John Murtha has faced lawsuits for his comments on Marines shooting civilians in Iraq. He’s been run through on the FOX network for his turnabout on that war.
He survived Abscam.
But can he overcome “Saturday Night Live”?
The popular opening skit on the comedy show skewered Murtha and U.S. Sen. Joe Biden for their recent comments during the presidential race.
The voice-over introduced impersonators as speaking to a rally in Johnstown, “where they attempted to blow the election for Senator Obama.”
Murtha recently referred to racist tendencies in western Pennsylvania, then tried to backtrack by using the term “redneck.” Biden told voters that Obama would be tested on foreign policy affairs early in his presidency.
A Murtha spokesman reacted to the parody Monday by joking that he thought the congressman’s impersonator, Darrell Hammond, needed to be a little taller.
In a more serious vein, Matthew Mazonkey said that, “Right now, we’re concentrating on the issues that matter to western Pennsylvania like creating jobs, reducing our dependence on foreign oil, protecting Social Security and Medicare and taking care of our veterans.
“These are our priorities.’’
The National Republican Congressional Committee wasted no time in pouncing on the spoof.
It e-mailed journalists Sunday saying, “With his careless remarks, Murtha has turned western Pennsylvania into a national joke and made voters there the punch line.’’
The Republicans weren’t so concerned about image, though, as to not include a link to the SNL video clip.
Steve Clark, a spokesman for Murtha’s election opponent, William Russell, said, “It’s not the kind of publicity the area wants or needs.
“It’s unfortunate because that’s not what the district is really like, as everybody knows.”
Local News
Related Photos
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Darrell Hammond as U.S. Rep. John Murtha (right) and Jason Sudeikis as Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden rally in “Johnstown” during the opening skit on “Saturday Night Live.” Submitted Photo
Discussion
‘SNL’ spoofs Murtha in opening skit
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Boil-water notice issued in Upper Yoder Township
A boil-water notice has been issued for a portion of Upper Yoder Township as crews work to repair a leak along Route 271. -
No NDIC jobs to stay in city
After years of political clashes and fiscal uncertainty, these are the facts of the National Drug Intelligence Center’s final days:
• 87: The number of employees losing their jobs as NDIC operations wind down this year.
• 57: The number of staffers, aside from those 87, who will be offered jobs in Washington, D.C.
• Zero: The number of NDIC-related jobs that will remain in Johnstown. -
Blogging with heart
I had a couple of interesting interviews over the past 24 hours. The first was with an ambitious Forest Hills High School junior who organized a Red Out across the district today in support of American Heart Association. Like many of those involved in Heart Association benefits, Spencer Ivock was inspired by his own family members' experience with heart disease.
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Forest Hills junior puts his heart into Red Out
Forest Hills junior Spencer Ivock is “redding out” the schools today for his senior project.
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Local pair accused of robbing home twice
A Johnstown couple has been charged with breaking into a Lower Yoder Township home twice in a four-month period – and then selling, for $103, some of the thousands of dollars in goods they alleged swiped.
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Steel firm considers coal mine near Que
Cambria Somerset Authority officials plan to meet this week with representatives of an Ohio-based steel company about a plan that could put a coal mine south of the Quemahoning Reservoir.
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In brief: Somerset motorist dies in crash
A 28-year-old Somerset man was killed Thursday morning when his vehicle left the road, hit a drainage ditch and rolled over.
- Births 02/03/2012
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[VIDEO] Party in Punxsutawney: Groundhog Day is about more than seeing shadows
For the thousands who show up at Gobbler's Knob as early as 8 p.m. on Feb. 1, Groundhog Day is about more than whether or not Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow: It's an excuse to party.
The Tribune-Democrat's Justin Dennis spent the night among the masses and captured all of the festivities on film. -
[VIDEO] Punxsutawney Phil makes his prediction
More than 18,000 people – some representing states as far away as Arkansas and Oregon – crammed into the outdoor amphitheatre of Gobbler’s Knob on Thursday for the annual weather party known as Groundhog Day.
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