUPPORT OUR TROOPS": ELECT RUSSELL

In his campaign against John Murtha, Bill Russell's campaign slogan is: "Embrace The Future!" It's a great tagline, because Murtha with his corruption, his bullying manner, and his total incomprehension of the War on Terror is certainly "The Voice of Christmas Past."

Russell, a husband, a father of two young children, and an Army Ranger who saw action in Desert Storm, the Balkins, and Iraqi Freedom is the Voice of the Future, for America generally and PA's 12th District specifically.

I've suggested another slogan, perhaps for bumper stickers: "Support Our Troops . . . Elect Russell." In fact, our troops -- in their role of killing or capturing terrorists -- will play a major role in advancing our country's future. We can't afford another 9/11 -- materially, psychologically, or spiritually. If we couldn't stop al Qaida from launching terrorist attacks against the U.S. and our allies, we would have a very uncertain future.

One critical way we can support our troops is to vote for soldiers -- and their staunchest supporters -- running for federal offices. That's why this blog is backing Iraq War vets like Bill Russell (PA), Eric Egland (CA), and Duncan Duane Hunter (CA), as well as the only female veteran in Congress, Heather Wilson. I'm also supporting Melissa A. Hart (PA), who's not a veteran but is a true Warrior in her commitment to our military, and I'm supporting Rep. Jean Schmidt of Ohio for the same reasons. We need ALL these people in the Congress, and I urge you to visit their web sites.

It's important that we get Representatives and Senators in Washington, DC who are familiar with the situation we face in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. Russell, Egland, Hunter, Hart, Schmidt, and Wilson are people who know what must be done to protect America -- and to turn around the dangerous situations in the MidEast (e.g., Iraq and Iran) and Pakistan.

In the past, Jack Murtha has received significant support from veterans and their families. But with Murtha's defeatist -- and demonstrably false -- statements about the Haditha Marines and others, there's no excuse for ANY veteran voting for him. A vote for Murtha is a vote against American soldiers and veterans.

Frightened people -- and Murtha is one -- in Congress are trying to turn military victory, which we're achieving, into political defeat. As Bill Russell has pointed out, they are trying to turn Iraq into another Vietnam. Murtha wants to "redeploy" soldiers in war zones to faraway Okinawa. He might as well call for a disbanding of the military. He's basically inviting al Qaida to turn Iraq into a terrorist playground.

Active duty soliders and veterans in the 12th District -- as many as 50,000 individuals -- understand that Murtha now has "blood on his hands." His statements, so comforting to America's enemies, domestic and foreign, have certainly led to the deaths of many Americans -- and others.

Calling American Marines "cold-blooders killers" is not the kind of statement any decent human being makes. It was false in every particular, and it did nothing but benefit the enemy.

People who truly support our troops will not back Jack Murtha. They will not give him money -- basically payoffs for his federal handouts -- and they will not give him their votes.

Everyone who believes Murtha Must Go should volunteer to join Team Russell. Also, patriotic Americans must provide Russell the funds he needs to win. Hundreds of people have contributed to the campaign -- and many thousands more will do so. Today is the time to do so.

NOTE: I'm getting questions about Melissa Hart, who is running in my own district (PA 4th) against Jason Altmire, a pseudo-conservative Democrat, to regain her seat. You can contribute to Melissa, a wonderful conservative, by sending a check to the following:

People With Hart
PO Box 435
Wexford, PA 15090

At the same time, please send a check to:

William Russell for Congress
PO Box 630
Johnstown, PA 15907

Please look at your contributions as an Investment in America's Future.

Russell Meeting Upcoming

There will be an important "Meet the Candidate" upcoming (details will follow) in Johnstown, PA. The featured candidate will be Lt. Col. William T. Russell of Johnstown, who's running for the 12th District congressional seat against John Murtha. It will be a great opportunity for you to meet fellow political activists.

