A Swift-Moving Story

"Authentic war heroes (including McCain) often play down their own heroism. In any event, what we know about Murtha, McCain, Kerry and, yes, Bailey, is that they served in combat in Vietnam. What we know about Bush and Vice President Cheney ('I had other priorities in the '60s than military service') is that they didn't.

"What's maddening here is the unblushing hypocrisy of the right wing and the way it circulates -- usually through Web sites or talk radio -- personal vilification to abort honest political debate. Murtha's views on withdrawing troops from Iraq are certainly the object of legitimate contention. Many in Murtha's party disagree with him. But Murtha's right-wing critics can't content themselves with going after his ideas. They have to try to discredit his service."

Blackfive is skeptical, but no Murtha fan:

"Look, like with John Kerry, I'm more concerned about what the guy did after the war than during the war 40 years ago -- especially, when the man is in a position of power and influence.

"Supposedly, there are 'differing' accounts of heroism about John Murtha when he was in Viet Nam. There are always differing stories of combat . . . ask anyone who's been in combat.

"John Murtha needs his chops busted, but attacking Murtha's service record is callous and craven in my opinion.

"If you are looking for a reason to go after John Murtha for his appeasing and cut-n-run demands, it's not in his forty year old service record."

Blogger Bret Prelutsky, at the conservative Town Hall site, asks: "How is it that a totally undistinguished Pennsylvania congressman named John Murtha can achieve overnight canonization in the liberal media by demanding a deadline for the withdrawal of the American military from Iraq -- a deadline which can serve no other purpose but to demoralize our troops and encourage our enemy? And if you have the effrontery to question the congressman's judgment, you can count on being reminded in no uncertain terms that Rep. Murtha served in the military.

"Yes, he did . . . a very long time ago. However, for the past 30-odd years, he has fed off the public trough just like all those other lay-a-bouts in Washington."

Actually, Murtha didn't leave the Marines until 1990.

Murray Waas takes me to task for not digging deeper:

"The article tells us very little about Thibault himself. Had the reporters done a simple Internet search, they would have discovered this biography of Thibault posted online which describes him as a 'senior producer for a televised news magazine' broadcast and sponsored by the Republican National Committee. I dunno, but I for one, would have wanted to know that. Thibault's background and those engaging in the Swiftboating of Murtha would be relevant to any news story on this issue, I would think. And so would some independent examination by the Post as to whether there is even any veracity to the charges."