Durbin takes swipe at Blagojevich
US Sen. Dick Durbin took a rare public swipe at Governor Blagojevich in an AP story.
When Gov. Rod Blagojevich gave his last State of the State address, he bragged that his personal lobbying and the help of U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert had produced an extra $490 million for Illinois' hospitals and nursing homes.
It was an unusual account coming from a governor who, according to members of Congress, rarely takes a personal role in lobbying or thanks the officials who work with him.
Unlike other Illinois governors of recent decades, Blagojevich's lobbying style does not include backslapping office visits and chatty phone calls. And the state's Washington office also has cut back its personal contacts.
"I would have to say Governor Blagojevich's style doesn't include that. It is rare for me to speak to him personally," said U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, a Springfield resident and the second-highest ranking Democrat in the Senate. "I still know what his priorities are in his administration and do my best to try to help him."
I wonder if the guv got the message.
posted by Rich Miller @ 11/28/2005 10:32:00 AM
9 comments
9 Comments...
WARNING: Personally insulting and otherwise inappropriate comments (including all profanity) will be immediately deleted! Threads will be closed after 3 deletions. Try to behave like reasonable adults.Click here to notify the "Comment Posse" about objectionable posts.
...yeah, because Durbin's name is written on pretty good paper these days.
...yeah, last I saw his approval rating literly doubled Roddy's.
This is hardley a swipe. Its not news that Blago isn't goods at returning phone calls. What's newsworthy is that nobody reported all of the good things that Durbin has been saying about Blago over hte past month or so, particularly about All Kids. Here is the press release from his office.
DURBIN SAYS SENATE MUST PLACE HEALTH OF CHILDREN AHEAD OF INCREASING WEALTH OF RICHEST AMERICANS
Thursday, November 17, 2005
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said it is a moral priority for Congress to make health care accessible to the more than nine million uninsured children in America.
Durbin introduced an amendment yesterday that called on the Senate to oppose any extension of the capital gains and dividend tax cuts until Congress has taken steps to ensure that all children in America have access to affordable, quality health insurance. The amendment to the Tax Reconciliation bill was defeated, but Durbin vowed to fight for its passage as an amendment on other bills.
“There are nine million children without health insurance, including more than 250,000 children in Illinois. Most of these children come from working class families who were forced to give up their health insurance when they couldn’t afford the monthly premiums. The Senate should insist that adequate health insurance for these kids is a higher priority than any more tax breaks for millionaires,” Durbin said. “It is time to put the health of children ahead of the wealth of the richest Americans."
Durbin noted that the majority of the benefits of the capital gains and dividend tax cuts go to households with incomes over $1 million.
Durbin applauded the state of Illinois for covering uninsured children. Governor Blagojevich signed a bill this week that created the All Kids program which will offer Illinois’ uninsured children comprehensive health care that includes doctor’s visits, hospital stays, prescription drugs, vision care, dental care and medical devices like eyeglasses and asthma inhalers.
Durbin’s amendment would have provided grants to states and community and non-profit organizations to facilitate the enrollment of the 6.8 million children who are currently eligible for SCHIP but not enrolled.
Well, "literly doubled" must be some slang for +9 points - because that's the difference.
Rod's approval = 41%
Durbin's = 50%
www.surveyusa.com
Another case of the media sensationalizing a comment and trying to twist it into a public fight.
Similar to what they did to Durbin over his prison camp comment.
Good chance is that Durbin is smart enough to read the handwriting on the wall and like Lisa is go to jump ship on Blago.I have always voted for Dick Durbin.He was here before Blago and he will be here when Blago becomes a bad memory.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Durbin's not such an honorable guy when you get up close. When he was first running for the Senate, I shook his hand at the Northwestern train station. The train station meet-and-greet is pretty standard practice for campaining in Chicago, and I try to shake hands with pretty much all of them (including Adlai, Simon, Thompson).
I asked Durbin "Why did you spend so much money kicking that other fellow (whose name I've forgotten) off the ballot? I prefer to have more than one candidate to choose from." While I was looking him in the eye and shaking his hand, he wouldn't answer the question. He looked the other way and one his aides grabbed my hand and pushed me away.
Although his politics are generally in line with mine, I'll never vote for that joker for anything. If he can't treat a person like a person, to hell with him.
Gone are the days of old school politicians like Dan Rostenkowski and Bill Lipinski who made it their mission to bring home the bacon for Illinois residents.
Instead we have Senator Durbin.
I suppose Senator Durbin's comments might have some credence if it weren't for the fact that Senator Durbin's name is hardly synonymous with bring home the bacon.
Since he was elected Senator, and definitely since he was elected Democratic Whip focusing all his time strictly on Washington, DC affairs and politics, the good Senator has scarcely lifted a finger on behalf of the State of Illinois.
The true heavy lifting has been done by Speaker Hastert and other senior members of the congressional delegation, such as Congressman Jerry Costello.
So Senator Durbin's comments should be duly noted, but they should also be viewed in the context of his own lack of effort to help win Illinois secure Federal largesse.
Post a Comment
<< Home