Many people have contributed to Bill Russell and many, many more will. If you haven't contributed yet, do at the Russell web site. If you'd like to send a check by mail, it should go to:

William Russell for Congress
P.O. Box 630
Johnstown, PA 15907

It's critically important to raise "early money" in order to establish a foundation for victory. This is a national effort that's getting support from all 50 states.

I've written many columns here on exactly how Murtha can be defeated. However, the key to victory lies with people like you who believe deeply that the Murtha era must come to an end for the good of our troops and the country as a whole.

Lobbyists and other who have benefited from Murtha's government handouts are pouring money into his campaign. These people need to be confronted with the error of their ways, as their "contributions" are compromising our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as causing economic harm to the country.

To defeat both Murtha and the special interests that support him, people of moderate and conservative views need to step up and back an outstanding American, Lt. Col. William T. Russell. The total focus of this campaign is victory on Election Eve.

Team Russell needs your strong support. You'll be part of an army of volunteers.

Truthboating John Murtha: "Moldy Bacon"

John Murtha is known in the 12th congressional district as the man "who brings home the bacon."

Unless the "bacon" is a metaphor for low household incomes through the district, then it's the wrong term. The median household incomes in the 12th District are among the lowest in Pennsylvania. Population in 12th District has been in a steady decline -- including Murtha's hometown of Johnstown -- a sure sign of economic distress.

What I'm saying about median household income will come as news to quite a few people in the 12th. If John Murtha has been so good for the district, why are economic conditions so bad?
If you have any doubts about what I'm saying, go to the web site dedicated to outlining conditions in towns across America. It's called epodunk.com.

Fill in the names of towns in the 12th, including Johnstown, Windber, Latrobe, Monongahela, Monessen (hometown of Joe Namath), Waynesburg, and even beautiful Washington, PA. Check the median household incomes against the national averages -- and against Pennsylvania averages. The web site use data from the U.S. Census Report.

William Russell's campaign manager (Larry Stiles) tells the story of meeting two middle-aged women in Johnstown. Both of them were quick to sing the praises of Congressman Murtha. But when Larry pressed them about economic conditions, one woman said, "Well, the kids get a good college education, but when they graduate from college there are no jobs for them, so they all move away."

If you're a corporate executive, a lobbyist, or a cancer surgeon in the 12th, John Murtha probably done well for you. If you're member of the other 90%, he's done little or nothing for you.

What's wrong with that picture?

What's right with the 12th District in this election cycle is William T. Russell.

The people in the 12th District are wonderful, and the area is beautiful. It deserves better than Jack Murtha.

Stephen R Maloney

Russell-Murtha: Warrior Vs. Wimp

Veterans and William Russell: In the 12th District of PA, there are approximately 50,000 veterans and active duty soldiers.

It's critical that the Russell Campaign comes as close as possible to contacting every one of them. Any veteran who's been paying attention to Murtha's antics is not going to vote for him. In this case it's the Warrior, Russell, versus the Wimp, Murtha.

With his despicable comments about the Haditha Marines, Murtha is going to learn the full meaning of an old saying: "Sin in haste, repent at leisure."

In additions to the vets, there may be 100,000-plus family members (mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, and cousins) of current or past soldiers. Again, it's necessary to contact as many as possible. Face-to-face contact is the best kind.

Mailings can be expensive. Sending out 100,000 letters will have a postage cost alone of $41,000. That's going to be a lot of money for the Russell Campaign, one that frankly needs your money. One key is to holding costs down is to send mail to the "right" people, who are those will read it and tend to react positively.

Mass mailings over the Internet are relatively inexpensive, but tricky. It's not easy (or sometimes, even cheap) to get e-mail addresses for a lot of people, although the Russell Campaign should have tens of thousands by next fall.

Successful political operatives are pack-rats. They save everything, especially names, home addresses, phone numbers, voting preferences, and e-mail addresses.

The major focus should be on contacting Democrats and Independents*. Russell is not going to have a problem attracting Republican supporters. They will find him rather than the other way around.

The most important "Democrats" are those who have a history of voting for Republicans, especially in presidential elections. Such people tend to congregate in certain zip codes, and so they're not especially hard to target.

