Schmidt's remarks threw the House into an uproar and earned her the sobriquet "Mean Jean". Many Democrats saw it as an unwarranted attack against Murtha, a 38-year Marine Corps veteran. After she said "cowards cut and run, Marines never do," angry Democrats nearly drowned out her words. Victor F. Snyder, a former Marine, of Arkansas demanded that Schmidt's remarks be "taken down." Under this disciplinary procedure, the House clerk would have re-read Schmidt's words and the presiding officer (at the time, Michael K. Simpson of Idaho) would have ruled whether they were parliamentary. Had they been ruled unparliamentary, Schmidt would not have been able to speak for the rest of the day without permission.