On the June 26 edition of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes, Fox News political contributor and former member of Congress and House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) asserted that “the most logical explanation” for Rep. John P. Murtha's (D-PA) criticism of the administration's handling of the Iraq war is that “Murtha woke up one day a year ago and said, 'You know, if I don't start bashing America, and bashing the military, and repudiating everything I've stood for my whole life, these guys [the House Democratic leadership] aren't going to allow me to be chairman of the committee that spends the money” if Democrats regain control of the House of Representatives. Gingrich's assessment of Murtha's motivation came in response to guest co-host Mike Gallagher, who asked, “Is [Murtha] having some kind of mental meltdown? Is he crazy like a fox or just plain crazy?”

Reporting on comments Murtha made on June 24 criticizing the war, Gallagher pointed to Murtha's call for the redeployment of U.S. troops, first made in November 2005, as well as his recent criticism of the military's handling of the alleged massacre of Iraqi civilians by U.S. troops in Haditha, and characterized Murtha as having a “mental breakdown.” Gingrich replied by suggesting that, instead, Murtha is “bashing” America and the U.S. military as a way of appeasing “the hard-line left in the Democratic Party” in the hope that he will “be able to become the chairman of the [House] Appropriations subcommittee on defense.” Gingrich then concluded, “I'm not saying that's the case, but it's the most logical explanation.”

From the June 26 edition of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes:

GALLAGHER: Well, Congressman John Murtha is once again drawing fire for comments he made over the weekend while speaking in Florida. Murtha once again called for the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and said that the United States is more dangerous to world peace than either Iran or North Korea. We continue now with former speaker of the House and Fox News contributor Newt Gingrich. Mr. Speaker, there's something very definitely going on with Jack Murtha. He goes from calling U.S. Marines cold-blooded murderers before there was even a preliminary investigation of Haditha to this latest outrage. Is this guy having some kind of mental meltdown? Is he crazy like a fox or just plain crazy?

GINGRICH: Well, you know, it may be that Murtha thinks the Democrats are going to gain control of the House and that only if he appeases the hard-line left in the Democratic Party will he be able to become the chairman of the Appropriations subcommittee on defense. If you look at what's happening to Senator Joe Lieberman (D) in Connecticut, where a hard-core anti-war Democrat is giving him a very tough race in the primary, and you realize how much more left-wing the House Democratic Caucus now is, it's conceivable that Murtha woke up one day a year ago and said, “You know, if I don't start bashing America, and bashing the military, and repudiating everything I've stood for my whole life, these guys aren't going to allow me to be chairman of the committee that spends the money.” I'm not saying that's the case --

GALLAGHER: Right.

GINGRICH: -- but it's the most logical explanation.