Democratic leader: Republicans 'must pay the price' if they filibuster Iraq vote David Edwards and Muriel Kane

Published: Tuesday July 17, 2007 Print This Email This CNN talked on Tuesday to Senator Dick Durbin, the Democratic majority whip, about the coming showdown in the Senate on the Reid-Levin amendment to withdraw US troops from Iraq. Durbin explained that "the president and the Republican leaders in the Senate have decided to filibuster this issue, to stop the debate, to stop the vote that really will reflect what America feels." Senate Majority Leader Harry Read announced yesterday that rather than giving in to the threat of a filibuster, he will force war supports to physically remain in the chamber through Tuesday night until a vote can be held. "It's time to really make that point that if the Republicans are going to filibuster and try to stop the debate on the War in Iraq, then frankly, they have to stay here and pay the price," said Durbin. "Too many times we've sanitized these filibusters so that members can go out to a nice dinner, go home, go to sleep, get up in the morning, and say 'well, the filibuster's over.'" Durbin further explained that none of the compromise measures that have been proposed are satisfactory alternatives because only the Reid-Levin amendment sets a a timetable for withdrawing troops. "All of these other amendments leave it to the discretion and decision of the president about when this war will end," said Durbin. "We know what's going to happen. This president has told us he'll leave it to the next president to start bringing troops home." The following video is from CNN's American Morning, broadcast on July 17.





