Yesterday, Illinois Democrat Dick Durbin took to the floor of the senate and accused the Republican caucus of institutional racism over the postponement of a vote confirming Loretta Lynch as the next attorney general.
John McCain was not having it.
Today, Senator McCain used his time on the floor to slice into Durbin—and to remind everyone that Democrats have a history of blocking Republican nominees (even the non-white ones!)
Watch:
From CNN:
“At no time has the majority leader ever indicated that he would not bring the Lynch nomination to the floor,” McCain said. “Had the senator from Illinois and my colleagues on the other side of the aisle not filibustered this bill over a manufactured crisis we could have considered the Lynch nomination this week.”
“I deeply regret that the senator from Illinois chose to come here yesterday and question the integrity and motivation, mine and my Republican colleagues,” McCain went on. “It was offensive and unnecessary and I think he owes this body, Ms. Lynch, and all Americans an apology.”
Durbin, who listened while McCain spoke, took to the floor immediately after but never directly discussed his “back of the bus” comment. Instead he spoke about how unfair it is that Lynch, who was first nominated in November, has had to wait so long to get a vote.
“Unfairness” again. Was it “unfair” when Democrats voted against Janice Rogers-Brown, an African American judge whose nomination Durbin filibustered in 2003 and 2005? She was confirmed after waiting almost 700 days. Or when he tried to block Miguel Estrada’s nomination? Or when he voted against Condoleeza Rice during her Secretary of State nomination ordeal?
We’ll never see a true apology from Durbin, but it’s nice to see the Republicans cracking skulls over this.
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Comments
Sorry, this will go nowhere. We’re fighting a 21st century war with 19th century rules. McCain’s umbrage, while certainly truthful, and consistent with the “decorum of the senate”, is pretty weak tea when it comes to dealing with the Left.
I _hate_ giving this comment a thumbs-up, but I have to.
I also hate how the Left seems to be impervious to whatever the Right (or the non-Left) throws at it.
Maybe the question isn’t so much “how to deal with the Left,” but rather “how to destroy the Left.”
If he was serious about being heard, McCain would have marched out in front of the same ‘news’ cameras that Crazy Nancy Pelosi always does when she has to say something stupid to the world.
The GOP just doesn’t get it. They never will. They’re swirling down the drain, and happy to take us with them.
perhaps we should start doing like they do in some other countries….start bashing their lying fucking faces in on the floor of the house/senate. they are enemies of the state in my mind.
Durbin intentionally engaged in racial demagoguery with the intent of maligning Senate Republicans. Yet McCain can’t even go out there and call him on his despicable smear without first expressing regret and reiterating how he’s been friends with Durbin for years.
The two parties play by different rules. Heck, they’re playing different games.
I despise McCain and wish he’d omitted the ‘friend’ bullshit, but I’ll give him some credit for going after the slimeball Durbin on the record.
All the Senate Fossils like McCain & Durbin are all cynical jerks, though. McCain never sounds like this until & unless re-election looms.
I have to disagree. I am not a huge fan of McCain but I have observed him over any years now. The surefire way to get McCain’s dander up at any time us for anyone to even suggest that he and his colleagues have behaved dishonorably.
He’s been my Senator his entire tenure. It’s just my opinion, but it isn’t based on nothing. He’s a cynical opportunist who is completely untrustworthy. Not to say he isn’t “right” about some things some times, and he’s clearly “right” about this. He also seemed genuine in his indignation. That’s as far as I’d take it, though. And as welcome as the remarks were, they may have been more a matter of personal offense than principled outrage.
I don’t cut him a lot of slack, in case you couldn’t tell. 😉
While I applaud Sen. McCain, something that is rare for me, this entire “crisis” is easy to solve for the Republicans. Have the fortitude to walk away from the table and tell the Democrats you have the bill, it will not change and we will not move on until the bill is passed. PERIOD.
Dems are playing hardball and Reps are fielding a slow-pitch softball tem.
