Jean Schmidt's first 100 days [View All]

[Thom Little]

In her first 100 days, Rep. Jean Schmidt argued the need for spending restraint, fought for private property rights and voted to continue President Bush's tax cuts. But that's not what she's best known for. When her name comes up, it's her 16th speech on the House floor, made on her 74th day in office, that most people talk about.

During that speech, the freshman Republican lawmaker from Clermont County urged Congress not to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq. And she told 17-term Democratic Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania, a decorated Marine veteran of Vietnam who had called on Bush to start pulling out troops, that "cowards cut and run. Marines never do."



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Schmidt called her Nov. 18 speech about withdrawing troops from Iraq an "interesting" event but stopped short of calling it her low point.

"I'm not sure I've had any (low points)," she said. "The first 100 days have been rewarding, challenging, invigorating and exciting."

About the speech itself, Schmidt said: "Would I have changed a few of the words? Yes. Would I have changed the message? Absolutely not," she said.



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