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Durbin's Lame apology
Illinois Leader ^ | 06/28/05 | Lee Enokian

Posted on 06/28/2005 3:24:38 PM PDT by smoothsailing

ENOKIAN: Durbin's Lame Apology

Tuesday, June 28, 2005

By Lee Enokian (lenokian@earthlink.net)

"Durbin issued an entire statement. That was no accident. He stated exactly what he thought at the time and didn't realize both sides of the political aisle would throw him under the bus for it. Even his apologies indicate he wasn't sorry for the statement, but that so many people took him to task for it," writes Enokian.

OPINION - Democrat Senator Dick Durbin compared U.S. servicemen to Nazis, Soviets and other genocidal monsters while defending terrorists held at Guantanamo Bay.

During his June 14 speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate, Durbin said, "If I read this to you and did not tell you that it was an FBI agent describing what Americans had done to prisoners in their control, you would most certainly believe this must have been done by Nazis, Soviets in their gulags, or some mad regime - Pol Pot or others - that had no concern for human beings."

WHAT?!!

Our illustrious senator equated the detainment of a few hundred America-hating, Islamo-extremist murderers to the slaughter of 8 million Jews and Poles in Nazi death camps and an additional 40 million murders perpetrated by Stalin against the Russians, Ukrainians and Belorussians.

Durbin's remark goes far beyond mere left-wing rhetoric. We must question his ability to represent Illinois rationally.

If the freedom of terrorists equals the lives of approximately 50 million Jews, Poles, Ukrainians and others, how can he effectively represent Americans descended from those demographic groups in the Senate? Obviously, he won't. Durbin admitted to the world where his extremist sympathies lay.

Many Democrats and Republicans objected to Durbin's racially insensitive beliefs.

Vice-President Dick Cheney responded to Durbin's remarks during a radio interview on WWTN in Nashville.

"Remember what's happened here," Cheney said. "These are terrorists, these are bomb-makers ... these are hard-core terrorists is the only way to describe them. They're unlawful combatants. They're out to kill Americans. And if you put them back on the streets, that's exactly what they'll do."

After dodging criticism and defending his remarks for almost two weeks, Durbin finally issued a lame apology last Tuesday.

"Some may believe that my remarks crossed the line," the Illinois Democrat said. "To them I extend my heartfelt apologies."

Is he sorry about the remarks or that some people were offended?

He also "apologized" to U.S. Servicemen. "They're the best. I never, ever intended any disrespect for them."

Gee, Dick, I guess you really didn't intend any disrespect by comparing our servicemen to Nazis.

"I made reference to Nazis, to Soviets, and other repressive regimes. Mr. President, I've come to understand that's a very poor choice of words," Durbin said.

An inappropriate word may be uttered in anger or frustration.

Durbin issued an entire statement. That was no accident. He stated exactly what he thought at the time and didn't realize both sides of the political aisle would throw him under the bus for it. Even his apologies indicate he wasn't sorry for the statement, but that so many people took him to task for it.

© 2005 IllinoisLeader.com -- all rights reserved

______

Lee Enokian is a regular Sunday columnist for the Illinois edition of the Times Newspapers of Northwest Indiana. Enokian welcomes comments by email at lenokian@earthlink.net.


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Illinois; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: aidingtheenemy; badashanoijohnny; durbin; senatorinnameonly; traitordurbin; turbindurbin; unfitsenator

1 posted on 06/28/2005 3:24:39 PM PDT by smoothsailing
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To: smoothsailing
Excellent piece.

It seems like some of the bad guys may actually be abusers (go figure). Hard to understand how anyone can support this POS (I have no idea what that means).

What I Saw at Gitmo - By Lt. Col. Gordon Cucullu - FrontPageMagazine.com - June 27, 2005

2 posted on 06/28/2005 3:36:46 PM PDT by easonc52
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To: smoothsailing

Isn't Durbin retiring in 2006 ..??

And .. I've been noticing that those members who are retiring from some elected office appear to be the ones who are making the most outrageous statements .. because they have nothing to lose.

However, their statements are reflecting badly upon the democrat party. But .. since the democrats are known for only seeing to the end of their nose .. the dems don't realize how damaging their statements will be in 2006.


3 posted on 06/28/2005 3:49:18 PM PDT by CyberAnt (President Bush: "America is the greatest nation on the face of the earth")
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To: smoothsailing
During Durbin's carefully crafted speech, now the main theme of Al Jezerra and other anti-American news papers, he looked straight into the camera and didn’t bat an eye while likening Gitmo to those atrocious places and trashing American POWs who were incarcerated, starved, forced to work when not hanging in some cage or by the thumbs and truly tortured for years and years, not coddled as those held at Club Gitmo, the 5 Star prison paid for by all of us to appease truly awful men bent on killing Americans. How stupid can the left be!

Senator Durbin does not deserve to be a senator and he sure doesn’t belong in American politics any longer.

4 posted on 06/28/2005 3:50:15 PM PDT by yoe (Friends don't let Friends read the New York Times...........................)
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To: yoe
Senator Durbin does not deserve to be a senator and he sure doesn’t belong in American politics any longer.

Hard to believe any dims are standing up for him. Oops, it seems more like they are trying to change the subject...

5 posted on 06/28/2005 3:58:17 PM PDT by easonc52
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To: smoothsailing
Durbin reminds me of the kid the bullies liked to beat up from time to time......a smart ass know-it-all.

I'd love to get in line today.

6 posted on 06/28/2005 4:06:49 PM PDT by CROSSHIGHWAYMAN
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To: smoothsailing

He meant what he said and said what he meant. He never did apologize. See tagline.


7 posted on 06/28/2005 5:32:23 PM PDT by conshack ((Durbin deserves a fair trial and representation for charges of treason))
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To: All
I waited until today, -but I finally got around to letting Senator Durbin know how I felt about his onerous statements.

I laid it on REAL good and thick too, and I advise anyone that's reading this that -hasn't- contacted the Senator's office to do so now. -Just click this link:

http://durbin.senate.gov/contact.cfm

8 posted on 06/29/2005 12:05:44 PM PDT by Capn TrVth
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