Smearing Senator Durbin

[jbfam4]

Let's let Neal know how many friends Durbin has...

http://www.suntimes.com/index/neal.html

Ineffective senator has few friends, defenders

July 25, 2003

BY STEVE NEAL SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST

Run that by me one more time. Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) is accusing the Bush White House of trying to smear him.

"If you come to the floor of the Senate and stand before a microphone and are critical of this administration for their policy or use of intelligence," he said, "be prepared for the worst."

In a bizarre spectacle, Durbin told a national television audience: "The White House is going to turn to you and attack you. They are going to question your patriotism."

Why is this man ranting? Until he invented this issue, nobody had impugned his patriotism.


That may explain why he took the Senate floor the other day and claimed that the Bush administration was out to get him. When a senator attacks the White House, it makes headlines.

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

[RetroLounge]

1. My Reply

"Ineffective Columnist has few friends, defenders."

Nice hack job, you should be proud.

[Bluzmann57]

2. "But this harmless blowhard isn't even on Bush's enemies list"

Is Mr. Neal saying that Bush has an enemies list? If so, that sounds Nixonian and Mr. Neal should investigate that, instead of slandering a man like Richard Durbin. I have actually met Senator Durbin at a labor picnic, and he seemed like a pretty nice guy. Very good around the children. The under 18 children, not the ones who are in power now.

[meegbear]

3. Just thinking the same thing ....

I bet the list is as big as a NYC phonebook.

[Cassandra]

6. I bet the list starts with...

the NYC phonebook.

[zbdent]

4. This implies that the Bush misAdministration distributed

just such a hit list.

Ask this guy how he felt when he heard about the 100K names in the Clinton database. And why he thought that he was targeted.

[0007]

5. What's Neal e-mail address?

Couldn't find it in the link.

I'll save my rant for this crock shucker!

[chiburb]

7. [e-mail] n/t

.

[chiburb]

8. My email to Neal:

(Excuse the Fitzgerald part, but Neal DID do a hatchet job on him, using many of the same reasons as today's column... hence the reference. Also, wanted to appear non-partisan since I copied the Editor and you never know if they'll print it.)

You paint a very clear picture in your column about Durbin. However, it is one of a columnist that just doesn't get it. Most of your rant is that Durbin isn't a "team" player with the rest of the Illinois Dems. You used the same excuse to smear Fitzgerald on the Republican side. Never mind that the PEOPLE of Illinois respect the independence shown by both Senators in not getting on their knees to the Combine that runs this state. They have served us well, and the voters will see your column for what it is: a self-serving hack job.

[Cocoa]

9. anyone have Paul Simon's address?

I'd like to write him and ask him to weigh in on the Durbin matter, maybe write an editorial for the SunTimes, or for the Tribune, which didn't even find the story newsworthy enough to report.

[Rich Hunt]

10. Neal's full of shit

Durbin said that he voted against the Iraq resolution because he got thousands and thousands of calls.

Later that week, I saw him downtown campaigning, and many, many people were coming up to shake his hand. I know so many people who, if they didn't respect him before, do so now.

We're very proud of Durbin here in Chicago, where so many people are against the war.

And don't forget - the guy got re-elected by a wide margin AFTER the Iraq vote!

[newyawker99]

11. jbfam4

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NYer99
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