Jean Schmidt, wingnuts and mental illness

If you wanted an example that proved that Republican wingnuttery was a form of mental illness you have to look no further than Rep. Jean Schmidt of Ohio. Her loose canon speech where she called marine war hero John Murtha a coward not only sent shock waves across the country but has humiliated the Republicans in her own district. The Washington Post explains:

Rep. Jean Schmidt flung the word "coward" at a decorated war veteran from Pennsylvania last week, but the Ohio Republican's comments landed with a splat in her own Cincinnati district, where some supporters are backing away as she scrambles to explain what she meant.

Judging by her words yesterday -- the first after avoiding the public for three days -- Schmidt doesn't understand what the fuss is about, and sees herself more as victim than villain. "I am amazed at what a national story this has become," she said in a statement. "I have been attacked very personally, continuously since Friday evening."

[......]

Schmidt said in her brief speech: "A few minutes ago, I received a call from Colonel Danny Bubp. He asked me to send Congress a message: Stay the course. He also asked me to send Congressman Murtha a message: that cowards cut and run, Marines never do."

But Bubp denies that's what he said.

Bubp, a GOP state legislator and Marine Corps Reserve officer, had campaigned for Schmidt. He put out his own statement yesterday: "The comments and concerns I shared with Congresswoman Schmidt were never meant as a personal reference to Mr. Murtha. . . . We never discussed anyone by name and there was no intent to ever disparage the congressman or his distinguished record of service for our nation." Bubp, through a spokeswoman, declined an interview request.

But Schmidt continues to claim he did.

Schmidt recalls their Friday phone conversation somewhat differently. "I wrote down what he was saying," she said in the interview. "He did ask me to send a message to Congress, and he also said send a message to 'that congressman.' He did not know that congressman's name, but I did. Neither one of us knew he was a Marine."

her claim that she didn't know Murtha was a Marine would indicate she is a pathological liar, and uninformed idiot or probably both. If there was any political capitol to be gained from the Republican's stunt last Friday is was wiped out by Schmidt's tirade. Mean Jean has guaranteed that she will be less than a one term Representative as there is no way she can win reelection. Josh Marshall reports that Ohio Republicans seem to realize this.

Republicans seem not to agree, judging by the fact that two challengers from the GOP primary in her race are now saying they may run against her again.

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