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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 Congressional reporter Shailagh Murray was online Monday, Dec. 11, at 11 a.m. ET.

The transcript follows.

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Shailagh Murray: Hi everyone, sorry I'm running a bit late. Bring on the questions.

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Arlington, Va.: Last week, Representative Jack Kingston of Georgia complained "keeping us up here eats away at families Marriages suffer. The Democrats could care less about families -- that's what this says."

A colleague of yours had a great response to the Congressman: The men and women in Iraq have been spending seven days a week away from their families. Last time I checked, Congressman weren't dodging bullets and RPGs either. In such a slow news week, I would have expected to hear more criticism of his remarks. Why do you think that didn't happen?

Shailagh Murray: My recollection is that last week was a pretty big news week.

I am somewhat sympathetic to the crazy schedules that lawmakers have to keep, traveling back to their districts, and whatnot. Many who live on their congressional salaries can't really afford to move their families to D.C., and that can be politically dangerous anyway.

On the other hand, one obvious reason that Congress hasn't done much in recent years is that lawmakers are only in town two or three days per week.

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Vienna, Va.: Mr. Murray:

With all the talk of oversight and the recent ISG report, why are the incoming Dems so wary of cutting funding for an overwhelmingly unpopular war? It doesn't seem to me that Americans have the patience for another year of involvement in Iraq. (as ISG suggests).

Shailagh Murray: That would be MS. Murray

Cutting war funding would be politically suicidal, which is why it's not a serious prospect. That would be punishing the military.

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Claverack, N.Y.: Good morning, Shailagh. Thanks for talking with us this morning.

I was struck by the quotes in this morning's Jefferson article from voters who said things like "well he hasn't been indicted". As disturbing as I find that reasoning- why hasn't the Congressman been indicted yet? Was the prosecutor waiting until after the election? Or are there problems making a case?

Shailagh Murray: A reasonable question, given the facts already on the table. My understanding is that the legal wrangling that started with the search of Jefferson's House office has not yet run its course, and it must before the feds can act.

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Minneapolis, Minn.: One can't afford to live in Washington, D.C. on $165K a year (assuming the spouse doesn't work)? I guess that would be surprise to a lot of folks...

Shailagh Murray: The Washington D.C. area is one of the most expensive housing markets in the country, and members must maintain not one but two households. Believe me, it's a stretch, especially for people whose spouses don't work.

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Why hasn't Jefferson been indicted yet?: Maybe the money hasn't thawed out yet...

Shailagh Murray: Yuck Yuck Yuck.

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Minneapolis, Minn.: I agree it wouldn't be a smart thing to do for Democrats to try and cut funding for Iraq, but I don't recall similar criticism -- i.e. "suicidal" -- when some Republicans tried to do just that in Bosnia.

Shailagh Murray: There is no comparison.

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Philadelphia, Pa.: Hi, Shailagh; welcome back and thanks for taking our questions...

I'm curious to find out what the Democratic House and Senate members will be doing during the Congressional recess. Will they be meeting to formulate plans for the first one hundred days (as they promised?)?

Do you see them having the discipline and intestinal fortitude to overcome the nay-sayers and actually make good on some of their ideas?

If so, do you see the President vetoing first and asking questions later?

Thanks!

Shailagh Murray: How many bills has President Bush vetoed? One?

Oh sure, there will be plenty of meetings over the holidays -- lots of organizational decisions yet to be made, i.e. committee assignments.

If you start with the fact that Republicans had to go out of their way NOT to accomplish anything, you have to assume that gravity alone will push some Democratic initiatives across the finish line. Like the minimum wage increase. I would also expect some sort of alternative energy package to succeed, because everyone likes those giveaways. The big challenge however will be putting a budget together. Boring, I realize, but it will be the litmus test. If Dems can't make the numbers work and appear incompetent, they will lose credibility, emboldening the Republicans opposition.

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Toronto, Canada: Huh? Why would cutting funding be "punishing the military"? I don't think this would mean that the very next day they wouldn't be fed or not have any bullets or fuel for their Humvees.

Shailagh Murray: Maybe not, but that's exactly how it would be depicted. You must remember that in politics, perception is reality.

