Mean Jean Schmidt

[HELLVIS]

'Mean Jean' Goes to Washington, and Invites a Firestorm
By JASON DePARLE


ABC NewsOhio Republican Jean Schmidt's reference to "cowards" in her House speech ignites bitter outcry from Democrats.

Watch Video:
Showdown on Capitol Hill

Jump Below:
· Fiery Night in the House
· Washington's War of Words

More Coverage:
· Bush Tries to Calm Rhetoric
· House Iraq Vote Ruled By Rancor
· Troops' Pain Drives Murtha

Talk About It: Post Thoughts

WASHINGTON (Nov. 19) - She grew up in the rough-and-tumble of a family auto racing business, went through concealed-weapons training, and bears a local nickname seldom applied to shrinking violets: "Mean Jean."

So when Representative Jean Schmidt, an Ohio Republican, created a furor on her 75th day in Congress by lobbing the word "coward" toward a Democratic war hero, those who know her best were anything but surprised.

Just this week, a profile in The Hill newspaper, which covers Congress, labeled her "gloriously uncensored." Back home in her suburban Cincinnati district, the Whistleblower, an online newsletter that tracks local politics, rushed out a special I-told-you-so issue calling the speech "vintage Jean Schmidt."

"We have said innumerable times that she would go to Washington and open her mouth and create an embarrassment," said Jim Schifrin, the newsletter's publisher. "She will say things that turn people off like nothing you've ever seen."

Among those seemingly turned off was Ms. Schmidt, who quickly asked that her words be withdrawn from the Congressional record, even as they made headlines worldwide.

The uproar arose Friday as the House debated a resolution calling for an immediate withdrawal of forces from Iraq.

In scheduling the vote, Republicans were trying to embarrass Democratic critics of the war, forcing them to dissociate themselves from a call earlier in the week for a slower but still definite withdrawal. That call came from Representative John P. Murtha, Democrat of Pennsylvania, a Vietnam combat veteran who spent 37 years in the Marines and is one of the most respected military authorities in the House.


A Fiery Night in the House



AP"He also asked me to send Congressman Murtha a message - that cowards cut and run, Marines never do,"
-- Rep. Jean Schmidt, during Friday night's House debate, speaking of a phone call she received from a Marine colonel.


Getty
"You guys are pathetic! Pathetic!"
-- Rep. Marty Meehan, D-Mass., who was among the House Democrats who responded angrily to Schmidt's words



AP
"I did not intend to suggest they applied to any member," especially Mr. Murtha.
-- Schmidt, retracting her comments when debate resumed


Getty
"The poor lady didn't know Jack Murtha was a Marine - she really just ran into a hornet's nest."
-- Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., after the debate.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

More Coverage:
· House Rejects Iraq Pullout
Video: Watch the Debate


Sources: AP, New York Times


In attacking the Democrats' position, Ms. Schmidt, the newest member of Congress, said she had received a call from a Marine colonel, who "asked me to send Congressman Murtha a message: that cowards cut and run, Marines never do."

The House exploded in catcalls and jeers among outraged Democrats. When debate resumed, Ms. Schmidt retracted her comments and said, "I did not intend to suggest they applied to any member," especially Mr. Murtha.

Ms. Schmidt could not be reached for comment on Saturday, with voice mailboxes full at all three of her offices. Her campaign manager did not return a phone call.

Several Republicans who were on the House floor said afterward that Ms. Schmidt did not appear to know she was referring to a much-decorated veteran.

"The poor lady didn't know Jack Murtha was a Marine - she really just ran into a hornet's nest," said Representative Jack Kingston of Georgia.

Representative David Dreier of California said, "Very clearly, she did not know that Jack Murtha was a Marine."

[FORD]

Fucking cunt.

Just another example of how much the neocon shitbags really value those who have served this country in the military.

[Nickdfresh]

Yeah, she made herself look like an incredible piece of shit with that comment.

