Posted on 06/23/2005 10:01:09 AM PDT by OESY
A critical outburst by Mayor Daley blindsided Sen. Dick Durbin and triggered the Illinois Democrat's decision to apologize Tuesday for comparing the U.S. treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo to genocidal Nazis, Soviets and Pol Pot.
Durbin started Tuesday with no intention of backing down from his June 14 remarks, delivered from the Senate floor, which touched off a fire storm and the biggest crisis of his career. Democratic senators were gearing up to defend Durbin, the No. 2 Democratic leader.
Daley's off-the-cuff criticism Tuesday morning forced a change of strategy. Daley's strong words came at the end of a Navy Pier press conference to promote a new anti-prostitution policy, listing the names of alleged johns on a Chicago Police Web site.
At the end of the press conference, Daley was asked if Durbin should apologize. The question hit a nerve, mayoral press secretary Jacquelyn Heard said.
Heard told me that when the mayor answered, he did not know that Durbin on Friday retreated and issued a statement that he regretted that he was misunderstood.
Daley did respond well-aware that his son, Patrick, recently enlisted in the Army, and the recruit could be sent to battle in Iraq or Afghanistan. "I know that his son is always on his mind and he is very worried about him,'' Daley advisor David Axelrod, the political consultant, told me.
The mayor responded to the question about the apology saying, "It's a disgrace and [Durbin] is a good friend of mine. But I think it's a disgrace to say that any man or woman in the military acts like [Nazis] or that a report is like that," Daley said. "You go and talk to some victims of the Holocaust, and they will tell you horror stories and there are not horror stories like that in Guantanamo Bay."
For the record, Durbin never accused the military of the mistreatment at Guantanamo. Durbin said he did not know who to blame: the military, CIA or private contractors.
Daley, said Heard, thought he was offering to the reporters an updated version of his anti-Washington rhetoric. For years, Daley has complained about Washington partisanship even when his brother Bill was the commerce secretary under President Bill Clinton.
Walking back to their car at Navy Pier, Heard said she and the mayor looked at each other and said, "Whoa, there you go again.'' Heard told Daley his words were going to be a national story. The mayor thought, Heard said, he did not make any news.
Meanwhile, Durbin staffers were told about the mayoral hit and called Heard to find out what happened. Handling an attack from the White House, GOP senators and the rabid right wing was one thing for Durbin's team. A slam by one of the nation's most prominent Democrats -- the mayor of the largest city in Durbin's state -- was another.
"And that's when I realized that this was causing the larger problem that I thought it could potentially cause,'' Heard said. "I told them I would talk to the mayor about it."
Heard briefed the mayor in his fifth floor City Hall office. "The moment he realized that this had gone to a different level, he called Durbin to say this was not meant to hurt him,'' Heard said.
But Daley never connected with Durbin. Heard said the senator was already on the floor of the Senate when Daley phoned.
"Some may believe that my remarks crossed the line. To them, I extend my heartfelt apologies,'' Durbin was saying as the mayor tried to reach him.
I am one of the "some'' who believe Durbin lapsed, and I wrote that in last Sunday's column.
Heard told me Daley and Durbin talked Wednesday afternoon for about 20 minutes. They will have dinner together in Washington on Monday night -- previously planned. Daley is coming to Washington on Sunday at the invitation of President Bush to watch a Chicago team play T-ball on the South Lawn of the White House.
On Wednesday, Daley talked to reporters again about Durbin. This time, he was ready. I was not there to hear it, but the accompanying statement Daley released was intended to be helpful to Durbin.
"I've known Dick for a long time. Like everyone else in the public eye, he and I understand that public statements can sometimes be misinterpreted.
"As I have said many times before, Dick Durbin is one of the most effective, hardworking senators in Illinois history.''
Daley did not mean to, but he forced Durbin to back down. The mayor unwittingly did Durbin a favor.
The crying game
The Chicago Sun Times's Lynn Sweet purports to get inside the deep thoughts and decision making of Dick Durbin in a column that reads like a cross between a press release and an outburst from the Krazy Kos Kidz: "Offhand Daley comment spurred Durbin turnaround." Sweet advises, "For the record, Durbin never accused the military of the mistreatment at Guantanamo. Durbin said he did not know who to blame: the military, CIA or private contractors." For the record, Lynn, the detention operation at Guantanamo is a military operation. The imputation of atrocities or torture to the operation bears rather closely on the discharge of their duty.
You see, Lynn, that's why the Senator's statement was such a big hit over at Aljazeera: "U.S. Senator stands by Nazi remark." According to Aljazeera, "A US senator has refused to apologise for comparing the actions of US soldiers at Guantanamo Bay to those of Nazis." Say what you will about your journalistic colleagues over at Aljazeera, Lynn, but they got the Senator's point even though you may have missed it. And they also loved it when the Senator offered the defense of his initial statement: "This administration should apologise to the American people for abandoning the Geneva Conventions and authorising torture techniques that put our troops at risk and make Americans less secure."
