I was wondering why Rep. (Col. Ret) John Kline and Mark Kennedy were missing from the infantile and damaging tantrum by the Democrats last week. Here they were in Iraq. Unfortunately neither of these Reps were from my district when I lived in Minnesota although I supported both monitarily in their elections.

I’d say Rep Kline has the credentials to counter any of the claims made by the Democrats regarding Rep. Murtha’s statements.

Although this marks his first elected office, Congressman Kline is familiar with Washington, where he served as a military aide to Presidents Carter and Reagan for part of his twenty-five years in the United States Marine Corps. Mr. Kline’s responsibilities during this period included carrying the nuclear football; the package containing launch codes for a nuclear attack. He also advised our country’s senior civilian and military leadership, including the President. Throughout a military career from which he retired at the rank of Colonel, Mr. Kline served as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam, commanded all Marine aviation forces in Operation Restore Hope in Somalia, flew Marine One, the Presidential helicopter, and served as Program Development Officer at Headquarters Marine Corps.

Plus, John Kline is just a nice man who toils under the radar. I would like to see a bit more face time on the bobblehead programs with John Kline.

Powerline received a report from Rep. Mark Kennedy (currently running for the GOP nomination for US Senate in MN to replace Democrat Mark Dayton) about the trip to Iraq. Mark has some interesting comments which contradict the “it’s a failure” and “we’re losing” mentality of the tail between their legs Democrat posturing currently. Hopefully, Rep. John Kline will soon have his own take on the situation in Iraq.

In August, 2004, we landed at a military-controlled Baghdad International Airport controlled in a cork screw pattern to avoid being fired at. This time we landed straight on at that same airport, which is now under civilian control, and has not experienced an attack for a year. As we flew on Blackhawk helicopters over Baghdad this year, I saw school yards filled with young students and streets throughout the city choked with traffic. .

And

snip….As we were being briefed by General George Casey, Commander of Military Operations in Iraq, at his office in the Al Faw Palace in Camp Victory, near Baghdad, we could see FOX news on big screen TV in the background. As we were there to carry a message of support from the American People, on the TV flashed images of our Congressional debate just hours before on a resolution dealing with whether to pull out of Iraq. Unfortunately, the debate was less about the substance of our Iraqi policy or how to win the War on Terror, but more just the unleashing of anger.

Power Line: Congressman Kennedy Reports