Nancy Pelosi has endorsed John Murtha over Sten Hoyer to be the next majority leader. Iraq is a key difference between the two, and it's a reason why Murtha is now the projected favorite.


Steny Hoyer's site


Questions for debate:

1.)Who should be the next majority leader?


2.)Based upon the issues, who has a better understanding of our problems in Iraq and domestically?

3.)Are the differences on Iraq between these two truly that great?

1.)Who should be the next majority leader?

For me personally I would like to see Murtha because I see him being able to be tougher on the Iraq issue against the administration. But either gentlemen would be fine by me.

2.)Based upon the issues, who has a better understanding of our problems in Iraq and domestically?

On the Iraq issue definitely Murtha its hard to say domestically cause while Murtha is more of a conservative Democrat and Hoyer is a progressive, Hoyer broke ranks on some votes on some key issues while he was the Whip like the Bankruptcy bill, which Murtha also voted for. But Hoyer was the Whip so I hold him more responsible, but at the sametime I don't like using pressure on members of party for a vote if its not something that is not a core prinicipal of your party. Which I am not saying about the Bankruptcy Bill but saying in general I don't like the arm twisting all the time for votes, because the members have vote their conscience on an issue.

3.)Are the differences on Iraq between these two truly that great?

Not really, but I would also give someone with military experience as well as the person that the military personnel within the pentagon go to on Capital Hill more weight.

1.)Who should be the next majority leader?

For me personally I would like to see Murtha because I see him being able to be tougher on the Iraq issue against the administration. But either gentlemen would be fine by me.

2.)Based upon the issues, who has a better understanding of our problems in Iraq and domestically?

On the Iraq issue definitely Murtha its hard to say domestically cause while Murtha is more of a conservative Democrat and Hoyer is a progressive, Hoyer broke ranks on some votes on some key issues while he was the Whip like the Bankruptcy bill, which Murtha also voted for. But Hoyer was the Whip so I hold him more responsible, but at the sametime I don't like using pressure on members of party for a vote if its not something that is not a core prinicipal of your party. Which I am not saying about the Bankruptcy Bill but saying in general I don't like the arm twisting all the time for votes, because the members have vote their conscience on some issue.

3.)Are the differences on Iraq between these two truly that great?

Not really, but I would also give someone with military experience as well as the person that the military personnel within the pentagon go to on Capital Hill more weight.