Two Men Down - one good, one not so good

Two congressmen died recently, one active, and one former. I have similar sympathies for both their families, but totally different opinions of each.

The first, John Murtha (aka the King of Pork), generates diametrically opposed thoughts. Honor him for his service to our country as a U. S. Marine in Korea and Viet Nam. Excoriate him for his repugnant remarks about his brother Marines in Iraq. Despise him for his scandal-tainted and pork-wallowing terms in congress. Sounds to me like a good man who done gone bad. The country is better off for his military service, and better off now that he's gone.

On the other hand we have Charlie Wilson (aka Good Time Charlie). Almost a caricature of a small town politician and good ol' boy from Texas, Charlie was without a doubt fond of wine, women, and song. He was also without a doubt the primary U.S. architect of the Soviet defeat in Afghanistan. Immortalized in the book and later the excellent movie "Charlie Wilson's War," he was a bigger than life character the likes of which are fading from our political landscape, leaving us richer for having known him and poorer for his passing.

I have a weakness for good-time-loving good ol' boys from small Texas towns. Comes from growing up around 'em, I guess...