In this corner, Congressman John Murtha of Pennsylvania — Steven Thomma of Knight Ridder reports that many of Murtha’s constituents support his Iraq withdrawal proposal.

… mostly people in Murtha’s blue-collar, coal-and-steel country district in west Pennsylvania signaled weariness for the war. They endorse the man who has represented them since he became the first Vietnam veteran elected to Congress in 1974.

The support suggested that attacks on Murtha in Washington as a coward will gain no traction in his district. …

…”I agree with him wholeheartedly,” said Robert Bender, a World War II veteran and retired steel worker who serves as the adjutant of American Legion Post 294. “We shouldn’t have been involved in the first place. Now that they have a Constitution, we should get out.”

The blue-collar Democrats who live and work in the small towns of Murtha’s district are culturally conservative. Like him, they’re pro-gun and pro-life. And like him, they’re proudly patriotic.

Except for a few Pittsburgh Steelers posters, the Legion Hall’s dark-paneled walls are a billboard of support for the U.S. military. “Operation Desert Storm, U.S. military at its finest,” says one poster. “9-11-01. We will never forget,” says another.

“It’s a conservative area. But we don’t support this particular war,” said Bender. “Most of the people around here are in accord with him on this,” he added.

In the other corner, Congresswoman Jean Schmidt of Ohio — Jason DeParle writes in the New York Times that Mrs. Schmidt’s constituents are not surprised.

…when Representative Jean Schmidt, an Ohio Republican, created a furor on her 75th day in Congress by lobbing the word “coward” toward a Democratic war hero, those who know her best were anything but surprised.

Just this week, a profile in The Hill newspaper, which covers Congress, labeled her “gloriously uncensored.” Back home in her suburban Cincinnati district, the Whistleblower, an online newsletter that tracks local politics, rushed out a special I-told-you-so issue calling the speech “vintage Jean Schmidt.”

“We have said innumerable times that she would go to Washington and open her mouth and create an embarrassment,” said Jim Schifrin, the newsletter’s publisher. “She will say things that turn people off like nothing you’ve ever seen.”

I made an attempt to find The Whistleblower , but the only link that looked promising wasn’t working. If anyone can provide a link, I’d appreciate it.

Mrs. Schmidt’s Republican colleagues made excuses for her shameless weasel insult of Congressman Murtha:

Several Republicans who were on the House floor said afterward that Ms. Schmidt did not appear to know she was referring to a much-decorated veteran.

“The poor lady didn’t know Jack Murtha was a Marine – she really just ran into a hornet’s nest,” said Representative Jack Kingston of Georgia.

Representative David Dreier of California said, “Very clearly, she did not know that Jack Murtha was a Marine.”

Sure she didn’t. Clearly, she intended to insult some generic Marine, not Murtha specifically.

So what does Mean Jean say for herself?

Ms. Schmidt could not be reached for comment on Saturday, with voice mailboxes full at all three of her offices. Her campaign manager did not return a phone call.

Well, OK. But it’s likely her supporters still support her.

The 100-proof speech on the House floor may shore up Ms. Schmidt’s standing inside her party’s right flank.

“I was listening to talk radio today, and people were calling in and praising her,” said Chris Finney, a Cincinnati Republican allied with Ms. Schmidt’s local rivals. “They like that jingoistic thinking.”

But Thomma of Knight Ridder says Murtha’s constituents see things differently.

Her words didn’t sit well in the Legion bar.

“We’re proud of him. We don’t like it when people attack him,” said Barry Sirko of Johnstown, sipping a beer after his shift washing buses.

“We’ve lost more than 2000 troops so far. Murtha thinks the Iraqis should be fighting on their own. Murtha’s right. It’s gone on and on and on. They’re all nuts over there and we should get out.”

Asked whether Murtha was surrendering to terrorists, several patrons jumped in at once to say that the Iraq war was a distraction from the hunt for Osama bin Laden, which they considered more important.

“We were supposed to be hunting terrorists. We dropped that to get into this war,” said Bender.

“They should have kept going after bin Laden. What the heck are we doing in Iraq?” said Ray Telgarsky, a retired autoworker from Johnstown.

Even if they disagree, many of Murtha’s constituents still like and respect him. They know his record in the Marines – Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts and the Vietnamese Cross for Gallantry. And they know his clout in Congress has helped them weather the lost jobs in the mines and steel mills. Among the bounty he’s brought home: the National Drug Intelligence Center and plants or offices set up by defense contractors including Lockheed, Northrop Grumman, Kuchera Defense Systems and Concurrent Technologies Corp.

At Murtha’s district office, calls, e-mails and faxes ran about 2-1 in support, though aides didn’t know how many came from within the district. An unscientific poll taken by a local television station found about the same.

I lived in the Ohio Second District for five years. It was a while back, but from what I’ve read it’s still a mix of small towns, farms, and upscale Cincinnati suburbs. I’m betting those Clermont County Country Clubbers wouldn’t last long in the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, American Legion bar.

See also–Howard Fineman on Murtha and the Bush “war room”