Pullout debate takes nasty turn---Chicago Tribune |

Chicago Tribune | Pullout debate takes nasty turn:

"A vote early in the evening Friday to permit accelerated consideration of the resolution passed 211-204, with a few Republicans joining Democrats in opposing the maneuver.

A day earlier, Murtha introduced a resolution calling for the deployment in Iraq to end 'at the earliest practicable date.' He also called for a rapid reaction force to stay in the region and for diplomacy to be accelerated to stabilize the region.

The Republican-sponsored resolution, by contrast, stated only that 'it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the deployment of United States forces in Iraq be terminated immediately.'

Murtha, who received a standing ovation from Democrats when he took his seat in the chamber Friday, said he would vote against the Republican version, putting himself in the position of voting against a policy he had advocated a day earlier.

Other Democrats, many of them eager to respond to declining support for the war, resented being forced to vote for a resolution, the meaning of which could be easily misconstrued in future political advertising.

Murtha 'introduced a bill yesterday that I don't entirely agree with . . . but to take his proposal and trash it, trivialize it, is . . . beneath contempt,' said Rep. Jack Spratt (D-S.C.).

Emotions run high

The debate was loud and disruptive. At one point, Democrats surged toward the Republican side of the chamber, shouting for an Ohio congresswoman to take her words back.

The incident began as Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio), who took her seat in September after a special election, was recounting a conversation with a Marine colonel.

'He asked me to send Congress a message--stay the course. He also asked me to send Congressman Murtha a message--that cowards cut and run, Marines never do,' Schmidt said.

Murtha is a former Marine who retired from a 37-year career in the corps with the rank of colonel, and Democrats considered her comment an insult.

It was also a violation of House rules, which do not permit members to address each other, only the chair.

'Take her words down, take them down,' Democrats shouted, bringing the proceedings to a halt. After several minutes of frantic negotiation, Schmidt stood up, said she retracted her comment and apologized."