Update I: Here’s the official story, from the Associated Press:
The balloting marked a personal triumph for him, but also a snub to Pelosi, moments after the rank and file selected her unanimously to become speaker when the House convenes in January.
“We made history and now we will make progress for the American people,” Pelosi told the party caucus moments after her selection.
[...]
Pelosi also called for unity in the party, but within moments she put her prestige on the line by nominating Murtha for majority leader.
Murtha is powerful lawmaker on defense matters, and he gained national prominence last year when he called an end to U.S. military involvement in Iraq.
He and Pelosi have long been close, and when Pelosi issued a statement supporting Murtha on Sunday night, it raised the stakes in a leadership election within a party that is taking control of the House in January for the first time in a dozen years.
Pelosi and Hoyer have long had a difficult relationship. The two ran against each other in a leadership race several years ago. Pelosi won, but Hoyer rebounded more than a year later when he was elected the party’s whip.
Hoyer, 67, is a veteran of 25 years in Congress.
His margin of victory reflected a pre-election strategy in which he showcased support from moderates, veteran lawmakers in line to become committee chairmen and more than half of the incoming freshman class _ the majority-makers whose victories on Election Day gave the party control of the House.
The intraparty battle had preoccupied Democrats, overshadowing Pelosi’s promotion to speaker _ a position that is second in line of succession to the presidency.
Many Democrats were dismayed that the family feud had broken out in the first place and objected to heavy pressure placed on longstanding Hoyer supporters.
Update II: Look at the look on Murtha’s face. Heh:
Caption: Democratic nominee for Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca) (L) and Democratic House Majority Leader nominee Steny Hoyer (D-Md) (C) raise their arms while Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa) (R) applauds following the House Democratic Caucus Leadership elections on Capitol Hill November 16, 2006. (Larry Downing/Reuters)
Allah’s got video of the Dem House leadership announcement presser.
Update III: This photo is even better 
(Hat tip: MKH)
I’d be more impressed if his constituents defeated Murtha and tossed him out on his ear!
But I’ll take it! LOL
Comment by benning @ 11/16/2006 - 12:27 pm
- The first round across the bow of the hard Left, from the moderate wing of the party. Maybe the Dems are finally tiring of being led around by a ring in their nose by the nutroots. It’s a start.
- Bang
Comment by Big Bang Hunter @ 11/16/2006 - 12:36 pm
So, considering how petty and vindictive Pelosi is reputed to be, being against Harmon and Hoyer because they dared to compete with her for positions she wanted in the past, just how will this poison the well between her and the rest of the Democrats in the House? Hmmm.
Here’s a scary line:
Hoyer, 67, is a veteran of 25 years in Congress.
No one, and I mean no one, should ever be a lawmaker for that long. There are no more Cinncinatus’s left but we should at least try to limit the terms and therefore the damage these career politicians can do.
Comment by Severian @ 11/16/2006 - 12:44 pm
Pelosi : “… but first We have to recognize Representative Murtha for all his great contributions. Without his help we would not have been able to move America forward in the problems in Iraq …. blah…blah…blah… Murtha this, and Murtha that ect ect. …and we will work to bring benefits to ALL Americans, and not just the privaledged few. Now we should applaud all of Rep. Mrtha’s contributions. (polite applause). And now I want to introduce the new Majority leader, Representative Hoyer. the entire Democratic caucus has spoken, and nominated Rep Hoyer as the new Majority leader, and as they say in church, thats over, and now is the time for coming together. (even though I didn’t support him, and I’m going to get you , and your moderate supporters Hoyer, and your little doggie toooooooo.)
Hoyer: “….and I am proud to have been chossen by my fellow Democrats, (just sorry that my boss was too petty to pick me after all these years of supporting her, even when her idea’s were somewhere outside the orbit of mars), as Majority leader. (hopefully by the time we go into session in January I will be able to get Nancy’s knife out of my back). I look forward to working with the new speaker, in bringing our party together.”
- You could have cut the animosity in the room with a knife. *chuckle*
- Bang
Comment by Big Bang Hunter @ 11/16/2006 - 12:56 pm
Is the honeymoon over early?
Comment by Karl @ 11/16/2006 - 2:00 pm
- Murtha has been “Re-deployed” -
Comment by Big Bang Hunter @ 11/16/2006 - 2:47 pm
This, I believe sums it all up:
I loved the picture, Murtha seems to be doing his best imitation of Droopy in the picture - (say it in a long slow drawn out way),”I’m soooooo haaaaaappy…yaaaaaay”, and Pelosi seems to be pasting that grin on - and can’t quite figure out if Hoyer is holding Pelosi’s hand up or the other way around…heh
Comment by sanity @ 11/16/2006 - 3:23 pm
You’re right, Sis, that Confederate Yankee pic is perfect!
Comment by benning @ 11/16/2006 - 4:54 pm
This was a case of two lefties duking it out, so conservatives should not get too happy about the outcome. Still, John “Don’t Question My Patriotism - I’ll Question Yours Instead” Murtha was a Grade-A dirtbag. This is good news indeed!
Now, if Democrats would just remember that Islamofascists are the real enemy instead of Republicans.
Comment by Mwalimu Daudi @ 11/16/2006 - 5:11 pm
Watching all the dems this afernoon on msnbc, cnn and Fox you’d never know anything out of the ordinary has happened. They all say they are UNIFIED, whatever thats spose to mean, hell they have always been unified in thier hate for Bush and anything conservative but I do think steny is more moderate then murtha, you’d have to be an idiot to think otherwise.
AND THE PICTURES TELL IT ALL, MURTHA POUTING, I LOVE IT.
Comment by Drewsmom @ 11/16/2006 - 6:04 pm
Here’s to all of Pelosi’s moves going so well!
Side bar:
Sev,
We have term limits. It’s called voting. I think it’s a definite restriction on the voter rather than on the politician. You may limit the damage from the bad ones, but you also limit the benefits of the good ones. Sure, we could’ve had more Clinton, but we could have had more Reagan as well. I’d say this recent election has shown the term limiting power of the voting booth.
Comment by Marshall Art @ 11/17/2006 - 12:46 am