While I doubt the senator from IL who cruised to another easy reelection last year is fazed, I do hold hope the magnetic strip on that dog-eared collective RaceAmericard sustained some wear, and I may yet see the day it no longer reads in the swiper.
The only reason Dickens was reelected is because the Illinois GOP is absolutely moribund.
Stupid autocorrect. Promoting Dickie Durbin to author status was not my intent.
Not a single democrat voted to confirm Condoleeza Rice. Now THAT’s racism, straight up.
News like that ought to be used in very well produced video campaign ads in 2016 with minorities targeted. Our tough, conservative, non-white female politicians would be perfect for the MCing duties. Hello, Mia…((-:
I like the way you think.
Senator Little Dickie Durbin: It Liberal-Pinheads like you that make me sometimes regret the “reforming” of “Senate Decorum” in the latter 19th century after jumping seats and “caning” opponents became somewhat SOP. Mr. McCain, for example, has undergone considerable torture, has a very tight fuse and could beat you to a bloody pulp in the “old Senate”. AAaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh…Oh, and Dickie Dude, I ain’t a member so take your cheap, wildly hypocritical race baiting bull***t and please Dial: 1-800-BiteMe.
McLame always picks the least important time to man up and all the worst times to be a squish…
he needs to STFU and just go away.
There are occasions when the Crotchety Old Man can be useful. This was one of those times.
Ted Cruz, much as we like him, couldn’t do this and have the same effect of shaming Senator Durbin. The story would have been completely different. Ditto Rand Paul.
Tim Scott, superb Pub from South Carolina, couldn’t have done it — the Democratic “progressives” would have brought out all the Uncle Tom and oreo sneers. That’s the way the progressives are, as we all know.
But McCain could do this and all Durbin and the Dems could do is sit back and take it. It didn’t get far in the media thanks to the credentialed Dems, but there was no other way for them to handle it.
So good job, Mr. McCain. Now, about that border…
Senator McDurbin couldn’t care less.
Curious if anyone knows whether NBC Nightly News showed the Durbin clip last night. I can say for sure no McCain clip tonight.
You have to understand that this will have no effect on Lynch’s confirmation. She already has the DIABLO votes. The Senate Judiciary Committee is 11-9 with a Republican majority. If it was a party line vote, her nomination would be history. AFTER she testified that as Attorney General she believes that the president does in fact have the power to rule by decree at will in violation of Federal statute; 3 DIABLO’s voted to confirm her. Orrin Hatch, Jeff Flake, and Lindsey Graham. All it takes is one more DIABLO in the Senate as a whole [with Biden’s tie-breaker], and they will have once again ratified presidential rule by decree. Anyone want to look at the makeup of the DIABLO’s and say that they will not find that vote?
Now, in the matter of John McCain actually calling out a Democrat, this does have meaning. But it does not mean that McCain is anything but a DIABLO. It means that a) he does intend to run yet again for the Senate in any putative 2016 elections, b) that he has pissed off enough Conservatives in Arizona that his machine is worried about opposition, and c) that he feels it is necessary to pretend to be Conservative enough to confuse the peasants. Thus this speech and thus his announced opposition to Lynch [while his DIABLO compatriots make sure she gets confirmed].
See: “Build the danged Fence!”
If you’re going to call someone out, USE THEIR NAME. Repeatedly.
I’m not certain, but I think there may be a Senate rule against using an individual’s name on the floor. I think that’s why they say “the Senator from Illinois” or the “Democrat whip” to identify the person being talked about.
Think about it. Since the person’s name is not besmirched publicly, they can avoid having to challenge each other to duels to defend their honor.
Establishment GOP torches Establishment democrat. The False Dichotomy raises its ugly head.
Right message, wrong messenger. Besides, no one whose vote might be swayed heard it.
Who did he think would hear this, aside from us? Why didn’t he march out and say this before cameras so as to inform the useful idiots who have not – and never will – hear a word of McCain’s ‘outrage.’