by Alan McBride
WINTER PARK, FLA.
Longtime Pennsylvania congressman John Murtha died Monday in suburban Washington, due to what medical authorities said were complications from recent gallbladder surgery. Murtha was 77.
A former central Florida congressman, Lou Frey, said he recalled the days when Murtha became the first combat veteran to be elected to Congress, and described the Democrat as a "good friend, and much better to have as a friend than an enemy.
Frey, now a political analyst and civics advocate, said that he and Murtha had been friends; and neither of them cared about the fact that they belonged to different political parties.
He said Murtha was the kind pf person who commanded respect, because of his own personal history and the tireless way he fought for people in the armed services.
"He'd been a grunt in Vietnam," Frey said. "He'd been there. He knew what it was about. He'd been shot at. His life was devoted to trying to make sure our troops had the best weapons."
Frey said that some of Murtha's toughest battles were fought against the bureaucracy and red tape that continually threaten to engulf Washington.
He said, in one epic struggle, Murtha was fighting the bureaucracy to get advanced weapons into the hands of troops. He said the bureaucracy wanted to keep cheaper weapons that were on the verge of obsolescence.
"He was about to blow a gasket over that," Frey said.
Frey also recalled that Murtha's staff made it difficult for people to see the congressman, which was something that got under the congressman's skin from time to time.
He remembered one particular exchange.
"I was up in Washington a while back, working with the Frey Institute, and he'd see me. 'Lou! Lou! Where the hell have you been? Why don't you ever come by my office? You too important for me?,'" Frey said. "I said, 'Well, John I can't get through your office. You've got so many people.' He just said, 'Well, you can walk right in any time and tell them you want to see me! You are a friend. I got plenty of acquaintances here, but you're a friend.'"
Frey said that, beyond the personal loss of a friend, he is not sure if people will recognize the fact that the nation has lost one of the most influential voices for the fighting men and women in the armed services.
"His impact in the Congress was really monumental," Frey said.
Listen to: Lou Frey, political analyst, friend of John Murtha | Lou Frey | Lou Frey
© 2010