Murtha does not have a lock on District Democrats, who have a 2.2 to 1.0 registration edge. In 2006, Democrats apparently went for Murtha by 3-2, which is a far cry from the registration picture. A good number of Democrats aren't Murtha fans. Another segment of Democrats apparently has given up on voting. (Compared to adjoining districts, the 12th has very low vote totals.)

If Russell can turn the Democrat vote ratio for Murtha from 3-2 into 4-3, then on election eve, John Murtha will turn into the political equivalent of Pumpkin. That won't be an easy task for Russell, but it's certainly not impossible. Of course, some people would vote for Murtha if he was sporting an orange jump suit (pumpkin-colored?) and shackles, which he probably should be.


*"Independents" is sometimes a euphemism for people who aren't very interested in politics and are unlikely voters. Those Independents who do vote have a tendency to split roughly 50-50. With a strong campaign of volunteers, Russell should be able to move that to 60-40 in his favor.

You can contribute to William T. Russell by going to: http://williamrussellforcongress.com/. If you'd prefer a mailing address, it is:

William Russell for Congress
P. O. Box 630
Johnstown, PA 15907

Your Christmas Gift to Russell

(Above) Portrait of an Angry Loudmouth

. . . and a lump of coal for John Murtha, who loves his office but not his country

I sent the letter below to Libertarian-Republican activist Eric Dondero and several hundred of my closest friends and political allies. I've appeared this year twice on Eric's BlogTalkRadio site, as well as on Douglas Gibbs's Political Pistachio, Jenn of the Jungle's "Screw Liberals," and Snooper's program. I recommend all of them, and they're listed on my blogroll. They're helping to transform politics in this country. Of great interest to me, they're all generating donations to the Russell Campaign.

In 2006, Diana Lynn Irey, a dear friend of mine and an heroic figure, ran against Murtha and received 7,000 contributions from all 50 states. In contrast, Murtha got 6,500, although his average contribution was much larger than Diana's. If William Russell can get an unprecedented 10,000 contributions -- many of them $50 or less -- he will send Murtha into an unplanned "early retirement." You can donate to William by going to his site here. Please do so right now.

Eric and Friends: I much enjoyed my appearance on your radio show last night. Jason, who spoke for the Romney campaign, and Norma Jean, who spoke for herself and libertarian views, were excellent. There aren't many radio shows that can produce that sort of dynamism and candor. Norma Jean raised issues in such a compelling way that she did something unusual: she made me re-think my stand on some key issues, especially the need to defer to people who exercise their freedom in unconventional ways.

I truly hope that everyone who follows you, your blog, and your radio show will unite behind the candidacy of Lt. Col. William Russell as he does everything in his power to defeat John Murtha in PA's 12th congressional district.

This may end up as the most important congressional race in the nation. If Murtha goes down, the shock waves would reverberate around the world. This will be a very hard race to win, but it is certainly not impossible. Even at this early stage, Lt. Col. Russell's campaign is shaping up as one of the most imaginative and effective ever waged.

This race can't be won if it restricts itself merely to the 12th District. It must be a national effort, one supported by conservatives and libertarians in all 50 stages. Russell will not be able to outspend Murtha, but he is outsmarting him -- and having a real influence on Murtha's previous position of total opposition to American efforts in Iraq and the Middle East.

When Murtha said, "The surge is working," what he really meant is that he is very concerned about Russell's candidacy.

I urge everyone who believes "Murtha MUST go" to visit Russell's web site. He needs thousands of volunteers around the nation, including those who will join "Bloggers 4 Russell," a rapidly growing group that will eventually include more than 500 bloggers.

Most of all, at this early stage, he needs financial support. People who've never contributed to a campaign before are giving $20, $50, and even $100 or more. Personally, I've given more than $400 and will contribute more, even though I'm not exactly in the category of "affluent." Murtha collects huge bag-fulls of cash from lobbyists and various companies that benefit from his shameful "earmarks."