And Lynn, we appreciate your explanation of the difficulties created for Senator Durbin by Mayor Daley's reference to Durbin's statement as a disgrace: "Handling an attack from the White House, GOP senators and the rabid right wing was one thing for Durbin's team. A slam by one of the nation's most prominent Democrats -- the mayor of the largest city in Durbin's state -- was another." Lynn, I wonder if you've ever explained for your readers whom you consider "the rabid right wing." Does that include the gentlemen such as Lt. Hegseth who took issue with the Senator's statement based on their own knowledge and experience at Guantanamo? Does it include Senator Warner and Newt Gingrich? Does it include those of us generally thought of or referred to as "conservative" on the political spectrum?
And Lynn, you might want to take a closer look at the Senator's "apology" to consider whether it is the kind of apology ordinary people make when they want to confess that they made an error and ask forgiveness, or whether it is the kind of "apology" politicians make when they want to stand on their words and put the mess they have made behind them. To get some insight on that score, Lynn, you might want to ask Senator Durbin whether he agrees with Mayor Daley that his statement on the Senate floor was a "disgrace." A real reporter, even the Washington bureau chief of a major newspaper, might find the answer interesting, or think that her readers would.
And Lynn, when you attribute causal effect for Senator Durbin's phony apology to Mayor Daley's genuine indictment, you might want to introduce some evidence. I've read your article three times and I can't find it.
Lynn, one more thought. I'm not sure whether you consider Hugh Hewitt a member of "the rabid right wing." You probably do. But you might be able to learn something from his Daily Standard column this morning: "The Durbin effect." You'll see he pays a little closer attention to the words spoken by Senator Durbin than you do.
-- Scott, powerlineblog.com/
Durbin is just reading out of the standard radical-leftist handbook...stand up and do something totally treasonous, wait until the MSM jumps on it and prints it, then apologize -- because the Repubs are so afraid of the MSM, that they won't raise a fuss.
Maybe their sick, perverted strategy is the right one...given that they just continue to get away with it, as far as the Repubs and the adminstration is concerned.
Which only reinforces the phony-ness of Dirtbag's "apology."
the rabid right wing !!??
Hateful name calling is so second nature to the folks they don't even seem to be aware that they do it!
What's even worse than Durbin's demented mutterings is that his fellow Dems defended him. On a par with that is McCain and other Reps accepting his 'apology' and praising his courage for coming out with it. The Senate needs a top-to-bottom overhaul and this clubbiness needs to stop for obvious nutcases. Durbin's just one instance. Let's see, there also Biden and Boxer and Dodd and Byrd and The Swimmer and ..... They think they are some kind of solons in lifetime positions. Next election I'm toying with not voting for any incumbernt. To hell with all of 'em!
That whole park thing has stalled for lack of funds. If Illinois wasn't so in the bag for the dems, funding could open up, Not!
Daley's comments, however, do reveal a big problem, namely that the children of the "elites," the politicians, the financial leadesr, the jet-set Hollywood crowd DO NOT SERVE. Today, Pataki's son joined the Marines (or, at least, the story ran today). But Daley's and Pataki's sons are the exceptions.
I think we do have a problem in this country that not enough of the "fortunate sons" (and daughters) serve. Don't know how to correct that. I certainly don't favor a draft.
What meaningful apology? Turban Durbin's so-called apology makes it very clear that he meant what he said. Censure!!
I would (send your list to a liberal to read),
but the only thing liberals can read or write are Supreme Court decisions.
I think he's just playing from the standard Democrat party playbook that dates back more than 150 years. Durbin didn't say anything that his Copperhead ancestors didn't say at the height of the Civil War.
For the Copperheads of the 1860s, and for Dick Durbin today, the only consideration is whether they are in power, or out of power. Durbin and his fellow 21st Century Copperheads are out of power and will do or say anything they think will help them regain power.
BTW. I'd like to see Daley take a shot at the WH. I can't imagine that the guy has much respect for the Democrat Socialist moles who have taken over the party considering what they tried to do to his dad and his city 40 years ago.
Why is it such a big concern who enlists and who doesn't? Besides, there are several congressman and even a few Senators who are veterans.
The SCOTUS just confirmed that Daley did nothing wrong there.
These two are the ONLY two "elites" to enlist in ages. I think that says something about our society---that the cream, so to speak, doesn't serve any longer. In Washington's day, men were eager to serve, and not just because some were poor.
Well, maybe its because, per my grandfathers and father, Military life S-CKS until you make it to "Senior Management" (Colonel and above). Poor pay, incomprehensible bureaucracy, etc.
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