Posted on 11/12/2006 4:19:37 AM PST by KeyLargo
Durbin Asks Bush To Put Partisanship Behind Him
Bob Roberts Reporting
CHICAGO (WBBM) -- The Democrats are talking co-operation with President Bush, but already there is evidence that controversial legislation backed by the Bush administration won't move forward.
WBBM's Bob Roberts reports.
President Bush has asked the lame-duck Congress to give him legislation that would specifically authorize the wiretapping of foreign phone calls and computer traffic of suspected terrorists.
The issue came up Friday during a meeting hosted by the President with Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).
Instead, Durbin told WBBM Saturday, he is asking Mr. Bush to try something less controversial.
"We need to find more partnership and put behind the partisanship of the past," Durbin said. "I think we can do it. I suggested yesterday in the meeting, let's have some confidence-builders. Take some issues out that we agree on first and let's get them passed to prove to the American people that we can come together."
Durbin said agreement could come in areas where they has been confrontation in the past, such as judicial nominees.
"We encouraged him to send us moderate, centrist people and we would gladly approve them -- and do it quickly," he said.
Durbin made it clear he would rather wait until next year to look at more controversial issues.
"We just don't want to break down into a fight," he said. "There are so many things we need to do for this country and this economy."
After the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Mr. Bush ordered the National Security Agency to monitor communications potentially related to al-Qaida between people in the U.S. and those overseas. He bypassed normal requirements for court approval of such eavesdropping, and the program came under harsh criticism after it was disclosed last December by The New York Times.
Democrats and Republicans on the intelligence and judiciary committees spent much of the year trying to find out details from the administration, to little avail. Much of the information is classified, and the White House has insisted that revealing it would mean compromising the war on terrorism.
The House passed a bill in September to allow warrantless wiretaps under certain restrictions. House and Senate intelligence committees and congressional leaders would have to be notified, the president would have to believe that a terrorist attack is imminent, and certification would have to be renewed every 90 days.
A Republican measure in the Senate favored by the administration would require the Justice Department to report twice a year to the House and Senate intelligence committees the number and kind of any such operations. It would permit the surveillance to continue for up to one year without a warrant. --- The House bill is H.R. 5825; the Senate bill is S. 3931.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
The President needs to remember what and who got him to the White House, and stick to the conservative agenda, then accuse the house and senate dummocrats of "holding America hostage and partisan politics." He needs to get off the first shot and keep going. Ending his term by kissing democrat butt is not how he should be remembered and it's not how I want to remember him.
Sniff sniff... bi-partisanship smells like TREASON...
If Bush plays the cards right, Conservatives will roll in 2008.
I guess they want it official and put a D be after his name.
People must understand once and for all:
BI-PARTISAN to the dems means - DO IT OUR WAY OR ELSE!
Get it!!
LOL...
Apparently you have too much class.
All you have to do is sink to his level.
Somehow I don't think you would consider that.
The socialist definition of non-Partisan_ship is those who AGREE with them!
"All you have to do is sink to his level."
You're soooo right...I make every effort NOT to sink to his level...to be a lady and thoughtful...and perhaps, most of all, to be honest. This has all been so hard and has made me heartsick. So, I am most grateful for your kind comments!! :)
Nancee
Durbin was re-elected in 2004 when the pubs had to run Alan Keyes.He won't be up for re-elect until 2010.PS-as an unfortunate Ill. resident,I refer to him as the "biggest Dick in Illinois"!Pistolpetestoys
Date: Thursday, November 09, 2006
Senate Democrats exult over big win
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/news_theswamp/2006/11/09/index.html
Dick Durbin: Bush Fighter
John Nichols
"Durbin is ready for that fight. The new whip is a man of government, so much so that he once served as the parliamentarian for Democrats in the Illinois legislature...."
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20050214/nichols/2
AL JAZEERA NEWS
US senator stands by Nazi remark
Thursday 16 June 2005, 21:38 Makka Time, 18:38 GMT
The US holds about 520 detainees at Guantanamo Bay
Related:
Cheney defends Guantanamo prison
US lawmakers split over Camp Delta
Guantanamo closure not ruled out
US rejects calls to shut Guantanamo
US senator: Shut down Guantanamo
A US senator has refused to apologise for comparing the actions of US soldiers at Guantanamo Bay to those of Nazis, while others have decried or defended the mandate and method used to hold prisoners there.
US Senator Dick Durbin on Wednesday refused to apologise for comments he made on the Senate floor referring to Nazis, Soviet gulags and a "mad regime" like Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge in Cambodia."
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/796AA4AC-531C-4E6F-B855-7FBC52506824.htm
You first, Dick.
Yes, put partisanship behind us and go along with the Democrats. In no time war will be a dim memory, the Fed budget deficit and debt will be a bad memory, the DJIA will be 100,000, and Sally Ann will be out of business due to no customers.
Never forget.
Turbin Durbinladin, the junior senator from the People's Republic of Illinois is up for re-election in 2008.
Several months ago, I sent him an e-mail stating that I am completely ashamed of him as our state senator and that I would do everything possible to prevent his re-election.
Durbinladin is a filthy, socialist puke who deserves to be relegated to the dustbin of history.
Illinois has become the 9th ring of liberal hell, due in no small part to Durbinladin, Osama Obama, Little King Richie Daley and Gov. Rod Bagoshi*.
What has happened to our state should serve as a warning to the rest of the nation.
Sorry, but you are wrong. You are describing how our jr. senator, Osama Obama, was elected. Jack Ryan quit because of the "sex club with his wife" scandal and Alan Keyes was nominated in his place. Keyes was beaten badly by Osama.
Durbinladin ran against Jim Durkin in 2002 and won.
The rest of the nation should study Illinois' history and use it a warning.
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