To counteract that situation, Russell needs many small contributions ($200 or less) from perhaps 10,000 people who love this country and are deeply disturbed by the antics of Murtha.I appeal to everyone to put this appeal on their blogs or to send it to their e-mail lists. Unity and enthusiasm are keys to winning against Murtha.

Lt. Col. Russell, who was born on a military base, has devoted an entire lifetime to supporting and protecting the U.S. Now, it's our turn to support him. Many people have volunteered to solicit financial support for the Russell Campaign. I hope you'll join them.

John Murtha has said that being a congressman is all about "making deals." On the other hand, William Russell believe that being a congressman is all about making this a better -- freer, more secure, more prosperous -- country.

To win, Russell needs to add just ONE PERCENT to the votes George Bush received in the district in 2004. That's certainly not an impossible task. Please visit http://williamrussellforcongress.com/ -- and do so today.

Steve Maloney
Ambridge, PA

Investor's Busines Daily Support Troops AND Mission:

INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY

Posted 12/19/2007Year In Review: Time selects Vladimir Putin as its "Person of the Year" because of the stability he has brought to Russia.

Our choice is Gen. David Petraeus — the man who helped bring democracy to the Middle East.

MURTHA: Art of the Payoff

In 2004, John Murtha faced no opposition whatsoever for his congressional seat. He got 100% of the vote.

That same year, Murtha’s fundraising for his “campaign” added up to $2.3 million. His “expenditures” on the “campaign” totaled $1.56 million.

So, he spent more than a million-and-a-half dollars to vanquish a non-existent opposition. Huh?

It wasn’t as if he was expecting a well-financed contender to raise lots of money and contest vigorously for the seat. In 2002, Murtha raised $2.4 million and got 74% of the vote. His opponent, Republican Dr. Bill Choby, raised only $17,000 and got just 25% of the vote.

Let’s focus on the $1.56 that Murtha “spent” in the uncontested year of 2004. As you’ve noticed, I’ve been putting lots of words in quotes, including “campaign,” “expenditures,” and “spent.”

The reason I’ve done so is that such concepts don’t apply to Murtha.

In this century, Murtha has raised (and most spent) nearly $10 million. Although he comes from one of the poorer districts in the Mid-Atlantic region, he’s one of the biggest fundraisers in Congress. He raises about twice as much as the average U.S. congressional representative.

To hold his seat, given the huge Democratic edge in registration, he didn’t have to raise $10 million. In fact, he probably didn’t need to raise anything.

The $1.56 million he spent in 2004 is a giant red flag. How does someone spend such a huge amount of money in a race that’s already decided before the election season even begins? How does an unopposed candidate in a safe district spend more than candidates locked in tight races?

I mean: WHERE DID ALL THE MONEY GO?

To understand, you need to know how Murtha conceives of being a federal representative. It’s merely a matter, as he’s said, “of making deals.” Campaign funding? He gets large earmarks, federal dollars, for companies that really don’t need them, and they reward him with giant contributions. They’re so grateful for all your federal dollars that they name buildings after him.

And what campaign expenditures – all those millions that never had to be raised or spent? Those are also payoffs to various people – printers, writers, photographers, billboard companies, private investigators, and others – who are financially dependent on Murtha.

The monies are basically payments for votes by various companies and their employees. “You scratch my back, and I scratch your back.”

It doesn’t really cost great piles of cash to campaign against nobody, as happened in 2004. The expenditures are really reminders to people of whom they’re dependent on: that is, Murtha.

In short, you give to Jack Murtha, and he returns the favors. The “expenditures” are a form of vote-buying. It's like a big recycling project, with dollars going back-and-forth.

What I’m telling you here is something that’s well-known in the 12th congressional district. Increasingly, the people in that area think it stinks, which it does. What does isn't exactly what The Founding Fathers had in mind.

Like Diana Irey before him, William Russell is a breath of fresh air. He needs and deserves your support.

