It’s hard to understand why Nancy Pelosi ^[1]is going to the mattress for John Murtha this early in her career as Speaker (elect). Besides being a divisive figure with “dangerous liaisons ^[2],” Murtha doesn’t seem like the brightest bulb on the block. Of course, I don’t know the man and he may secretly be a great scholar of the Punic Wars or some such, but I don’t think he’s going to be giving competition to Victor Davis Hanson as a Classicist any time soon. (Speaking of which, why aren’t people like Hanson in our Congress rather than the Hastert/Murtha variety who seem ripped straight from the pages of Sinclair Lewis?)

Perhaps I’m missing somethning, but Nancita picking a fight so quickly does not appear smart to me. It may be intended as a show of strength, but comes off as weakness. What the public is clammoring for is clearly bi-artisanship and she gives us… Murtha? Well, that smells defeat in ‘08. Republicans should be happy. As a Freeranger, I just sit back and watch the show.