The (Cough) Great House Dem Leadership Race

OK, I confess that my eyes blur whenever talk turns to the "fight" over the race for House majority leader among the Democrats John Murtha of Pennsylvania and Steny Hoyer of Maryland. It got even worse as I read deeper and deeper into what appears to be really murky ethics issues surrounding Murtha, some of which I learned about for the first time.

As you might imagine, I am no more in favor of Democrats being loose on ethics than I am for Republicans. It's worse, actually, because I generally expect more from Dems (as you nod your head pitifully at how hopelesly idealistic I remain). And, much as I like Murtha standing up on Iraq and the war there, this in no way gives him a free pass on everything else.

Anyone brave enough to discuss their take on it? National Journal offers information here on Murtha vs. Hoyer. David Korn writing at The Nation has been suggesting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi should have ducked rather than thrown her whole-hearted support behind Murtha. However, Ari Berman also writing at The Nation says fellow Californian Henry Waxman would be the best choice for Pelosi's deputy.

David at Talking Points Memo pointed to a NY Observer piece that discusses the fight, but I'm not sure it answered more questions than it raised. I also feel I have no strong sense of Hoyer is despite the fact that he's been serving as the minority person for awhile now. But I'm equally unsure of why this has become something of an issue when there are so many more important things to be worked out.