Should we push Dick Durbin to challenge Harry Reid for Majority Leader?

[kentuck]

I watched Senator Durbin this morning on MTP take Newt Gingrich to the woodshed for a whipping. He challenged Newt directly about the politics of fear. Newt felt he had to respond. He thought "fear" was appropriate under the circumstances. Senator Durbin disagreed with him. Fear led us to WMD's, Abu Graid, Gitmo, torture, and all these other mistakes that were made after 9/11. We need rational and brave folks to defend us - not fearful ones. It was a very strong point to make, in my opinion.

[msongs]

1. is there a strong dem who can primary Reid in Nevada next year? nt

[TankLV]

12. NO.

You've got to be kidding.

The most powerful Nevada Senator in living memory, and you think that the powers that be will be willing to give all that up for an insignificant small state like Nevada?!!!

Never gonna happen.

No way, no how...

and that's no matter HOW MUCH we would like to see it...

the only way Harry is going to get defeated is by a pine box...

[Gidney N Cloyd]

2. Durbin may be too nice for the job.

[kentuck]

3. Nicer than Reid?

I don't think so. Durbin can hold his own with any Republican.

[MzNov]

4. Does he have enough seniority?

Has been in Senate since 1997; Reid since 1987. Seniority isn't everything, but it is a big part of who becomes Majority Leader. That's probably the one and ONLY reason Reid in is the position now. He certainly is no leader. Durbin seems OK.

[kentuck]

5. I recall that George Mitchell became Leader with very little time in the Senate.

Much less than Durbin.

[MzNov]

7. Was Mitchell a good ML? I don't remember. nt

[Enrique]

6. Durbin would be trashed as much as Reid if he were majority leader

like when he apologized a couple of years ago for his comments about the troops at Gitmo. Trashed mercilessly as being "weak".

[iamtechus]

8. Who owns him?

Before we seriously consider supporting him we should check his campaign contributions to see who owns him.

[dgibby]

9. Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner!

That's the test we should apply for ALL politicians, preferably BEFORE we vote them into office.

[TankLV]

10. Dicky "I can't apologize for what what I just said fast enough" Durbin?

THAT dicky durbin?

NO.

WE want someone with a SPINE!!!

and as much as I dislike my own Harry Reid, he's a THOUSAND times better than dicky...

OK, maybe not a THOUSAND times, but a damn sight better at playing the game...and and that's not saying much for harry, either...

[kentuck]

11. I disagree.

Just about anyone would be better than Harry at this time, imo.

[TankLV]

13. Dicky would be WORSE - about as bad as you can get...

and that's not saying much for harry either...

I want to see someone GOOD - and harry and dicky aren't even in that universe...

[surrealAmerican]

14. Not that I have anything against Durbin, but ...

... any challenge to Reid would just lead to a quantity of party in-fighting that would be detrimental to the Democrats' ability to get anything done.