Tim Murphy Gets Bonus PR on Wasteful Iraq Trip

Western PA GOP Congressman Tim Murphy got banged up the other day, when the vehicle he was in turned over on the way out to the Bagdad airport. By most accounts, Murphy suffered no serious injuries, though an MRI was done to check for head and neck injuries.

The Congressman was in Iraq and Afganistan to pump hands with the troops over Thanksgiving. Now, while this sounds altruistic, I'd argue that it's anything but. This is way different than sending some hot babe entertainer over with a wise-cracking comedian in the manner of Bob Hope and Elke Sommer. This is a politician hoping to be able to pick up a few points next year by showing just how "concerned" and "informed" he is about the "situation."

What we really ended up with was a grandstanding pol who put himself and the soldiers guarding him in harms way, for nothing other than political motives, including, I'd guess, a video and still photographs. (look for them soon on his website!) Then, we had to utilize a Blackhawk helicopter to drag his sorry ass out of the danger zone, wasting more precious resources and putting other soldiers at risk.

Next year, after the fall elections, I am hopeful that the voters of PA will decide that Congressman Murphy should spend Thanksgiving at home, not in the Middle East.