No one I've heard, seen, or read said Pelosi owed Murtha anything more than a private assurance she wouldn't stand in his way if he chose to run for majority leader. Everyone I've heard, seen, or read has said she could have offered him another spot, and had her cake and eaten it too.

bobert, you are the only person I've seen who keeps trying to put a positive spin on such an obvious miscalculation on Pelosi's part.

Why do you need so badly to keep believing she didn't trip up out of the starting gate?