Don't want to miss out on the latest in politics? Start each day with The Post Politics Hour. Join in each weekday morning at 11 a.m. as a member of The Washington Post's team of White House and Congressional reporters answers questions about the latest in buzz in Washington and The Post's coverage of political news.

Washington Post national political reporter Shailagh Murray was online Friday, Nov. 17, at 11 a.m. ET to discuss the latest political news and The Post's coverage of politics.

Political analysis from Post reporters and interviews with top newsmakers. Listen live on Washington Post Radio or subscribe to a podcast of the show.

The transcript follows.

____________________

Shailagh Murray: Hi everyone. I'm subbing today for...I'm not sure who. Maybe Jim. Anyway, the House Republicans are wrapping up their leadership elections right now, and shockingly have elected John Boehner and Roy Blunt to the top two posts. After the upheaval of the election, it's a good week for the status quo.

Let's get to the questions.

_______________________

Chicago, Ill.: Geez, what is the big deal about Hoyer beating out Murtha? The entire media is saying how this is a crushing blow to Pelosi, blah blah blah.

Who cares??!!

The only thing that matters is if the Democrats deliver with legislation and oversight.

Everything else is just esoteric parlor games that no one outside of Washington/MSM really cares about.

Shailagh Murray: Well, you care! Or care enough to say you don't.

Anyway, it does matter that Hoyer beat Murtha. Nancy Pelosi did put her credibility on the line by trying to oust a very popular and successful colleague, in favor of someone with zero track record. She failed spectacularly. That's a judgment issue, and judgment is pretty crucial to leadership, whatever the task at hand.

_______________________

Vienna, Va.: Ms. Murray:

To me it seems that out of the six major Dem priorities, raising the minimum wage is the biggest no-brainer and will be the most difficult bill for the President to veto. Do you think that this will pass through Congress quickly? Also what, if any, potential earmarks do you see attached to a minimum wage bill?

Shailagh Murray: You're right, the minimum wage should be a no brainer, especially as most states have already raised it. Plus, it doesn't cost the government anything. I heard some talk this week that Republicans may even attach it to one of the spending bills. Who knows if that will pan out or not. But it's the closest thing to a sure thing in Congress.

_______________________

Zero track record?: Murtha had a track record going back to 1974. That was the problem!

Shailagh Murray: Zero track record in leadership. And putting the ethical issues aside, this was a serious concern for many Democrats, because running the House is a little more complicated than showing up at a TV studio.

_______________________

Alpharetta, Ga.: For a long time, conservatism has been about dismantling the welfare state. One significant, maybe long-term realignment of '06, is regional. The South barely gave Democrats new seats, but I noticed that polling during Bush's Social Security proposal showed that Southerners tended to be opposed to his ideas on social security. (AP-Ipos, Peter Hart's private polling, etc.) How might that work in the long-term?

Shailagh Murray: Voters are forever telling pollsters that they care about this, that or the other thing. But it's not that simple. One problem for Democrats in the South is that it's intangibles that people hold against them -- the perceived cultural bias, the simplistic view of Southern history, the party's secular bent, etc. Although Harold Ford didn't win, what made him captivating as a candidate is that he addressed some of these invisible forces. Unfortunately for him, other invisible forces may have worked against him. But other Democrats have cracked this code, including Reps. Mike Ross of Arkansas and Lincoln Davis of Tennessee.

_______________________

Rolla, Mo.: Is the defeat of Pelosi's choice really that important? Didn't Tom DeLay beat Newt Gingrich's handpicked choice for majority leader in 1994? Did it tarnish his star 9 days after the election?

Shailagh Murray: Maybe I didn't make this clear in my previous response. It doesn't really matter what you or I think of Pelosi and her support for Murtha. What matters is whether the Democratic members trust her to make good decisions, and I can assure you, she raised some eyebrows this week. Whether that matters a year from now, no one knows. I stick with where we are today.

_______________________

Ethics: Another no-brainer, at least in the House, should be ethics reform. If the Dems don't step up to the plate and get something serious passed they will quickly lose a lot of public confidence.

Shailagh Murray: Democrats say they will move aggressively on this front, and we will hold them to that.

_______________________

San Francisco, Calif.: The Democrats just won big in the election last week on a platform that calls for phased withdrawal from Iraq, and the Bush administration wants to increase troop levels. Aren't they ignoring the will of the people?

Shailagh Murray: Let us all hope that, as a general matter of principle, military decisions aren't made according to public opinion polls. Nor was this a national election. The Rumsfeld resignation was a clear signal that the White House noticed the results. But don't expect President Bush to bring Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid into the loop on war strategy.

_______________________

Re: election of John Boehner and Roy Blunt : Since both of these people have had ties to all that caused the Republicans to lose, do you think their election represents a "defiance" vote by the Republicans or are the Republicans just tone deaf to what the midterms were all about.

