Published: October 29, 2008 10:18 pm      

Rendell campaigns for Murtha, says ’racist’ comment was mistake

UNIONTOWN — Gov. Ed Rendell came to U.S. Rep. John Murtha’s defense Wednesday by saying the Johnstown congressman was fatigued from campaigning when he called his western Pennsylvania district “racist” and by praising Murtha for bringing jobs to the region.

“Did Jack make a mistake? Sure he did, but it’s what you do that counts,” Rendell said at their joint appearance Wednesday at a rally at a union hall in Uniontown.

Murtha, a 17-term lawmaker, consistently has brought money and jobs to his area as an influential member of the House Appropriations Committee, Rendell said. He called Murtha, 76, a “job-producing machine.”

Two weeks ago, Murtha told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s editorial board, “There is no question that western Pennsylvania is a racist area.” Murtha made similar remarks in a meeting with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review when he said some voters would be reluctant to support Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama because he is black.

Murtha apologized, but later told a Pittsburgh TV station that “this whole area, years ago, was really redneck.”

In defending Murtha on Wednesday, Rendell said: “People make mistakes when they’re out there campaigning 18 hours a day.”

Rendell was caught in a similar firestorm back in February when he said that some white Pennsylvanians are likely to vote against Barack Obama because he is black.

Murtha is facing a stiffer-than-anticipated re-election campaign against Republican William Russell, a retired Army lieutenant colonel.

The National Republican Congressional Committee is planning a television commercial based on the “racist” remark and on Murtha’s past remarks about U.S. Marines killing innocent civilians in Iraq in “cold blood.”

Two Marines have sued Murtha for his comments.