Democrats this morning unanimously selected Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to be the speaker of the house when the new Congress meets in January. But voting still is to come in the bitter fight for majority leader, the second-ranking position for Democrats.
That showdown involves Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) and Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.) and has divided House Democrats only a week after their party won elections that will give them control of Congress. It has also prompted numerous complaints that Pelosi and her allies are using strong-arm tactics and threats to try to elect Murtha.
Murtha, 74, a former Marine who was among the first on Capitol Hill to call for a U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq, may have hurt his own chances Tuesday night when he derided the Democrats' ethics and lobbying package before saying he will push for its passage anyway out of deference to Pelosi. His statement, at a gathering of conservative "Blue Dog" Democrats, was cited by backers of his rival, Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (Md.), as further proof that Murtha's controversial ethics record disqualifies him to lead the party in a new political era.
Pelosi's aggressive intervention on behalf of Murtha has baffled and angered many Democrats, who think she has unnecessarily put her reputation on the line out of misplaced loyalty to a friend and because of a long-standing feud with Hoyer, the minority whip. Pelosi has pushed Murtha's candidacy at social events, in private meetings and with incoming freshman Democrats; they have been called to her office to discuss committee assignments, only to hear first that she needs Murtha in order to be an effective leader.
Hoyer, 67, was heavily favored to win the race until Sunday, when Pelosi -- in a move that shocked even her staff -- openly threw her support to Murtha, despite a vow to stay neutral. She said in a letter that she was swayed by Murtha's early call for a withdrawal of U.S. troops, and that he would be best positioned to lead a new Democratic majority.
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