Yet more thoughts on Dick Durbin - Support and Disdain

[Stinky The Clown]

What he said when this little dust-up started was right on the money.

The simple, painful fact is that the stories about some of our tactics coming out of Guantanamo and Baghdad's 'prisons' *can* put someone in mind of Hitler or Pol Pot or Stalin.

Do those names make some people uncomfortable? Probably. But so do stories of what a Cesarean birth is like. So do stories of a carpenter putting a nail in his head accidentally. So do stories of starving people make some uncomfortable. Lots of things make people uncomfortable. War is 'uncomfortable'.

So, for me, what Durbin said originally was right on the money, right on the facts, and right on the imagery. And when you're right, you have no need to apologize.

What Durbin said in his 'clarifying remarks' was less than honest. It was also not an apology. It was a very nuanced and targeted statement, essentially distancing himself from the imagery, but not the facts.

But the fact is, it has been played in the media as an apology. Because nuance gets no play. And nuanced statements get spun; they never get *explained*. They get debated. They get interpreted. But they *never* get explained.

So .... while Durbin was initially right ..... and while he never actually apologized for the facts ..... that's what got reported .... an 'apology' ......and that hurts us.

I have no quarrel with Durbin. I support him as much today as I did before this whole thing started. I think his follow-up remarks were both unnecessary and a mistake. But my opinion of him is totally unchanged. He was a good guy. He remains, for me at least, a good guy.

But I also think it is vital to consider the action of some of the others who are (so they say) on our side. Those who went along with the call for Durbin to 'tone it down' or 'take it back'.

Message to those on our side who spoke out against Durbin: Your remarks did nothing for our side. Your silence would have helped. Your speaking out was simply selfish grandstanding. Your actions did nothing to endear you to those who might be called to vote for your reelection. Your shutting the fuck up might have. Words from you supporting Mr. Durbin would have.

Our party needs to stand for **something**. Dick Durbin stood there and spoke his mind. He stood for something. I applaud that.

You who spoke against him: You stood for nothing.

And for you I have this: disdain.

[wurzel]

1. Durbin totally blew it.

If he was tagging the Bush administration with the "Nazi" label he should have said so without "nuance". Instead he chickened out and allowed the Repukes to easily characterize what he said as a hit at the troops. And then he totally confirmed their accusations by apologizing to the troops. He should have said outright who is target was.

[midnight armadillo]

2. Why did he apologize to the troops?

He should have come out swinging and called for the arrest and prosecution of the soldiers & their commanders committing human rights violations at Gitmo.

[wurzel]

3. No. He should have come out swinging at Bush.

Bush is the Commander in Chief, and is responsible for the conduct of the war. If Durbin did not have the guts to do this he should have kept quiet. It is that simple.

[capriccio]

4. What Durbin owes us...

And by us...I'm speaking broadly...Dems, progressives, not just DU...is a couple of hours of his time answering a few questions:
1. Did you know what you were saying would light a fuse?
2. Did you have a strategy for dealing with the fallout?
3. Where was the most pressure coming from...party leaders, voters at home, the Anti-Defamation League, the Wingnut bloggers?
4. Any lessons you can pass on to other Democratic politicians whose words will be distorted and used against them in the future?
5. Are you now permanently gunshy?

I think the DNC better set up a boot camp for their candidates to deal with this stuff because these are the new rules of engagement. This was Swiftboat Liars all over again, and The Dark Side is getting scarily efficient at it...almost like, um, Nazis.

[Stinky The Clown]

5. Nazis

Even around here I hear caution not to use that term.

Fuck that. The simple fact is, when one compares their actions today to the classic definition of Nazi-ism (recall the 14 points), one cannot help but be struck by the similarities.

They are Nazis. Speaking truth is no longer allowed?

I say again.

Fuck that.

(I agree with your post ... just to be clear .... and truthful :hi: )

[maxsolomon]

6. if you just say "fascist"

that covers it without getting everyones' nazi hairs up.

and it's accurate

[Stinky The Clown]

7. Okayfine ... Fascista .......

Close enough. And if it gets the message out, that's fine.