The Courage of Convictions

Annmarie Timmins for The Concord Monitor reports on the verbal combat between New Hampshire state GOP Chairman Fergus Cullen and Democratic Representative Carol Shea-Porter: Last week, Cullen criticized Shea-Porter's recent speech on the House floor, saying it undermined U.S. troops. Shea-Porter called on Cullen to retract his statement. Yesterday, Cullen declined to do so. "If she's going to be against this war, she should have the courage of her convictions and vote to end funding," Cullen said. He described last week's House debate on a resolution expressing congressional disapproval of President Bush's troop surge in Iraq as "shameful." Shea-Porter hit back: "If Fergus Cullen has the courage of his convictions, he should go enlist, because they're having trouble meeting their quota. He's young, he's single and he's healthy. If he needs to know where the recruiters are, call me."