POLITICS: THE FUNDAMENTALS AND VICTORY

In the generally wonderful OpenSecrets.org, you'll read that, in federal races, the candidate who spends the most money wins 90%-plus of the time. That statistic is somewhat misleading.

William T. Russell is not going to spend nearly as much money as John Murtha, who may end up forking out $4 million. I don't know how much money Russell will raise, but it won't be anywhere near Murtha's financial numbers.

If Russell does everything right, he should win anyway. One thing he definitely needs is to try to shake every hand in the district.

The best way to get someone's vote is to ask for it. Ask enough people -- say, 100,000 of them -- and you will do well. The key is to convince enough Independents and, especially, Democrats that Lt. Col Russell is an outstanding person, a good man.

He's a Republican, a fact he won't emphasize in this Democrat-intensive area. He needs to share the other positive aspects of his story -- that he's a husband a father, that he's basically spent a lifetime in the military (born on an Army base), that he has defended American interests in Desert Storm, the Balkans, and Iraqi Freedom. Also, he's firmly asserted that he doesn't want any buildings named after him, unlike his narcissistic opponent.

John Murtha is an angry guy who's not aging well. He's widely known as a bully, especially in his dealings with younger congressmen and congresswomen. His major accomplishment is getting large handouts of federal money for companies that don't need the assistance. He's been a major supporter of people like Pelosi and Waxman, who have nothing in common with the people of Murtha's district. He's sold out to every lobbyist with a bagful of cash.

If Russell can get these points across, this could be real horserace.

BLOGGERS FOR RUSSELL: "THREE Ms"

BLOGGERS FOR RUSSELL AND THE "THREE Ms"

Here's how the Bloggers 4 Russell will work: When we get to approximately 100 Bloggers 4 Russell, they'll all be asked to make modest contributions to the Russell Campaign -- and to ask their thousands of blog visitors to do the same. Such requests for donations will be made in January, March, and May, times when it's essential that Russell store up enough monetary "acorns" to get his message across and mobilize supporters (the Three "Ms," message, mobilization, and money). As we get above 200 Bloggers 4 Russell, they'll be asked to contact bloggers and friends in PA and -- especially -- in the 12th congressional district. As the campaign goes into the spring and summer, there will be a heavy emphasis on the state and district. My personal goal is to play a role in soliciting 1,000 volunteers for Russell who will work in the district, making calls, registering and canvassing voters, stuffing envelopes, answering phones, and the like. If Russell can get 1,000 active volunteers -- people who collectively influence tens of thousands of votes -- he will win, much to Murtha's amazement.

Note: Be sure to read the column below on "President Hillary Clinton."

Peg Luksik & Defeating Murtha

Well-said: "When government gives a shekel, it gives a shackle." By Peg Luksik, Johnstown, PA, mother of six children and a former candidate for Governor and Founder of "Mom's House," an alternative to abortion.

"With government coins, comes government control." (Me)

I met Peg in Johnstown at a William Russell function a month ago and found her to be a very impressive person. I believe I disagree with her somewhat about John Murtha's stance on the sanctity of life -- and also perhaps on the best way to campaign against him. At some point, I'd like to write more on Mrs. Luksik, with an emphasis on our different views about what's possible in American government and what's not. If you want to know more about her views while she ran for Governor (in 1998), go here.

The best way -- the only way -- to campaign against John Murtha is to attack him -- for his gratuitous comments about the Haditha Marines and the War generally, for his abject failure to "bring home the bacon" to his economically depressed congressional district, and for his total sell-out to lobbyists, most of them living the high life in the Washington Beltway. (More later today)http://nationaljournal.com/pubs/almanac/2006/people/pa/rep_pa12.htm

It's true that many people in the Johnstown area (Cambria County) look at John Murtha as "a decorated veteran of Viet Nam" and a man who has "brought home the bacon" to the 12th Congressional District. In fact, there are serious questions -- ones Murtha has never put to rest with medical records -- about his "wounds" (very minor one) in Viet Nam. Former Democratic congressman Don Bailey has said Murtha told him he basically fabricated his heroism in Viet Nam. (See: http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=%5CPolitics%5Carchive%5C200601%5CPOL20060113d.html

In fact, Viet Nam -- like ABSCAM, another less-than-stellar moment for Murtha -- was long ago. Voters in the 12th District, like many across the nation, tend to put a "statute of limitations" on past misdeeds. In 2006, Diana Irey focused her TV campaign mainly on ABSCAM, and it didn't seem to help her that much.

