U.S. Rep. Murphy
delivers on a novel idea

By Tom Waring
Times Staff Writer

When Patrick Murphy began mulling a run for Congress in late 2004, he was an unknown, little-funded guy with a "working-class Northeast Philly accent."
Murphy tried to increase his chances by developing an eight-page prospectus on his candidacy. He took the document to Illinois U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel, then head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Emanuel was not impressed and quickly sent the eager candidate on his way.
"Don’t come back until you’ve raised two-hundred and fifty-thousand dollars," he said.
Murphy raised the necessary money to compete in the 8th Congressional District primary and general elections. The Parkwood native spoke about the Iraq War as a veteran of the conflict and focused on issues that separated him and freshman Republican Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick.
In the end, Murphy won a narrow victory on Election Day 2006, in a race not decided until the early morning hours. The next day, as he thanked morning train commuters, his wife Jenni suggested that he write a book that chronicled his upbringing, military service and campaign.
"She thought it was important to tell the story," said Murphy, 34.
By December 2006, even before he was sworn in to Congress, he’d signed a deal to write his story that included a $100,000 advance.
Taking the Hill: From Philly to Baghdad to the United States Congress was published on Tuesday by New York-based Henry Holt and Company.
The 280-page hardback book sells for $25. Ten percent of the proceeds will be donated to Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.
The book is divided into three sections: The Northeast Philadelphia Story, The Brass Ring (military) and Taking the Hill.
"It’s really an old-fashioned American story," Murphy said. "It’s a book that people in Northeast Philly really can relate to. I think they’ll see my life as a roller coaster. It’s an inspiring, but gritty, story about a skinny kid from Northeast Philadelphia who becomes a congressman."
Murphy started writing the book with Dick Doran, who advised his campaign. Doran, a former director of the Philadelphia Commerce Department, became ill and later died.
A mutual friend put Murphy in touch with Adam Frankel, who assisted John F. Kennedy adviser Ted Sorensen in his memoir, Counselor: A Life at the Edge of History, which will be published in May. Frankel is now a speech writer for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.
The inside flap contains praise from U.S. Sen. John Kerry, the Democratic presidential nominee in 2004. On the back cover, Obama and MSNBC political commentator Chris Matthews speak fondly of the author and the book.
Matthews, who was raised in Somerton, wrote, "Like him, I grew up in Northeast Philly and spent so much of my time in nearby Bucks County. I can’t believe how much this young fellow has done — lawyer, prosecutor, paratrooper, national legislator."
The back cover also includes pictures of Murphy on the first day of school at St. Anselm, serving in Iraq and at a campaign appearance with former President Bill Clinton.
Murphy, a captain with the 82nd Airborne Division, is the only Iraq War veteran in Congress. He also served a tour in Bosnia. He dedicates the book to the memory of 19 of his fellow paratroopers who were killed in Iraq.
"It was heartbreaking to lose nineteen people in the unit," he said.
Murphy grew up in a three-bedroom rowhome in a small cul-de-sac on Nanton Terrace, the youngest of three kids. His dad Jack was a police officer and his mom Marge was a legal secretary.
At St. Anselm, he was Altar Boy of the Year in 1987.
At Archbishop Ryan (class of 1991), he played on the ice hockey team. He also delivered the Inquirer, answered phones and sold Mass cards at the St. Anselm rectory, waited tables at Perkins restaurant and was a security guard in the 700 level of Veterans Stadium during Eagles games.
The author is candid about his life. He talks of being a poor student at times. He had to attend summer school at Ryan for failing algebra and cutting class. He also used a fake ID to get into bars.
As a high school senior, he applied only to King’s College in Wilkes-Barre. He was shocked to be rejected and enrolled at Bucks County Community College.
At BCCC, he got his act together and was accepted at King’s, where he would become student body president and captain of the hockey team.
While attending Widener Law School, he was an intern at the Philadelphia district attorney’s office. One of his main contributions there was doing research for the prosecutor in the 1997 murder trial of Deidre Frazer, charged with stabbing fellow teenager Christa Lewis at a carnival at Russo Park in Tacony.
Much of the book’s discussion on Iraq is taken from the journals Murphy wrote while in Al-Rashid, Iraq, for seven months. He said Iraqis were poorly trained, recalling that American soldiers had to give them Chicago White Sox baseball caps to identify them because they did not have matching uniforms.
Murphy also blames the government for providing only 3,500 soldiers in an area of 1.5 million people. He faults the Bush administration for not listening to Gen. Eric Shinseki about the need for additional troops to keep ethnic tensions in check and secure the country after the initial hostilities.
In Iraq, Murphy was glad to receive articles about the Phillies, Eagles, 76ers and Flyers. At the same time, he had to go on convoys on dangerous roads. Unsure of the future, he wrote in a journal that he wanted Danny Boy played at his funeral and named his pallbearers.
Looking back, Murphy argues for compassion and mercy for detainees and traces his beliefs to his days at St. Anselm. He recalls the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount: "Do unto others what you would have them do to you."
After returning from Iraq, Murphy volunteered for Kerry’s campaign in 2004, speaking about veterans’ issues. The campaign kept him busy after a broken wedding engagement brought him to tears.
In 2005, he met Jenni Safford, a fellow lawyer. Their first date was at Rita’s Water Ice.
The year 2006 was a big one for him. He got married, won election to Congress and became a father.
The campaign wasn’t easy. He was criticized for all his missed Election Day votes and stumbled through an interview with Matthews on Hardball, as the high-strung host tried unsuccessfully to get the candidate to say if he would have voted to authorize war.
Clinton made a campaign appearance for Murphy, and Arizona Sen. John McCain stumped for Fitzpatrick on the weekend before the election.
As the vote count neared the end, Murphy held a slight lead. Fitzpatrick told his opponent’s camp that he would wait until the next day to examine the outcome. Clinton called Murphy to see how he was doing and encouraged the candidate to declare victory.
"Don’t let those bastards take away your victory," the former president said. "You go down to that hall and declare yourself the winner. Let the press sort it out."
Murphy doesn’t expect his first book to be a blockbuster, but he wants to inspire young readers to join the military, Peace Corps, law enforcement or other service profession.
"If one person reads the book and joins the military or goes into public service, it will be a success," he said. ••
Reporter Tom Waring can be reached at 215-354-3034 or twaring@phillynews.com