JEAN SCHMIDT: MEAN, UNDERHANDED, DIM

The Ohio member of Congress caused quite the meltdown last week when she took to the floor and flung the word "coward" while referencing Rep. John Murtha (D-PA).

Schmidt later apologized -- for terminal ignorance, apparently. The New York Times has this eye-opener:

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."

Don't you love the innocence being radiated by Kingston and Dreier? Poor baby didn't know Murtha was a Marine.

They knew. They knew damned well, and they let Schmidt make her speech and slam a decorated veteran, only to fall back on their pitiful "we didn't know" excuse.