"We've got the votes."

So said Rep. John Murtha, when interviewed by Chris Matthews. But, most of his fellow Democrats didn't agree and selected Rep. Steny Hoyer, as House majority leader. This had to upset Nancy Pelosi, who had hand picked Murtha and pressed for his selection as majority leader. I guess neither one of them is as powerful as they think that they are. However, I'm sure that their arrogance remains undiminished. I read the entire interview and was amazed that Murtha's arm did not tire from the constant patting of himself on his back. Congradulations, Rep. Hoyer, on your selection as House majority leader and my thanks for your twenty five years of service to your country.

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A portion of the interview:

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MATTHEWS: Are you going to win?

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MURTHA: We’re going to win, we’ve got the votes.

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MATTHEWS: You’ve got them?

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MURTHA: We’ve got the votes.

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MATTHEWS: Eyeball to eyeball, you’ve got them?

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MURTHA: Eyeball to eyeball.

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MATTHEWS: OK, let’s go. What’s the difference here, for the average person watching right now. Whether you win, as you say you will, or Steny Hoyer wins for the race for majority leader in the House?

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MURTHA: Well the difference is the policy question about the war. When I spoke out two weeks later, he said “It would be chaos if we left. If we reduced our presence in Iraq, it would be chaotic.” And he went on to criticize that policy, never signed onto my resolution. So there was a vast difference between what he did and what I said. I appeared 143 times on these national shows talking about Iraq, about the lack of progress and the need to redeploy our troops.

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And then finally the White House has invited me down to talk to them about my recommendations about what needs to be done. So I think I’d be the strongest voice of what I consider the most important, single issue during the election campaign.

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The Rest of the Interview.