On the other hand, Murtha's exaggerated claims about producing some sort of economic rebirth in the 12th District are absurd. As I've pointed out in a previous column -- with statistics from the Almamac of American Politics and the Bureau of Labor Statistics -- very few people in the 12th have benefited from the huge amounts of federal dollars Murtha has brought in. The Median Household Income (MHI) in most of the 12th, especially Greene County, is below the MHIs in inner-city districts in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

Murtha's failures to energize local economies should be a major issue, as should his self-serving -- and false -- accusations about the "Haditha Marines," one of whom (Justin Sharratt) is in Murtha's District. Did he know that Sharratt lived in Washington County? Frankly, such considerations don't seem to matter to Murtha.

He was running for Majority Leader and anti-military remarks helped him with far-Left Democrats like Obey and Waxman. No mater, I guess, that the remarks energized al Qaida in Iraq.

I've written before on John Murtha's shaky stance on issues related to the sanctity of life. Peg Luksik -- mentioned above -- differs with me on this issues. She believes Murtha has taken steps to advance the pro-life cause, and I disagree vigorously. Murtha has endorsed many extremist Democrats, most notably Nancy Pelosi, who favor partial birth abortion and other abominations. If Murtha opposed abortion as a matter of principle, he would not be head cheerleader for Democrats who want nothing done to reduce abortions.

Jack Murtha lives in a world that would be incomprehensible to most 12th District voters, including the Democrats. Here's how author John Brady describes the DC of the past (and present): "Washington was a men's club, basically, where the key to success was building relationships." (From Bad Boy: The Life and Politics of Lee Atwater)

Brady adds, "Washington was also about men making deals, using a smiling face . . . as a front for carrying on with some of the most ruthless behavior in the land." This is a world people like Peg Luksik, Diana Irey, and even William Russell only know from a distance. John Murtha? He's one of the one men who created that world.

Political guru Lee Atwater (who also knew the world of "ruthless behavior") was an expert on defeating Democrats in districts that were staunchly Democratic. (He was talking about the South in early 1970s, but his remarks apply to Murtha's district.)

Atwater said, "Republicans in the South [in 1970] could not win elections by talking about issues. You had to make the case that the other candidate was a bad guy."

Precisely. You can's defeat Murtha by saying that he's basically "a good guy who's somehow gone astray." Frankly, if he was a 'good guy," which he's not, he'd deserve to be re-elected until he was carried out feet-first from the House.

Murtha may be a good something, but he's NOT a good man. Granted, some people in the 12th enjoy living life in a veil of illusion. But many voters are aware that he's a self-aggrandizing bully, and they're the ones a candidate like Russell should be appealing to.

If you read the statistics (economic, voter registration, vote totals) about the 12th carefully, they tell the story of how Murtha can be defeated. You'll hear more about those statistics in the days ahead.

The critical moments for Lt. Col. William Russell will occur in the coming winter and spring. He will need to raise enough money to mobilize supporters and get his message across. If he does those things, he can win.

William Russell, Heather Wilson: Excellence

Bulletin: If you want to support our troops -- and all of you do -- please be aware of the veterans who are running for Congress, including William T. Russell, Eric Egland, and Duncan Duane Hunter (the presidential candidate's son). Please be good enough to go to their web sites and offer them any assistance you can.

http://williamrussellforcongress.com/
http://ericegland.com/
http://hunterin08.com/

It's clearly time to send people to Congress who actually have first-hand knowledge of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Russell, Egland, and Hunter do.

