It seems the famously iconoclastic tendency of California congressman Pete Stark has caught up with him.
Republican leaders forced a vote today on formally censuring Stark for suggesting during last week's children's healthcare debate that the GOP would send kids to Iraq "to get their heads blown off for the president's amusement."
Which 13 of Stark's fellow Democrats were reluctant to back him and repudiate the gambit? Five Democrats voted against ending the censure effort, all from congressional districts considered competitive in next year's election: Jason Altmire and Chris Carney of Pennsylvania, Heath Shuler of North Carolina, and Joe Donnelly and Brad Ellsworth of Indiana. Eight Democrats voted "present," effectively abstaining.
Stark initially defied Republican arm-twisting last week, refusing to apologize for his quip, but offered a tearful mea culpa yesterday.
