"Two years ago, Republican operatives calling themselves 'Swift Boat Veterans' smeared John Kerry," MoveOn's Political Action Team wrote in an e-mail to members, referring to the group of Vietnam veterans who questioned Kerry's account of his service in Vietnam. "This year, the same people are at it again -- starting with attacks on John Murtha."
The e-mail states there is "no damn way we're going to let them get away with it" and pledges to "go on offense" against Republicans in the November elections. "John Murtha is a hero to millions of Americans, and the best way to honor him is to beat the Republicans who smear him."
The group is trying to raise $500,000 to air what it calls "a hard-hitting new TV ad about Iraq." The ad is not available for viewing online, but according to MoveOn.org, it features a dump truck dumping bags of cash in the desert, "a depiction of the billions we're spending in Iraq."
According to MoveOn.org, Lamont's victory over Sen. Joe Lieberman in the Connecticut Democratic primary "shows that voters are ready to reject politicians who are too close to George Bush, and polling shows Iraq is the top issue for voters nationwide."
Lieberman, who has served three terms in the U.S. Senate and was the Democratic nominee for vice president in 2000, lost the Democratic nomination for Senate Tuesday to a political newcomer, millionaire business owner Ned Lamont.
Driven by liberal blogs and grassroots organizations, Lamont ran as an anti-war candidate and painted Lieberman as a friend of President Bush.
Murtha, the 16-term congressman from Pennsylvania, came under fire from conservative opponents for his call to withdraw troops from Iraq and comments he made in May 2006 concluding that U.S. Marines had "killed innocent civilians in cold blood" in Haditha, Iraq, in November 2005.
The Pentagon team investigating the incident at Haditha, in which U.S. Marines allegedly killed two dozen civilians, has not filed any charges against the Marines involved.
In a conference call with reporters Wednesday, MoveOn.org Executive Director Eli Pariser declined to name which districts the group will focus on, saying only that they are focusing on 32 Republican-held seats.
"Our focus right now is on defenders of the status quo," Pariser said, "of whom 99 percent of them are Republicans."
Pariser did not take questions from Cybercast News Service during the call and did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday.
A spokesman for Murtha did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday.
Bill Pascoe, a spokesman for Murtha's opponent, Republican Diana Irey, said the campaign welcomed MoveOn.org's support of Murtha because he said it symbolizes Murtha's shift to the left to garner support from liberal Democrats who could make him the next majority leader if Democrats regain control of the House.
Pascoe accused Murtha of "throwing the good, culturally conservative, strong national defense people of southwest Pennsylvania under the bus" to get support from liberal colleagues.
Pascoe brushed off accusations that Murtha's opponents are smearing him. "To act as prosecutor, judge and jury, and label as cold-blooded killers the men and women of our armed forces who are overseas defending the freedoms that we take for granted is the worst kind of smear possible," he said, referring to Murtha's comments on Haditha.
"I welcome MoveOn.org to come into Pennsylvania 12th and try to organize," Pascoe said. "I think that's a terrific thing. I think they should get all their left-wing, net-blogging friends to come in as well. Let's really make this a race that everyone pays attention to."
See Earlier Stories:
Murtha Critics Dispute Claim They Are 'Swift Boat Buddies' (Aug. 04, 2006)
Murtha: US Staying in Iraq Helps Potential Enemies (July 21, 2006)
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