Shailagh Murray: Actually, this was a pretty interesting election result. For one, Republicans resoundingly rejected two supposedly up-and-coming conservatives, including Mike Pence of Indiana, whose landslide loss to Boehner made Murtha's defeat look respectable. Boehner and Blunt are not movement folks. The blogs will be hysterical, but perhaps this is a better environment for House Republicans to regroup.

_______________________

Laurel, Md.: Post yesterday ran a piece about the differences between Northern and the rest of Virginia. A lot of other Southern states have their tech areas. I remember visiting the North Carolina research triangle once and mentioning Jesse Helms' name and everyone reacted with a mix of hilarity and horror that I thought they voted for him.

Are there many other southern states with tech area disjointed from the usual voting patters?

Shailagh Murray: There's almost no state in the country that is one big homogeneous blur. And don't assume that just because someone went to college, they wouldn't vote for Jesse Helms.

_______________________

Rolla, Mo.: Let me make my previous post clear, I agree it does not matter what you or I think of her support of Murtha. My point is this was THE story yesterday, front page everywhere, and it wasn't in 1994. The national media decided this was important for us.

Shailagh Murray: Why is it that people are always looking to the past for political clues? When are two periods of time exactly the same? It's like parents who can't understand why their kids' lives are so different. Well, duh.

_______________________

Vienna, Va.:"Boehner and Blunt are not movement folks. The blogs will be hysterical, but perhaps this is a better environment for House Republicans to regroup." I'm sorry, but this answer makes no sense to me. Can you explain, please?

Shailagh Murray: By protecting the leadership status quo, as opposed to electing two newcomers with little nuts and bolts experience but fairly radical ideological views, House Republicans are creating an environment where new power centers can develop, and a new generation of leaders can emerge. There is now no one in particular waiting in the wings.

_______________________

Minneapolis, Minn.: A follow up on your comment last week about who's going to chair the House Intel Committee. First, any update on the possibility that Reyes would be the one? Second, are you sure that Alcee Hastings can't do it without giving up his coveted seat on the Rules Committee? How is he on both committees to begin with, given that Rules is exclusive, right? And what would change that would preclude him from being chair? Note that he's been endorsed by the Congressional Black Caucus.

Shailagh Murray: We continue to hear that Reyes will be the one, even though conservative Democrats haven't given up on Jane Harman. I think the Dems' rule is that you can chair a top tier committee, and serve on another one. In the minority it must not matter.

_______________________

Pittsburgh, Pa.: As the wife of an Army officer who has just been recalled to active duty, I watch military news very carefully. There have been reports recently that the generals who walked away from their successful careers rather than serve Rumsfeld will not rest until they have the opportunity to testify before the Congress on what they see as mistakes and negligence in the conduct of the Iraq war. Will House and Senate get going on these types of hearings soon? Will there be a parallel track between the House and Senate? Thank you for taking questions, Shailagh.

Shailagh Murray: You may want to block off time in early December for the Gates confirmation hearings. The Republicans will still be in charge, but I imagine the mood will be pretty tense, and the line of questioning a lot more forceful than we've seen in the past.

_______________________

Toronto, Canada: It seems possible to me that some of this relentless (and somewhat gleeful) over-coverage of the Pelosi/Murtha/Hoyer issue has a sexist subtext - you know, is Pelosi really up to the job?

Shailagh Murray: We are so busted. Clearly, the "MSM" would be ignoring this story if Nancy Pelosi weren't a woman. I would like to point out that a number of questions today are addressed to "Mr. Murray." Those readers must assume I couldn't possibly be a woman.

People....please. There's no hidden meaning!

_______________________

Oxford, Miss.: Thanks for your comments about states not being a homogenous blur. I live in Mississippi. I've lived in Santa Fe, Annapolis, Philly, DC, a small town in Illinois and a small town in Connecticut, and a tiny town in Montana. Not one of those places, Mississippi included, consisted of all cultured smartypants or all bumbling hillbillies, but all had elements of each.

This is a university town and the university is a respected research institution. Science, literature, art, and politics are all very important to the people in this town and we resent being written off as fools or hicks because of what, frankly, most often is simply ignorance and prejudice on the part of those making fun of us. So, thanks for your comment.

Shailagh Murray: Thank you for your insights. Hopefully someday, perceptions will catch up to the reality out there.

_______________________

Vienna, Va.: Bush's approval ratings have been below 50% for essentially his whole second term and below 40% for most of 2006. Do you think that he will ever be a popular president ever again? His last two years will probably be dominated by Iraq, and I doubt that this war will ever have a happy ending. If he remains so unpopular, what effect will this have on Republicans in 2008?

Shailagh Murray: Brrr, it's a cold audience out there today, or at least a lot of organized hostility to our coverage of the Democratic leadership election. Hey Democrats, relax. You're in charge now. At least we're not ignoring you.

But I will close with this comment from Vienna, because it raises the most important question in politics. Will Bush try to revive his presidency by reaching out to Democrats, or will the air grow more and more toxic? That's what will shape the next election cycle. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. Cheers, Shailagh

_______________________

Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.