Steny Hoyer Takes Orders From Move.on.org

Michael Kinsley is usually given credit for the phrase, “a gaffe is when a politician tells the truth.” Steny Hoyer committed such an act of inadvertent truth telling shortly before the craven vote on withdrawing from Iraq yesterday:

House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer said the House bill, which will be voted on today, “sets a reasonable timeline,” but he acknowledged that members of his party are being pressured by antiwar groups such as MoveOn.org.

“If we don’t do anything, these groups will feel like we haven’t done anything,” the Maryland Democrat said.

There it is. No mention of national security. No mention of the danger of regional war that would inevitably draw us back in. No mention of listening to the advice of General Petraeus or any other military officer. Just concern for the influence of a moonbat pressure group and the, most likely, the money they can raise.

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I’ve always had a bit of admiration for Mr. Hoyer. He has appeared to act on principle, or at least moreso than most Democrats, and he seems reasonable. As a conservative and Republican I was strongly pushing for Jack Murtha to win the position of House majority leader simply because Mr. Hoyer is all the things Mr. Murtha is not, smart, honest, diligent, capable, and smooth. And I would have much preferred to have the somewhat scary and nutty Nancy Pelosi and the crooked and nutty Jack Murtha as the face of the national Democrat party.

While it is refreshing, I suppose, to see Mr. Hoyer publicly acknowledge that he knows where his bread is buttered it is disappointing to see a major national party so firmly in the pocket of an organization best known for its virulent anti-Americanism.