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Durbin slams Blagojevich

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Durbin

* US Sen. Dick Durbin doesn’t have much good to say about Gov. Rod Blagojevich…

Illinois’ senior Democratic senator said Friday he had a much better working relationship with former Republican Gov. George Ryan than Democratic successor Rod Blagojevich. […]

“You may assume—and it’s natural that you would —that there’s a closer working relationship with the governor and senator than there actually is. There isn’t much,” Durbin said, adding he’s talked privately with Blagojevich only a handful of times since Blagojevich took office in 2003. […]

As for how Ryan compares to Blagojevich, Durbin said he regularly received phone calls from Ryan as late as midnight to discuss public business. That never happens with Blagojevich, he said.

* He also touched on the governor’s legal problems…

Durbin… said he was “troubled” by some of Blagojevich’s early appointments. Some of those appointees, Durbin noted, played prominent roles at the public corruption trial of Antoin “Tony” Rezko, a former top fundraiser for Blagojevich. […]

Asked whether he should have registered his unease to Blagojevich about appointees like Levine, Durbin said, “When it comes to dealing with the state and all of the decisions involved in it, there’s just so much I can do, to be honest with you.”

posted by Rich Miller
Saturday, May 31, 08 @ 7:56 am

Comments

What a weak-water response. Just speak up and tell him like it is. He apparently is not smart enough to figure out how incompetent he is, so he needs to be shown the light and who better than someone who has been around the block a time or two in politics.

Comment by Disgusted Saturday, May 31, 08 @ 9:46 am
Durbin slamming Blagojevich is like North Korea slamming Iran.

Big whoop.

Comment by What's the Point? Saturday, May 31, 08 @ 10:51 am
I don’t think I’ve seen Durbin step out on Blago before. Durbin is certainly a Springfield creature, so it’s interesting he’s picked this time to do so. In addition to distancing himself from Blago, perhaps he’s softening the ground for Obama, as much as he can, in anticipation of future events.

Comment by wordslinger Saturday, May 31, 08 @ 11:26 am
Durbin can do better than merely shrugging his shoulders and claiming that’s about all he can do. If Republicans behaved that way towards someone accused of such behavior, Durbin would be red in the face with outrage over such behavior.

Time he begins to behave like an actual statesman for a change.

Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Saturday, May 31, 08 @ 11:27 am
So much for Dick being the dean of Illinois Democrats. The fulcrum point. The tenured leader.

But then, Dick is from Springfield and he knows the Chicago Democrat machine doesn’t give a hoot about the opinions of anyone from Springfield.

Comment by Straw That Doesn't Stir The Drink Saturday, May 31, 08 @ 11:34 am
This whole story is laughable. Where have you been senator Durbin? He had reservations about Blago appointees? Sounds like Scott McClellen to me, if he was so concerned why didnt he say something then.

Comment by Speaking at Will Saturday, May 31, 08 @ 12:28 pm
How is this significant?

Other than raining on the Gov’s aspiration for higher office….

Comment by plutocrat03 Saturday, May 31, 08 @ 3:19 pm
===How is this significant?===

Because our senior US Senator hasn’t spoken out much about our Democratic governor. So, that makes this news.

Comment by Rich Miller Saturday, May 31, 08 @ 3:20 pm
Put them both in a bag shake it up and you will not get 1/2 a public servant.

Comment by Dan S, a Voter & Cubs Fan Saturday, May 31, 08 @ 5:35 pm
Why would Durbin feel inhibited from talking about Blago and his appointees but not about slamming Bush and his appointees? Because in his heart, Dick is a partisan hack dressed up in the uniform of the world’s greatet deliberative body. Steve Neal was right about Durbin and it is times likes this when we should all really miss Steve.

Comment by The Conscience of the State Saturday, May 31, 08 @ 8:42 pm