Defending Senator Reid

DEFENDING SENATOR REID

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, Barry Goldwater was a proud, conservative Republican. Many credit him as being the father of the modern conservative movement in this country.

He defended his conservative ideas and ideals vigorously. But he didn't attack his political adversaries personally. And he didn't like it when others did.

Barry Goldwater once said of the radical right, ``If they disagree with you one bit, you're a no-good S.O.B.'' That is Barry Goldwater's world.

Something tells me Barry Goldwater would dislike very much the character-assassination campaign being waged by the Republican National Committee against the Democratic leader of this Senate, Harry Reid.

This morning, the Senate began debate on a controversial plan proposed by our Republican colleagues, under a time agreement negotiated by Senator Reid--Democrats are not filibustering this proposal. We came to work this morning to discover this article.

The lead story in this morning's Roll Call is ``RNC Turns up Heat on Reid.''

The RNC is sending out a 13-page ``research document'' on Senator Reid to 1 million journalists, donors, and grassroots activists'' accusing Senator Reid of obstructionism and other imagined grievances.

Despite the fact that every nominee of the President has gone through this Chamber, and I believe we have only had two record votes and both of those cleared the Chamber, they are arguing that Senator Reid is guilty of obstructionism.

The RNC Communications Director is quoted as saying, ``This is the initial salvo in the upcoming discussion that we are going to be having with Senator REID.'' This is not a discussion they're planning. This is an effort to try to intimidate political opponents into silence--and it is shameful.

Harry Reid is the walking definition of moderate. I have served with him in the House and Senate.

Why is the RNC doing this now? Because they do not want to debate their radical proposals on the merits.

They don't want to debate their radical proposals on the merits. They don't want to talk about the details of Social Security privatization, which is becoming increasingly unpopular in America. They don't want to talk about the budget they released today, which will make deep cuts in health care, veterans care, and education. They want to silence everybody and anybody who dares to question any part of the agenda.

That is not what America is about. It is not the way this Senate is supposed to work.

I say to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, is there one amongst us who could withstand this type of ithering scrutiny and criticism? I think, frankly, my friends should stop and realize we have 2 years ahead of us in this session. We need to work with one another. We have and we will. Starting with this approach is bad.

I call on Senator Frist to call the Republican National Committee the first thing in the morning and tell them that they have to suspend this personal attack on HARRY REID.

If we are going to work in a cooperative bipartisan fashion, this attack is going to poison the well.

There is another element here, too. I have some rules in my life that are hard and fast when it comes to politics, and one rule is that I never attack my opponent's family. Never. There have been ample opportunities when some relative of my opponent did something very embarrassing or I could have issued a press release and taken advantage of it. I never did it because I never want people attacking my family.

The Republican National Committee starts off their campaign by attacking Senator Reid's family. I think the hottest ring in hell is reserved for politicians who attack their opponents' families, and I hope Senator Frist believes that, too.

In 1962, Jack Kennedy and Barry Goldwater thought they would probably face each other in the 1964 Presidential race. As different as their politics were, they respected one another, and they respected the American tradition of government and debate. They hoped that if they did face each other in 1964, they would be able to hold a series of debates around the country on the big issues of the day.

That is how politics was going to be waged in 1964. That is exactly how it should be waged today. Let's not make this the politics of mudslinging and the politics of personal attack. Let's, early on in the session, say that we are going to address the great issues that face us in a responsible manner. We should make a bipartisan pact at this time that there will be no more politics of personal destruction.

Mr. President, I yield the floor.

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