John Kerry Responds to Sickening Republican Attacks on Decorated Veteran Rep. Jack Murtha

Rep. John (Jack) Murtha spoke his conscience on the Iraq situation yesterday at a press conference, and introduced “a bill today to start an “immediate redeployment” of U.S. troops out of Iraq, to be completed within six months. Republicans immediately went on the defensive by attempting to 'swift boat' Murtha.

Republicans pounced, chastising Murtha for advocating what they called a strategy of surrender and abandonment.

John Kerry issued the following statement in response to the attacks on Murtha. He will also be speaking on the Senate Floor in a short time, regarding the attacks on Murtha:

“I won’t stand for the ‘swift boating’ of Jack Murtha. It disgusts me that a bunch of guys who have never put on the uniform of their country venomously turn their guns on a Marine who came home from Vietnam with a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts. No matter what J.D. Hayworth says, there is no sterner stuff than the backbone and courage that defines Jack Murtha’s character and conscience.

“You know why the Republicans are engaged in the lowest form of smear and fear politics? Because they’re afraid of actually debating a senior congressman who has advised presidents of both parties on military matters. They’re afraid to debate a decorated veteran who lives and breathes the concerns of our troops, not the empty slogans of an Administration that sent our brave troops to war without body armor. They’re terrified of actually leveling with the American people about the way they misled America into war, and admitting they have no clear plan to finish the job and get our troops home. Whether you agree with Jack Murtha’s policy or not is irrelevant. The truth is there is a better course for our troops and for America in Iraq, and I am going to keep fighting until we take that course for the good of our country.

“Instead of letting his cronies run their mouths, the President for once should stop his allies from doing to Jack Murtha what he set them loose to do to John McCain in South Carolina and Max Cleland in Georgia. The President should finally find the courage to debate the real issue instead of destroying anyone who speaks truth to power as they see it. It’s time for Americans to stand up, fight back, and make it clear it’s unacceptable to do this to any leader of any party anywhere in our country.”