Remarks From Lt Col Murray on Moron's Comments

Last Tuesday after the State of the Union address, Congressman Jim Moran (D-VA) told an international audience on the Arab television network Alhurra that the results of last November's election were because most Americans are racists who "don't want to be governed by an African-American . . ." This latest outburst, coming as we know all too well on a long history of Moran outbursts, is not only wildly inaccurate, it is un-American.

I do not support many of President Obama's policies because I do not think they are good for our country. To wit:

· I do not support "Obamacare," which despite what was promised does not cover everyone, will force many people to have to change coverage, piles on billions of dollars of additional debt and countless layers of bureaucracy, and robs one half trillion dollars from Medicare.


· I do not agree with President Obama's energy policies that keep us reliant on foreign oil by denying American companies the ability to produce energy (and thus creating jobs)here at home.


· I do not support President Obama's $850 billion "stimulus" package, pitched as the way to create jobs and keep unemployment under 8%. The only thing it seems to have stimulated was the unemployment rate, while piling on more debt that will eventually have to be paid for by our children and grandchildren.


· I disagree with President Obama's decision to cut Army and Marine Corps troop levels by almost 10% while we are fighting our nation's wars abroad.

The vast majority of Americans who voted for change in Nov 2010 did so because of these and other fact-based and policy-related reasons. But political views aside, as an American I am very proud that in 2008 we elected an African-American to be our President; in my view it reinforces our creed that all of us, regardless of race, gender or orientation are entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I believe it is also a tangible reminder of how far we have progressed as a nation in which slavery was once an institution. We aren't perfect, but we have come a long way. Moran's rant, particularly given as it was to an international audience, dismisses this progress and casts us all back to our regrettable pre-14th Amendment past.

Over the years Northern Virginia and indeed most of America has become accustomed to Mr. Moran's mean-spirited verbiage and his aggressive behavior, including a pattern of making arguably anti-Semitic comments.

However with this latest statement Moran outdoes himself, going beyond insulting just one ethnic group or political party. His offensive comments as a sitting U.S. Congressman made to an international audience demean all Americans regardless of religion, political affiliation or ethnicity. It was a staggering lapse of judgment, divisive and un-American. Jim Moran should correct the record with Alhurra, and he owes an apology to his fellow countrymen and to this nation.

VA-08 Needs a Man Not A Moron

No apologies are needed and 10 years is more than enough; although Col Murray could have just moved there and he'd still be more qualified than Jim Moron.

Throughout this campaign Jim Moran has consistently disparaged Patrick's military service even telling the Arlington Democrat Committee that after 24 years serving his country in the Army, Patrick had no "public service" experience.

Today we get word that Moran is running a radio ad again disparaging Patrick's military service, dismissing him as someone who has just moved to the area. Let's set the record straight:
1) Patrick has lived in this district for 10 years, and
2) Patrick will NOT apologize for his military service.

When Jim Moran was pleading nolo contendere to public corruption in Alexandria District Court, Patrick was serving on the front lines of the cold war as a tank officer in the US Army.

While Jim Moran was cozying up to Washington lobbyists and taking a "congressional rate sweetheart mortgage" from MBNA, Patrick was on the front line of freedom in Bosnia.

And while Jim Moran was exchanging budget earmarks for campaign cash with convicted lobbyist Paul Maggliocchetti, Patrick was serving honorably in Baghdad during the surge.

Patrick will stack his record of public service up against Jim Moran's any day of the week.

As you go to the polls tomorrow, please remember we have the opportunity to restore honor and dignity to the representation of the 8th Congressional District in Virginia. Vote for Patrick Murray.

Daily Caller on VA-08

Is long-time Virginia Democratic Rep. Jim Moran really safe this election cycle?
(I hope not)

Democratic Rep. Jim Moran’s 8th Congressional District is considered the second bluest district in Virginia, and the 19-year incumbent has consistently demolished his GOP challengers, but internal polling conducted by his current GOP opponent’s campaign suggests this year could be different.
Republican candidate Col. Patrick Murray’s most recent internal numbers from the last four days show Moran leading with 32.3 percent compared with Murray’s 29.7 percent. 30.5 percent are shown to be undecided.
The Murray campaign’s internal numbers also suggest Moran has high negatives. A Sept. 22 poll conducted by McLaughlin & Associates found Moran’s support at below 50 percent ̶ with only 42 percent of those polled rating him as good or excellent and 41 percent rating him as fair or poor.
“Although he currently leads Patrick Murray on the ballot for U.S. Congress, his favorable rating , job rating and vote share fall short of the thresholds for strong incumbents,” pollster John McLaughlin wrote in a memo to the Murray campaign. “Given voters’ dissatisfaction with Jim Moran’s performance as congressman and the current mood of the electorate, Jim Moran is one Democrat incumbent that could be unseated in November.”
McLaughlin’s memo also suggests that the retired Army colonel, who served tours of duty in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Iraq during his 24 years of service, could defeat Moran if he can improve his name recognition.
But Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, says the campaign’s most recent internal numbers, although reflecting the national tilt toward the GOP, cannot be used to determine the race’s outcome because they do not reflect a true random sample.
“If Murray beat Moran it would be an extraordinary upset ̶ one of the headliners of the night,” Sabato said in an e-mail to The Daily Caller. “The 8th is the second most D district in Virginia (after the majority-black 3rd). Obama won 69 percent there. A party switch is highly unlikely in 2010. That’s my best judgment.”
Moran has amassed many enemies in his two decades in Congress due to his personal conduct and connections.

Time To Replace the Moron in VA-08

Note to the good citizens of VA-08: If you help Patrick Murray next week, you'll be in good company. Rumor has it that a certain irrepressible milblogger will be lending a hand at the phone banks, owing to the fact that this irrepressible milblogger now calls Virginia and the 8th Distict, home. And we are damn glad to have him.

It is unconscionable to me how a member of Congress from a District with so many Veterans, who also sits on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, could make such shameful and offensive comments about the sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform. This kind of disrespect to our service members not only offends me, but is insensitive to the sacrifices made by our dedicated military families as well.

Friday night a segment aired on ABC's Channel 7 WJLA about Moran's remarks. The story has begun to capture national attention. Just minutes ago FOX News' Chris Wallace reported on Jim Moran's remarks and played the video of my response to Jim Moran.

Other stories related to Moran's remarks have been widely circulated in publications and programs such as the Weekly Standard, National Review, the Washington Examiner, the Washington Times, RedState, Hot Air, Roger Hodgecock's Show, the Blaze, FOX News' website, and so on.

We've received hundreds of responses from people all across the country who are upset about Jim Moran's disrespect to our nation's service members. Jim Moran's comments are part of a larger pattern that cannot continue.

It's imperative that we fire Jim Moran on November 2nd. Failure to do so will mean two more years of the same from a man who clearly has no respect for our military.

We cannot fail on this mission.

Even more incredulously, Jim Moran has been claiming that he has been endorsed by two military organizations; the Disabled American Veterans and the Military Officer's Association of America. The problem is, Jim Moran does not have these endorsements. Both of these organizations have sent letters to his campaign asking him to cease and desist with promoting these organizations as endorsing his campaign.

Blackfive on VA-08

Two very intelligent and well-informed posts from two of my many favorite people.

First, McQ has his say.

Then the irrepressible Uncle Jimbo.

Always save the best for last.