the smedley log - suburban scrawl

Patrick Murphy

Matt recalls his disgust with some tactics employed by (um, do I have to call him my Congressman?) Mike Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick has seen fit to plug in one of the most disturbing tactics of the past few years: the slimy use of innuendo against a U.S. soldier’s service record. I just wish it would stop. Mr. Bush’s failure to do the right thing (when people slinging mud on his behalf took similar measures against John Kerry) is a large part of the reason I lost respect for the President (the man, not the office).

Now Mike Fitzpatrick, a congressman whose office has been about as responsive as a ‘69 VW bus on a highway entrance ramp, has put his name on that same list of people I consider unelectable. I was already leaning toward supporting Patrick Murphy in this year’s contest, but now my position is pretty much solidified. I’ve had enough of chicken hawks who feel emboldened to slander war veterans for political gain. And maybe one upside to this decision will be the addition of one more Congressperson who actually has a real-world understanding of how the military works. Golly, wouldn’t that be neat?

In short, if my Congressman won’t act like a responsible adult, I’m obliged to elect someone I believe will. That’s why I’m supporting Patrick Murphy for Congress.

UPDATE (11/1/06): In a stunning twist (at least to me, a lifelong Bucks Countian), the hometown paper, The Bucks County Courier Times endorsed Patrick Murphy the other day. For people in Bucks County, this is the only news endorsement that should matter, because it comes from the only editorial staff with any substantive concern or foundation in Bucks County’s general interest.

Which is more than I can say for a couple groups based outside of Bucks County that have backed Mike Fitzpatrick in this race:

1. The Sierra Club, no doubt recognizing open space and environmental initiatives adopted in Bucks while Fitzpatrick was one of three county commissioners; he clearly hasn’t been part of any positive environmental impact as a freshmen congressman.
2. The Philadephia Inquirer, who gave Fitzpatrick their editorial endorsement, apparenlty because they were more disappointed that Murphy’s responses on certain issues were almost as upsetting as Fitzpatrick’s actual record was. Part of me suspects they were just trying their hand at being “fair and balanced.” Go figure.

And anyone who’s ever dealt with Fitzy’s office on questions requiring more than a form letter with an automated feel knows how frustrating his responses tend to be. That he’s so in-step with the Bush Administration on issues affecting constitutional tenets and home economics almost seems ancillary to the simple fact that his office has clearly been more interested in politicking than serving the constituency.

Thank God I have blogs like Jane’s to read that really help me catch the things I’d otherwise miss about Bucks County political happenings. Oh, and there’s also Fact-esque and the next direction for Bucks-based political blogging.

I met Patrick Murphy briefly about a month ago at the Philly premiere of Iraq for Sale. I was there “covering” the event for my journalism class and he spent about five minutes talking to me about his campaign and my grad school work. He ended our conversation only when an aid grabbed his elbow and steered him towards blogger Duncan Black. Before he walked away, he handed me his card and told me to email if there was anything he could do. After that encounter I felt sad that I don’t live in his district and so can’t vote for him. I think he’ll make a terrific congressman.