Impressed with Durbin...

[UDenver20]

Not that I want him to run for President or anything, but I heard Dick Durbin being replayed on a (radio) broadcast of Fox News Sunday.

He kept using a word that I have been emailing/calling/writing the Dem party to use for months: Accountability. After all, shrub's 2000 campaign airplane was nicknamed "Accountability One," as if he were going to be more accountable because he didn't intend to get a hummer in the Oval.

Anyhow, Durbin kept talking about holding the administration ACCOUNTABLE for what they've promised, and for the successes we could expect in Iraq. FINALLY - a talking point worth spreading.

On the flipside, I wished that he would have capitalized on two other opportunities. The "spinning no-spinner" from FOX kept attacking Durbin with (paraphrased) "you say they aren't giving people metrics for success (to hold them accountable with), but they are giving them to you - one batallion of free-standing Iraqi Army forces." WHAT DURBIN SHOULD HAVE SAID WAS - for $300B and 2000 American lives I think we should have a lot more than one battalion after more than TWO YEARS.

Secondly, Durbin (and other Dems) are getting a big-old softball pitch opportunity(we're talking Jeff Gannon quality) to use GOP tactics against them. What was NEWT'S catch phrase? Anyone remember? ARROGANCE OF POWER. If the Dems were smart, which I won't conceed, they would be throwing that WAY back at Republicans.

Anyhow, some thoughts I had as I drove to the airport. Anynoe agree/disagree?

[goclark]

1. You make some good points

I'll have to learn more about him.
Thanks for the info.

[Cocoa]

2. accountability is a great theme

I think it was Kerry's most effective theme against Bush, and I think the dems can use it well against the GOP in 2006. They can point out all the ways the GOP Congress absolutely refused to hold Bush accountable for anything.

Though it seems they're going strongest with "Culture of corruption" which also works.

[babylonsister]

3. I've liked him everytime I've seen or heard him this year,

including his comments about Gitmo despite all the flak he took over that.

[rosesaylavee]

4. He is a great senator... I am lucky to say he is one of mine.

Durbin doesn't get a lot of credit for standing up to this administration. He voted against this war with Wellstone - the only two to vote against.

I will vote for him again and again. Great guy.

[Mass]

5. You're right. He is a great senator and gets little credit for that.

But Durbin and Wellstone were not the 2 only senators to vote against the IWR. They were 22 to vote against it.

This said, he is one of my favorite senators.

[rosesaylavee]

6. Stand corrected. n/t

[safi0]

8. Durbin, Wellstone

And Jack Reed were the only 3 up for re-election in 02 who voted against the IWR

[Pepperbelly]

7. Fulbright's Vietnam opus was called the Arrogance of Power. nt

[Zen Democrat]

9. Wallace's only blab was that the Democrats don't have a plan.

Yeah, the Democrats are supposed to have a plan to get George Bush out of the hellish mess he's created in the world.

The Democratic Plan should be: Undo every damn thing the Bush Administration has done in the past 5 years!