When Dick Cheney met with House GOP whip Tom DeLay last week, he got an urgent piece of advice. "The first person you should call on Capitol Hill is Jack Murtha," DeLay said. Murtha is a veteran Democratic House member from Pennsylvania who's not well known to the public. But he's a powerhouse, and someone willing to work with Republicans on issues he cares about, which include defense.
In 1999, when President Clinton threatened to veto the military spending bill as too hefty, Murtha took to the House floor to say he'd work to over-ride Clinton's veto. The next day, the White House retracted his veto threat. "When Murtha flexes his muscles, he's a man among boys," says a GOP admirer. Murtha, an ex-Marine, is not a conservative. He's an old-fashioned labor Democrat, hawkish on defense and traditional on cultural issues, liberal on economic and domestic policies. Murtha could help Bush, assuming he becomes president. His presence as an ally of Bush on any issue would signal to other Democrats that, despite what Democratic congressional leaders say, it's all right to work with Bush.
Equally important, Murtha brings other Democrats with him. "If he promises to line up 40 votes, you can count on it," says a Republican aide. Cheney, a former House member and defense secretary, knows Murtha. Bush doesn't, but a call may be coming. Rep. Murtha, stay near the phone.