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New York, N.Y.: I agree that it would be political suicide for Dems to cut war funding, but I disagree with your reason (punishing the troops). It would not of course be punishing the troops (continuing the war and continuing to fund the war is doing that). The reason is that cutting the funding would be seen as accepting defeat, and the whole game now that all reasonable people know that the U.S. has lost the war is avoiding blame.

Shailagh Murray: Yes, that's true. Ultimately this is about the men and women on the ground, and assuring that their sacrifices have not been made in vain.

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Bridgewater, Mass.: Hi Shailagh,

Any idea what Speaker Pelosi will do about the re-elected Jefferson? She stripped him of his chairmanship in the current Congress, but will she be politically able to ignore him come January? How do you think the Black Caucus will react if she doesn't give him a job?

Shailagh Murray: Some talk out of Mrs. Pelosi's office that Mr. Jefferson will not be assigned to a committee. His healthy victory margin certainly is something that Democratic leaders must digest. At the moment, I think they're just in shock.

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Roseland, N.J.: Don't know if you caught the "Meet the Press" discussion of the Iraq Study Group this week. One "expert" was openly saying the important thing was we take action to make it clear when we leave this wasn't a failure of US policy, but rather a failure of the Iraqi people.

This scapegoating is so condescending and distasteful. Wasn't this supposed to be the "restore honor and integrity" crowd? Wasn't it just a year ago they painted their fingers purple to praise the courage of the ordinary Iraqi? Now it's "well, what can you expect, they're Arabs".

Shailagh Murray: The blame game has definitely shifted to the Iraqis in recent weeks, but come on. However true or not that may be, it's a red herring at this point.

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Germantown, Md.: Representative Reyes doesn't know that al Qaeda is Sunni? According to a recent interview, he though it had both(!) but was "mostly Shia".

Boy, this is a great start for the Democratic Congress. Hope Reyes is a fast learner...

Shailagh Murray: I am posting this without comment, other than to say, Rep. Reyes is certainly attracting lots of attention in his new role.

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Abingdon, Md.: I often thought that members of the Senate and House should live in dorm-like facilities/or average condo type buildings (with conferencing facilities)...this way, they could all be housed together, for those who don't live close enough to commute, charge them a reasonable monthly rent and this way they aren't so tied to living to the area. Your thoughts?

Shailagh Murray: If they close down the page program, the members can move into that dormitory.

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Kettering, Ohio: Love that first name! Thanks for taking my call, er question.

Of all those swept out of office last month, who was your favorite and and least favorite?

Shailagh Murray: My favorite loser, by a mile, is Sen. Lincoln Chafee, a good and decent guy, and a genuine character. Which I'm all for.

I have two least favorites, J.D. Hayworth and Jim Nussle (who quit Congress to run for governor of Iowa; he lost that bid), and I name them for an entirely petty reason -- they acted like jerks to reporters.

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Arlington, Va.: I've been hearing the conservative radio heads saying that the new Congress already has a jump-start on corruption with the reelection of William "Frozen Cash" Jefferson. Will this sidetrack the Democrats agenda or will they simply wait for DOJ to indict him?

Shailagh Murray: My take is that Jefferson's impressive victory margin actually liberates Pelosi, because it's so stunning and strange, that it sets him apart than any other member. It's starting to resemble the Traficante scandal, a colorful sideshow that doesn't saying about anything.

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Madison, Wis.: Blame it on my cold, cold heart. But given all that needs fixing in Washington, isn't concern about the hours of work required to be an effective Congressmember way off the list?

Shailagh Murray: We must both be hiding in the freezer.

At the beginning of every session, whatever party in charge vows to work five days, stay late every night, etc. etc. Not only is it way down the list, it has never proven to be anything other than talk.

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Baltimore, Md.: I still don't understand why D.C. doesn't have voting powers in congress. I believe that D.C. should have a vote in the House and two in the Senate. What are the reasons AGAINST D.C. voting rights?

Shailagh Murray: Maybe because it's overwhelmingly Democratic?

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Atlanta, Ga.: In your opinion, will 08-ers in Congress try and show their partisan passions or be prominent in compromise, because bipartisanship is the new magic word in Congress?

Shailagh Murray: Their strategy will be to portray themselves in the best possible light. If this means compromising with the other party on certain issues, they will. Basically, you now have three parties in Congress, the Democrats, the Republicans, and the opportunists.

Ain't it great? Lots of fun in the months ahead. Thanks for participating and see you in a few weeks. Cheers, Shailagh.

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