Hastert, Durbin locked in nasty spat

[Robbien]

BY LYNN SWEET Sun-Times Columnist

House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) is lobbing grenades at Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) over something in which there is no disagreement: the need to beef up judicial security in the wake of the murders of the mother and husband of U.S. District Court Judge Joan Lefkow at her North Side home.

It got nasty on Tuesday.

In a Congress controlled by Republicans, weeks before an election, Hastert is blaming Durbin -- the No. 2 Senate Democrat -- for not having enough clout to move legislation objected to by a GOP Senate committee chairman.

You may say at this point, "huh?''

Meanwhile, as this political drama is played out, the legislation is in limbo. Nothing may happen, at least not right away. Lawmakers will leave Friday and not return until after the November elections.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/sweet/73388,CST-NWS-sweet27.article

[seafan]

1. Classic smokescreen to obscure Iraq failure. Hammer it home. n/t

[rock]

2. You may say at this point, "huh?''

You can also try Jon Stewarts, "Whaaa...".

[louis-t]

3. Again, Dems fault for everything, including not being able to control

the party in power. Denny, just have a coke and a smile and STFU.

[PlanetBev]

4. Dick, whatever you do,

don't apologize to these assholes, like you did last time.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

5. apples and oranges

The "last time" you refer to has nothing in common with Hastert's attempt to blame this situation on Durbin. Any comparison resides in the mind of someone who apparently thinks of Durbin only in terms of his mistakes. As someone who is proud to be represented by Senator Durbin, I don't.

As for this current nonsense, it's just more smokescreen from Coach Denny. Hastert saying that Durbin should pressure Levin to influence Warner is ridiculous. It is Hastert's additions to the bill that are holding up Warner's approval, not any dispute between him and Levin, so Hastert can either pressure Frist to to influence Warner, or he can remove the provisos that he no doubt intended would kill the legislation. Because the heart of this matter is that Republicans don't give a damn about judicial security.

[The Stranger]

6. Durbin's apology emboldened the torturers, contributed to a climate where

things like torture are acceptable, rather than condemned. When push came to shove, we saw what Durbin was made of, and it wasn't pretty.

Now things are worse. The Congress apparently feels it okay to pass torture legislation. And the concentration camp at Guantanamo is looking to be in business for decades after the event which (most believe) gave it its start.

When Durbin could have stuck to his guns, he folded, collapsed. It would have been easier to stand by what everyone knows is right, but Durbin couldn't do even this. It was catastrophic, and we are still dealing with the consequences.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

8. oh horseshit

Not a single thing any Dem says makes this administration change a single thing they do. They are a juggernaut. Name one instance where Democratic condemnation has caused them to alter direction.

That's why it's insulting for Hastert to suggest that Durbin, through Levin, is responsible for altering Warner's objections. No Republican responds to any pressure from any Democrat.

That's the topic for this thread. Not OT Dem bashing. As much as so many here love to engage in it.

[The Stranger]

9. The Republicans never -- but they never -- apologize.

Durbin shot himself and his party by backing down from what everyone in the fucking world realizes was a true statement.

When they saw they could bully him, when he was revealed as they sycophant he is, they showed everyone else who would speak out what would happen to them if they did.

That is probably the reason why they are fucking him with this latest scheme. They realized they can do it.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

11. And that's what makes them so good at the work

But that's not the issue. The issue in this OT discussion is how exemplary Democrats like Dick Durbin are tarred every time their names are brought up, no matter what else they have done. A sycophant? Dick Durbin? Give me a fucking break.

I was very disappointed by Durbin's apology but it did not have any more impact on the GOP's plans than his original statement. And as a Durbin constituent who regularly corresponds with him, and who personally knows other constituents he has reached out to help, I am proud to be represented by him. Characterizing him as a sycophant shows an abysmal lack of awareness of his Senate record. Go here and get educated.
durbin.senate.gov/issues.cfm

[The Stranger]

12. Ah, so you know him.

Well if that's the case then point him to these boards so he can see how so many others were "very disappointed" with his pathetic collapse before the Republicans.

Please pass along to him that when he doesn't stand up to the Republicans, like a bully, they keep coming back for more. Crying to them after calling them out for the concentration camp they have created in Cuba contributed to their picking on him now.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

13. Do your own dirty work.

[populistdriven]

16. hastert is the new slick

[davsand]

18. I am also a fan of Durbin's.

Oddly enough, I ALSO live in Illinois, SheWhoMustBeObeyed. I suspect that many who bash Sen Durbin don't share that with us. Durbin is one of the good guys and he doesn't deserve this from Dems or Hastert.

I also love Obama, still. I worked my butt off to get him elected and I'm still proud of him too.

Seems like our Senators from Illinois are doing just fine according to those of us who elected them. That really IS all that counts.


Regards from Illinois.


Laura

[truebrit71]

15. Durbin should NEVER have apologized for being right...

95% of the time Senator Durbin is on the money, but one that ONE critical issue he caved, capitulated and crucified himself...It was stupid, he was right, he KNEW he was right, but he was cowed into submission by the "librul" media and the baying "liberal" hounds on the airwaves.

He should have stood his ground, told them to go fuck themselves, and maybe help other Democrats to find their spines at the same time...

Other tham that though he has been very good, and he had my support instead of Hopeless Harry for the leadership position in the Senate....

[tinfoilinfor2005]

7. I remember the day Durbin apologized. Our local dem party

was having a scheduled meeting, and everyone was talking about Durbin's gutsy stand. Someone came in and announced that they had heard that he had just apologized. There was a collective, "Oh NO!" and it ruined the mood of the meeting and most of the summer. Democrats in the public eye have got to stop playing Stepin Fetchit for the pubs because it just demoralizes those they are trying to lead. I very much hope that if Durbin takes another stand, this time he won't turn tail and run.

[stepnw1f]

10. thank you! (nt)

[Supersedeas]

14. Hastert doesn't have to have a logical reason to lash out at a Dem

[City Lights]

17. Hasturd is an overgrown maggot. eom