Russell: Don’t name a ship after Murtha

By Dan Hirschhorn – pa2010.com

Republican Bill Russell this week waded into the Navy’s sometimes-controversial decision to name a ship after the late John Murtha, with his campaign calling it an “insult.”

Russell, a darling of some in the conservative grassroots, rose to prominence in 2008 partly because he fiercely spoke out when the the 12th District congressman called Marines involved in an incident in Iraq “cold-blooded killers.” Russell is running for the western Pennsylvania seat for the second time in as many cycles, and while there has been grumbling on the blogosphere about the Navy’s decision, it was the first time a candidate for his seat spoke out against naming a ship for Murtha, who died earlier this year.

“Even the media is questioning Secretary Mabus’s decision to name a new ship after Mr. Murtha,” Russell said in a statement calling on the Navy to reconsider its decision. “The Washington Times called it (Mr. Murtha’s) ‘highest undeserved honor,’ and as a veteran I find this particularly offensive. In fact, I stood up against Mr. Murtha’s comments back in 2008  when it was a matter of conviction and not just political expediency. I was even threatened for my position of defending those brave Marines.”

A campaign aide to Republican Tim Burns, the party’s special election candidate and the front-runner against Russell for the primary to be held the same day, declined to comment on the issue.