In a June 10 article, The Washington Post continued to identify Rep. John P. Murtha (D-PA) as “pro-military,” just as it repeatedly did following his call in November 2005 for the redeployment of U.S. troops out of Iraq. But as Media Matters for America has noted, labeling Murtha this way suggests 1) that other Democrats with whom he is compared -- including House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi -- are not “pro-military” and 2) that his views on troop withdrawal are inconsistent with his “pro-military” reputation and record in Congress.

In the June 10 article, focused on Murtha's recent announcement that he intends to run for House majority leader if Democrats retake control of the House of Representatives in November, Post staff writer Shailagh Murray wrote:

One theory is that Murtha's candidacy could provide midterm voters with a tougher, more conservative contrast to the liberal minority leader, Nancy Pelosi (Calif.). A decorated Marine combat veteran, Murtha is strongly pro-military. But his call last year for a withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq was a pivotal moment in the war debate, emboldening many Democrats to speak out forcefully against the conflict.

In this excerpt, Murray equates conservatism with being pro-military. She also suggests that Murtha's call for withdrawal of U.S. troops conflicts with his “pro-military” record. Murray does not explain how a concern for the number of U.S. troop casualties, among other reasons Murtha and others have given for advocating troop redeployment, is not “pro-military.” Nor does she square the votes of liberals in favor of veterans' benefits with her suggestion that they are not “pro-military.” As Media Matters noted in response to the Post's previous descriptions of Murtha as “pro-military”:

The Post's and the others' labeling of Murtha as “pro-military” or a “pro-military Democrat” raises several questions. First, would these news organizations characterize any of the 184 Democrats in the House who voted to compensate for a $1 billion shortfall in spending for veterans caused by the federal deficit -- but many of whom also voted against the Iraq war resolution -- “anti-military”? What about those 216 Republicans who voted against increasing veterans' benefits, the vast majority of whom voted for the war resolution? Are they pro or anti-military? And what about the 44 Senate Democrats who voted for Sen. John F. Kerry's (D-MA) amendment increasing death benefits to military families -- many of whom also voted against the Iraq war resolution? And the 25 Republicans who voted against the Kerry amendment?