WOW. Senator Durbin just DESTROYS Alberto Gonzales

[WilliamPitt]

http://forum.truthout.org/blog/story/2005/2/7/124938/3067

A Scathing Denunciation of Alberto Gonzales

Senator Durbin has prepared an exhaustively detailed denunciation of Alberto Gonzales. This is not the boilerplate grandstanding that too many Democrats have put forward regarding this despicable nomination. This is something else entirely.

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Statement Of Senator Richard J. Durbin On The Nomination Of Alberto R. Gonzales To Serve As Attorney General Of The United States

Wednesday 02 February 2005

Mr. President, after every war, history is written. There are stories of courage, compassion, and glory, and stories of cruelty, weakness, and shame.

When history is written of our war on terrorism, it will record the millions of acts of heroism, kindness, and sacrifice performed by American troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other nations. And it will record as well the stunning courage of Iraqi men and women standing in line last Sunday, defying the terrorist bullets and bombs to vote in the first free election of their lives.

But sadly, history will also recall that after 9/11, and after the invasion of Iraq, some in America concluded our Nation could no longer afford to stand by time-honored principles of humanity, principles of humane conduct embodied in the law of the land and respected by Presidents of both political parties for generations.

[BlueInRed]

1. I really like Durbin

I've like a lot of what he has to say and this is no exception. Thanks for posting this! :hi:

[truebrit71]

2. I love my Senator!!!!

Obama would do well to pay attention and listen....

[barb162]

5. thank God we have ONE senator in this state that is acting like a

Democrat

[truebrit71]

15. No kidding....

Like I said...Obama could do worse than take some notes...

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

3. Great, but Gonzales got the job...

So Senator Durbin addresses his statement directly to Bush, who will never read it personally, and wouldn't care if he did, and we feel good about the fact that Senator Durbin has denounced Gonzales, BUT...

...Gonzales got the JOB.

A serious question: what is accomplished by this, other than an exercise in free speech? What will this accomplish? Will it result in Gonzales not having the job?

[WilliamPitt]

6. If every Democrat in Congress

had lit themselves on fire in Dupont Circle simultaneously to protest Gonzales, he would have gotten the job anyway, because the Democrats are in the minority.

You say 'An exercise in free speech' as if such a thing is worth about as much as a squirt of piss. If more Democrats 'exercised some free speech' like this, we might not be in so sorry a state.

[rkc3]

7. It would appear so many Dems are in bed with the repubs or have sold out

corporate interests that it's unlikely we'll see much more than one or two senators/representatives standing up like this.

Take a look at what these guys have approved over the past few years and you'll see it doesn't matter which side of the aisle they sit on - they aren't looking out for Americans any longer - just themselves and their corporate masters.

A short list - Check 21, New Freedom Initiative, Medicare Bill - all designed to enrich corporate America and screw the rest of us.

[ladjf]

8. It was an exercise in courage. I looked them in the eye and

told them what crooks they were. That's dangerous in Washington.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

10. I didn't say...

"'An exercise in free speech' as if such a thing is worth about as much as a squirt of piss"...that's you putting words in my mouth, Will. It diminishes both of us when you do that.

I was asking a question. If your answer is "If more Democrats 'exercised some free speech' like this, we might not be in so sorry a state," great. That's the answer to my question. More Democrats speak up, people like Gonzales and Rice don;t get the jobs.

Lighten up. We're on the same side.

[ArkDem]

14. Alienation of the Hispanic vote.

[Just Me]

4. His point about the "rule of law" is poignant and serious.

Without the "rule of law", democracy cannot exist.

I hope he is the thorn in this "above the law" neoCONspirator administration!!!!

GO! DURBIN! GO!!!!!

[stellanoir]

9. having obsessed about politics far too much

since the debacle of the "selection" of '00, the nomination of the "torture dude" to head the DOJ almost pushed me over the edge.

When Gonzales gave the testimony that the victims of torture were not from countries that were signatories to the Geneva Convention, I went "holy crap, this guy has nary a shred of humanity or respect for decency in his being."

So I took 12 steps back and a deep breath. I gained perspective and saw that these short sighted idiots will ultimately go the way of all dictatorial tyrants throughout all of recorded history.

I'm still not happy over the onerous suffering that has occurred and that has yet to occur before they take their inevitable fall.

This is wayyyyyy beyond the theater of the absurd.

In short, I'd just like to thank Alberto Gonzales for making me feel as though I just recovered from a botched humor-ectomy.

Pass the popcorn please.

[lala_rawraw]

11. holy shit...

That made me cry, no joke. Wow!!!!

[Cocoa]

12. the dems are way ahead of the public on this

and ahead of the media too.

They're showing some leadership, and they might lose seats over this, but at least not all of the country is going along with the torture.

[gulfcoastliberal]

13. Why this fine senator is not the minority leader astounds me..

But then this is the leadership that decided to start installing anti-choice dems in top positions.