Unlike his predecessor, James A. Traficant Jr., who was unable to address the U.S. House of Representatives without embarrassing his constituents, Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, showed last week that a resident of the Mahoning Valley can deliver a cogent, well-thought-out speech without making reference to body functions, as Traficant was wont to do.

Ryan also demonstrated a mastery of the rules of the House of Representatives by keeping a Republican colleague at bay. The colleague had wanted Ryan to yield, but the Valley congressman refused, saying the House was not in order.

The setting was the debate on the Democratic-sponsored Iraq resolution that opposed President Bush's troop surge. The resolution passed with some Republican support.

Ryan's brief address is worth a listen.

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http://media2.vindy.com/video/2007/02/iraqcomments2-16b.flv

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