Ex-Rep. Patrick Murphy in HBO Documentary
Former Rep. Patrick Murphy, the Pennsylvania Democrat who led congressional efforts to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," appears in an HBO documentary about the anti-gay military policy premiering Tuesday.
Ex-Rep. Patrick Murphy in HBO Documentary
Thomas Fitzgerald, Inquirer Politics Writer
Former Rep. Patrick Murphy, a Pennsylvania Democrat and Army veteran of Iraq who led congressional efforts to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", will appear in an HBO documentary about the history and unraveling of the anti-gay military policy.
A sneak preview of The Strange History of Don't Ask, Don't Tell is scheduled for a sneak preview at midnight tonight, with the prime-time premier at 8 p.m. Tuesday. The film is directed by Fenton Baily and Randy Barbato.
The title refers to the U.S. policy, established in 1993, that allowed gay people to serve in the military as long as they kept their sexual preference hidden. The policy was repealed last year, but not before more than 13,000 service members were discharged from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines for violating it.
"I just talked about how wrong it was, kicking out 13,000 folks who were willing to take a bullet for their country," Murphy told The Big Tent. He was interviewed twice during the legislative fight to change the policy, and then a third time at his Bucks County home last December after the fight was won.
Murphy, an Army lawyer who served in Iraq with the 82nd Airborne Division, was elected to the U.S. House from Pennsylvania's Eighth District in 2006, and was defeated in his bid for a third term last November. He is currently practicing law in Philadelphia and seekling the 2012 Democratic nomination for state attorney general.
"I thought it was wrong," Murphy said of DADT. "My mom was a Catholic nun for a little while and we were raised with a strong sense of social justice. I joined the military in 1993 and saw a lot of great folks thrown out. It's sad."
He said he admires the courage of the gay servicemen and women who stood up to challenge the policy, which was a compromise born after Congress resisted President Bill Clinton's move to lift a longstanding ban on gays in the military outright.
Murphy said he does not view his role in the change as particulary momentous: "I just did what I said I was going to do."
i like this guy— main liner
Comment removed.- Must be a documentry about how to be a blind Pelosi puppet....— kelprod2
- Yeah...we need more Michele Bachmanns and Jon Runyans in Congress instead of this guy. Conservatives are sick, hypocritical people. Patrick Murphy was a fine representative and it is sad that people are so anti-gay. Why? I always think it is so weird when someone is so anti-gay...could it be because they themselves have tendencies? (see Larry Craig, Ted Haggard, and Marcus Bachmann). Anyway, of course Murphy is a political hack like the rest of them, but he did some good work in Congress on this issue.— Barry O
- He's not so great: he's in favor of government-sponsored predatory gambling.— NotADoneDeal
Look, Patrick Murphy is gay, everyone knows that. It's great that he's trying to help his boyfriends but is this really news?— teckie- Comment removed.
- Some of the commenters are real creeps, bill atkins, techie, kelpro!— DavidAG
- Comment removed.
- Glad to have this Philadelphia Democrat not faux-representing my district anymore. For Mr. Fitzgerald and all Inquirer and Daily News reporters: Why was the story about Murphy and his campaign manager Tim Persico being fined by FEC *Not Run* in either publication?
— factcheck - HBO is a propaganda arm of the Democrat party - another cog in the Democrat-Media Complex.— Ghost of 0bamaRemorse
- He served...congratulations! But during his failed campaign, he unethically used today's military battle gear worn by almost all in Afghanistan to portray warrior status. Outside of a bumping into a misplaced IED when he got himself photographed with real warriors, his JAG service was no different from another phony's attempt to add to his resume, Joe Biden Jr, who also was a JAG officer. At the time, Joe Jr was contemplating a 2010 senate run until the family saw that a dem didn't have a chance of being elected. Consider their actions forms of "stolen valor!"— lefty
- Pat Murphy is a good man and did a good job representing Bucks. Funny how even though he's no longer in Congress, his enemies can't seem to let their hatred and lies die. He must have really gotten to you guys.
Also to anyone who criticizes his service - you better re-check your head because you're basically criticizing the majority of soldiers who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan right now.— BucksPatriot - Comment removed.
- Comment removed.
- BucksPatriot, It's not an issue of his service, it's how he and his campaign staff attempted to capitalize on it by portraying him in a role he DID NOT occupy. If you follow how the Inquirer and DN portray such attempts when the person in question is a republican check staff writer Warner's 8/20 reporting about David Oh, an ex-serviceman who is running for Phila city council. Though a month old, the article has remained with comments for a month longer than all other articles sent to Philly.Com purgatory known as "Article Collections."— lefty
- Where is your proof that he wasn't doing what he claimed? If you have it then bring it out, if not stop spreading ugly rumors. — BucksPatriot
- Bucks guy,
" Murphy misled voters by claiming on the campaign trail that he spent his time in Iraq dodging bullets and disarming i.e.d's. MURPHY WAS NOT A FRONT LINE FIGHTER!" Kevin Kelly, Major/ F-16 Pilot.
"Murphy was always back at the unit's hdqtrs WHILE OTHERS FOUGHT. While we were on the front lines...(Murphy) didn't experience the same things we did! Richard Barbato,Captain, 82 Airborne Div.— lefty - Comment removed.
- See this is the problem - even guys he never served with are willing to spread ugly rumors about his service because they don't like his politics. Thats not patriotic, its ugly and unbecoming of Kelly and Barbato and now you for repeating their lies.
I remember that whole political stunt - with our current Rep Fitzpatrick trotting out his political allies to spread rumors about a soldier's service. I also remember how Kelly and Barbato's claims were proven to be wrong by Murphy's own service records. http://aboveavgjane.blogspot.com/2006/10/few-points-on-bronze-star.html
Face it you guys just dislike Patrick Murphy. Its OK to say that - not every one agrees on politics - but don't sink to lying about a man's service to his country - it just makes you look bad.— BucksPatriot
You can reach Tom Fitzgerald at 215-854-2718 or tfitzgerald@phillynews.com.
Reach Thomas at tfitzgerald@phillynews.com.