Another "macho" civilian that defeated an ex-Marine Captain that actually served in Iraq for her seat, not she's being used by the Republican leadership to take the brunt of criticism for all their flag-hiding-behinding.

The fact is that the US IS pulling out of Iraq already to some extent.

[DLR'sCock]

Piece of shit cunt who has no idea what she is talkign about.

Watch Murtha on Meet The Press.

[HELLVIS]

Why is it that a retired marine ( who by the way, has a long anti-war history ) may express an opinion and engage in name calling, but a congressman may not have the FREEDOM OF SPEECH to quote an active marine?

No name calling, just a logical answer please.

[Cathedral]

Well, I, for one, agree with her and if she backs down from her comments, that is unfortunate.

I listened to Murtha before all of that and i found myself at odds with what he was saying.
I don't care for Jean Schmidt, but she said what i was thinking.

Sure he's a Marine, and I thank him for his service to the country, however, he is wrong in his assessment of what needs to be done.

Flame me all you want, but if we just pull the plug, then we are cowards, and talk about a hornets nest?
THAT'S exactly what Iraq will become if we "cut and run"......

I never saw the guy before last week and I knew who he was. I'm not buying the spin that she didn't know he was a Marine, and all she did was deliver a message from another Marine.
She wasn't directing the word "coward" to any member of Congress, as she said.
Only if we cut and run because of pressure from Democrats will they be considered "Cowards".

[DLR'sCock]

Iraq is a failure of policy and we should had never gone in there, and staynig there is only making things worse.


Marines never cut and run? Cut and run from what? We shouldn't be there, and the Iraqi people don't want us there, nor do most US citizens either. Murtha has done his homework on this for more than a year, and again I will say, when he speaks, he is most likely getting his direction from the top brass in military, who know what they are talking about.

Don't you think there's why the top US commander in Iraq submitted a plan to pullout of Iraq around the same time Murtha, made his announcement?

[FORD]

Question for the Busheep:

Did Reagan "cut and run" when he pulled the Marines out of Lebanon after a bunch of them got killed for no good reason?

Or was it a wise decision, given the fact that we had no fucking business being there in the first place?

[Warham]

And didn't Clinton 'cut and run' from Somalia?

Bush needs to take heed from his predecessors.

[Cathedral]

For the last time, I'm not a Bush Sheep, k?

I take it that was a stab at me since i'm the only one who didn't fall in line with the lynch mob in this thread, lol.

When Reagan pulled the troops out of Lebannon there was no risk that the country would be overtaken by Terror cells.
But yeah, That was a good decision.
But let's keep in mind here, Lebannon isn't Iraq.

Comaprisons are good fodder for discussions i guess, but in most cases have very little to do with reality on the ground.

If we pull out of Iraq tomorrow there will be far worse conditions there than there are now. The new government has to be able to police the country and be strong enough to battle any attempts to over throw it.

So, cutting and running is absolutely NOT an option until then.

[ODShowtime]

Originally posted by FORD
Question for the Busheep:

Did Reagan "cut and run" when he pulled the Marines out of Lebanon after a bunch of them got killed for no good reason?

Or was it a wise decision, given the fact that we had no fucking business being there in the first place?

That retreat is one of the main reasons we're dealing with this shit now. Because of Reagan's decision.

Good point Ford.

[steve]

Originally posted by Cathedral

When Reagan pulled the troops out of Lebannon there was no risk that the country would be overtaken by Terror cells.
But yeah, That was a good decision.
But let's keep in mind here, Lebannon isn't Iraq.


:confused: :eek: :eek:

What??????
Lebanon was taken over by Hamas and Syria - who used Lebanon as a staging ground to launch terrorist attacks against Israel for the next 20 years.
Ever seen the begining of "The Naked Gun" with that big meeting in Beirut??:D

[steve]

Gorbechev (in The Naked Gun): "I have the Americans eating out of my hands. I actually have them believing I am a good guy. In some polls, I am even more popular than their President!"