Found originally on the Corner, apparently, and now being linked around by others: Congressman John Murtha, who is being hailed by everyone from the AP to Fox News as being a conservative, pro-war Democratic hawk (which is supposed to make his call for immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq so shocking, so weighty and so credible), was peddling the same defeatist rhetoric 18 months ago.

This whole thing is orchestrated, and the mainstream media are being played like a two-bit harmonica.

It’s a good thing Bush and Cheney are beginning to take the gloves off, because those who would drag this country down to defeat in the pivotal confrontation in Iraq are proving themselves capable of the most despicable dishonesty imaginable.

Addendum: Drudge has a link to this Pittsburgh Tribune-Review story which came out the day following the Roll Call piece and reports the remarks he ended up actually making (as opposed to the ones that were probably floated to Roll Call). “We cannot prevail in this war as it is going today.” And “We either have to mobilize or we have to get out.” The Tribune-Review then says that he added “that he supported increasing U.S. troop strength rather than pulling out.” So he calibrated his defeatism then appropriately to the winds that were blowing. Today, he looks at Bush’s poll numbers and simply figures he might as well go all the way.

And: Steyn and Hewitt, interview, transcript, must-read.

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