Air Force veteran and former Rhodes Scholar Heather A. Wilson of New Mexico is running for the U.S. Senate seat in New Mexico. She's the only female veteran ever elected to Congress. Heather is a staunch supporter of the military and an expert on foreign affairs, especially in the Middle East. She's exactly the kind of person we need to improve the quality of government in DC. You can find her site at:
http://heatherforsenate.com/.

A Vets4Russell web site will be appearing soon, and I urge everyone to visit it. Veterans are a critical constituency for Murtha opponent William T. Russell. There are approximately 50,000 veterans in Russell's 12th Congressional District of PA. We won't get all of them, but we will get the vast majority of them. The damage Murtha has done with his irresponsible comments about Haditha is incalculable.

I'll be one of the contributors to the site.

I also urge everyone to visit the Web site of the only female veteran ever elected to Congress -- Air Force Academcy graduate and Rhodes Scholar Heather Wilson. She's running for the New Mexico Senate seat to replace Sen. Pete Domenici. You can find her at: http://heatherforsenate.com/.

The absolute best way we can "support our troops" is to elect quality people like William Russell and Heather Wilson. Contributing to these fine people is the best step we can take to improve the quality of our government. Please do so today!
steve maloney
http://camp2008victorya.blogspot.com/
http://stevemaloneygop.blogspot.com/

The absolutely critical challenge in the Russell Campaign are how to "detach" conservative Democrats from the Murtha column. In the 12th District, there are twice as many registered Democrats as Republicans.

However, many of those Democrats -- up to 45% -- have shown themselves willing to vote for Republican candidates. In 2004, President Bush -- not the most popular figure in PA -- got 49% of the vote against John Kerry. In fact, Bush won Murtha's home county (Cambria).

Murtha's recent statement that "The Surge is working" reflects the fact that he's feeling the "heat" from the Russell Campaign. Many veterans in the district look at Murtha's disgraceful statements about the Haditha Marines and wonder, "Gee, what's wrong with good ole John?"

The Russell Campaign needs to convince such people that Murtha has "lost it," that he's more concerned with preserving his own political power than protecting the troops. Many Democrats are beginning to recongize that but they're not quite willing -- yet -- to vote against Murtha.

Of course, Murtha gets conservative votes because many people in the District believe "He brings home the bacon!" As I've pointed out previously -- using Bureau of Labor Statistics data -- Murtha DOES NOT bring home the bacon.

Yes, he does use taxpayer dollars to bring some "captive jobs" to the Johnstown area. However, most of the District remains economically depressed. The median household income in the 12th is one of the lowest in the state -- about the same as inner-city districts in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.

Do conservative Democrats in the 12th know these things? A growing number do, but a majority still believes that Murtha has done great things for the District.

Murtha's focus in the 21st century has been to raise huge amounts of cash for his campaigns. Until the year 2000 -- and you can find this in OpenSecrets -- his campaign funds were about average, even though he rarely even had any opposition. He's had strong opposition only once in this century, but every two years he raises Brobdinagian funds that are double the congressional average.

In other words, if you want tens of millions in federal handouts ("earmarks") from John Murtha, you'd better be prepared to pony up with huge "donations." Apparentely, the funds get distributed back to various supporters, including his former aide Paul Magliochetti (of the PMA lobbying Group). Magliochetti makes millions from Murtha's actions -- and returns hundreds of thousands in campaign gifts.

The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) has received tens of millions in federal dollars via Murtha. UPMC, also the former employer of Rep. Jason Altmire, is known for wildly overcharging patients and their insurers. This supposed "non-profit" generated a surplus (i.e., profit) of $460 million in the first nine months of 2007. UPMC has given more than $300,000 to Murtha in this century -- including $100,000 in 2007.

Are most conservative Democrats aware of the strange goings-on with campaign funds? Apparently, very few of them are. The notion that Murtha is "a good guy" is one of the abiding myths in the 12th District. But grown-ups eventually stop believing in myths.

There are real opportunities here for the Russell Campaign. Murtha's past electoral successes are based on illusions about who he is and what he does.