DB would rather pounce on a stupidity like Lapin giving Abramoff a retroactive award so he looks good at a party, rather than a liberal comparing Gitmo to death camps, so don't expect balance from him or those who comment on his blog! ---Michael
Except comparing Gitmo to death camps isn't what Durbin did: He was quoting an FBI agent's account of Gitmo abuses and said that that description by itself could be confused with other historic instances of inhumane treatment of captives by outlaw regimes. As usual, the GOP attack-squad distorted what Durbin actually said.
Durbin's accusers ignored what he said and claimed that he denounced the American military and defamed all our soldiers. That, of course, is nonsense, but when it comes to changing the subject -- to making the speaker the problem, not what is spoken about -- no one does it better than the Bush administration.
Look at the usual suspects who led the charge against Durbin: You have the reliable pill-popping radio ranter Rush Limbaugh, half the staff of Fox News, White House spokespeople and Republican politicians such as junket-addict House Majority Leader Tom DeLay and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, the physician who chose to play Dr. Quack, dispensing erroneous medical opinions after viewing old and edited videotape of Terri Schiavo. Frist wanted an apology from Durbin -- which was laughable -- but John McCain played the POW card and demanded an apology, too, in order to keep his own presidential prospects open. Unfortunately, Durbin tearfully complied. Once again, the Republicans showed their mastery at effective and organized attack.
Durbin should have pressed his own attack; he should have said, ''Don't distort what I said. I never maligned our troops. The conduct described by the FBI is reprehensible and is the responsibility of this administration. It is that policy and not the service of our soldiers that I question.''
[Taken from Who's wrong, Durbin or accusers?]
PS: The problem with Lapin is that he poses on tv as the country's chief defender of ethics and morality. The plaque-scheme with Abramhoff would be small beer, if you or I had perpetrated it. But someone like Lapin needs to live up to the standard he sets for other people. Otherwise, he's a walking joke.