E.J. Dionne has a very interesting column in today’s Washington Post, entitled “Why the Democrats Caved”. Of special interest to me was the role of two Blue Dog Democrats: Heath Shuler of North Carolina and Patrick Murphy of Pennsylvania. Patrick Murphy assiduously courted my friendship and support during his campaign for office. He once went so far as to call me and ask me to come out and have some beers with him. I was disappointed when, once elected, he decided to caucus with the Blue Dog coalition, but I have been pleased to see him keep his promises on every vote on Iraq. Heath Shuler is a former NFL quarterback that was elected in a very conservative district in rural North Carolina. He’s socially conservative and I never expected him to vote in a way that I can support. Dionne tells the story.
Shortly before noon last Saturday, about 20 House Democrats huddled in Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office to decide what to do about a surveillance bill that had been dumped on them by the Senate before it left town.
Many of the Democrats were furious. They believed they had negotiated in good faith with Mike McConnell, the director of national intelligence…
…At one point, according to participants in the Pelosi meeting, the passionate discussion veered toward the idea of standing up to the administration — even at the risk of handing President Bush a chance to bash Democrats on “national security,” as is his wont.
Several members from swing districts — including Reps. Heath Shuler of North Carolina and Patrick J. Murphy of Pennsylvania — expressed openness to having Congress stay in town to fight if important constitutional issues were at stake.
But the moment passed. Even some very liberal Democrats worried about the political costs of blocking action before the summer recess.
This is the Patrick Murphy I know and deeply respect. He serves on the House Intelligence Committee, and he was willing to stay and fight. Unfortunately, too many of his colleagues were not.
If a terrorist attack happened and Congress had not given Bush what he wanted, the Democrats would get blamed for a lack of vigilance.
“Could something happen over August?” Rep. Rush D. Holt (D-N.J.) asked in an interview. “Sure it could. What bothered me is that too many Democrats allowed that fear to turn into a demand for some atrocious legislation.”
Patrick Murphy, a man that skirted Improvised Explosive Devices in Iraq, remained unafraid. Shuler, a man that skirted Defensive Ends and Safety blitzes, did not.
Most Democrats opposed the bill, but 41 (including Shuler) voted yes, allowing it to pass. (Murphy remained passionately opposed.)
I am proud of Patrick Murphy and I am ashamed of Heath Shuler, who knew better and, yet, acted like a coward. These are two profiles in courage. One man kept his, the other did not.