Interview with Rep. Murtha's Challenger

COLMES: We are just 13 days away from election day, and Congressman John Murtha's characterization of western Pennsylvania voters seems to have injected race into the battle for the Keystone State. So could Murtha's remarks end up costing him for his seat in Congress?

With us now for reaction is Murtha's Republican challenger in Pennsylvania's 12 congressional district, retired Army Colonel Bill Russell.

Colonel Russell, thanks for coming on "Hannity & Colmes." Appreciate it very much.

COL. BILL RUSSELL (RET.), CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE: Thanks for having me on, Alan.

COLMES: Why do you think it is that Murtha is -- you know, the pundits are saying he'll likely be reelected. He's ahead in the polls. You've got Obama up in the polls, likely to win Pennsylvania. If these remarks are so damaging, why do you think that's the case?

RUSSELL: One, it's a direct slap in the face to the people of the district. He's -- whatever motives he may have had in doing so, he's just so directly insulted their intelligence by stating -- attributing the lowest possible reason for not voting for Mr. Obama.

COLMES: But it's not hurting him?

RUSSELL: Well, actually, it is. We're getting -- within our reactions that we're drawing from the people here in the district, a lot of people are very, very ticked off. We've had a number of calls, people approaching saying they're just absolutely outraged, and they are fully intending to vote against Mr. Murtha.

COLMES: Where are you in the polls? What's the spread?

RUSSELL: Right now, where there's one that shows us ahead, and there are some more that are coming out here that, I think, will shock you. But in terms of this is a district that has largely been overlooked for polls, both by the RNC and the Democratic Party, mostly because Mr. Murtha is a 34-year incumbent, has a 63 percent voter registration edge.

COLMES: And he's brought a lot into the district in terms of, you know, brought a lot of money home, hasn't he?

RUSSELL: Well, yes, but a lot of people are realizing that that money has only benefited a selected few and has, in fact, undermined the development of business in the region. And after 30 years of these earmarks our greatest export is our adult children, instead of our coal and natural gas.

COLMES: When he said this whole area years ago, and his clarification using the word "redneck," it's not something I would have done, but when he said this whole area years ago was mostly redneck, is he wrong about that? Was it ever redneck? I mean, historically, does he have a point?

RUSSELL: Well, I think the term is a very unfair term to use. Certainly, when you have folks that are of rural persuasions that live in these areas, I think it's a very unfair description of the people, but certainly they are able to look at the issues and vote their values.

And when you look at this district, that is one very, very pro-life. And Mr. Obama has an extreme pro-abortion platform as part of his campaign, as well as his strong anti-gun stance and opposes the right of individuals to protect themselves in their own homes, those are two issues that run very, very deep and are very counter to the values of this district, and people are going to vote against him for that -- those reasons alone.

HANNITY: Hey, Bill, welcome to the program. And that -- let's go through this history of Murtha. He accused our brave Marines, before they ever had a chance to defend themselves, of killing innocent civilians in cold blood. These men were then exonerated. He won't apologize to this point, will he?

RUSSELL: That's right, and in fact, in the same interview with the Post-Gazette, in which he rose -- raised the racist issue, he restated his requirement that he would not apologize...

HANNITY: Unbelievable.

RUSSELL: ... for throwing the Marines under the bus, and in fact stated that that has actually helped the situation in Iraq, which it absolutely has not.

HANNITY: So he won't apologize to our brave men and women. He was -- here, they're defending our freedoms, and he won't even give them the right to defense and they -- before he just adjudicates them guilty from Washington, D.C. And he won't apologize.

All right. So he calls the people in Pennsylvania racist and redneck. And then Barack Obama -- I'm going to play the tape. This is him speaking among Alan's liberal San Francisco friends, millionaire friends. He said the following about people in Pennsylvania, we were talking about with Governor Rendell. Let's roll that tape.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's not surprising they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: So my question is, Bill, both Murtha and Barack Obama think people in your district, in Pennsylvania, are racist, rednecks that cling to their guns, their Bibles, their religion with antipathy towards those who aren't like them and have anti-immigration sentiment. How do -- how do they get any votes there? Why is Pennsylvania even close?

RUSSELL: Well, certainly for Mr. Murtha, for so long, his voter base, and in fact, his campaign slogan is here -- is he delivers for us. So certainly, he is riding his earmark reputation.

But, again, both these statements just really show how much Mr. Murtha has lost touch with the people of the district. And -- and certainly, that's where we're seeing a great softening in his support.

HANNITY: Yes.

RUSSELL: And I've been shocked at how many long-time Democrats, even here in the Johnstown area, which is his stronghold, have said, "I voted for Jack the last 25 or 30 years." But it's time for a change.

HANNITY: By the way, your resume is very impressive. You went to West Point. You spent 28 years in active and reserve service for your country. You served in Operation Desert Storm. You've been in Kosovo. You've been a part of Iraqi -- Operation Iraqi Freedom. So you served your country nobly, and I really wish you well in this race. This is an important race, and we wish you all the best.

Thanks for being with us.

RUSSELL: Well, thank you so much, Sean, Alan.

HANNITY: I'll be the first to insult you and call you Congressman.

RUSSELL: All right. Join us on...

HANNITY: That's a joke.

RUSSELL: OK. Join us on RussellBrigade.com.

HANNITY: All right. You bet, RussellBrigade.com. Thanks for being with us.