Durbin: McCain’s Return To Washington Brought Only ‘Razzle-Dazzle To The Process And Nothing Substantive’

Today in an interview with ThinkProgress, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) sharply criticized Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) decision to “suspend” his campaign and return to Washington for talks on the bailout package. Durbin said that McCain “brought more razzle-dazzle to the process and nothing substantive,” noting that when he was asked to spell out his views at yesterday’s White House meeting, he had nothing to offer.

Durbin also gave some insight into why McCain pulled this political stunt, pointing to slumping poll numbers and recent gaffes:

John McCain returned to Washington because he was slumping in the polls. The economic issues have hurt him because, sadly, he has been part of the problem. He was a believer in Phil Gramm of Texas’s philosophy, which had the government taking a hands-off view toward the credit industry. And that has led to the abuses, which have created the rotten portfolios of today.

And when he pronounced that the “fundamentals of our economy are strong” just hours before the collapse of major companies, it was a great embarrassment to him. So his notion was to shake up the scene by suspending his campaign and returning to Washington. It was no help. In fact, it hurt.

Watch it:

Durbin’s comments echo those of other lawmakers, including Republicans. In fact, as recently as yesterday, McCain was reportedly still unfamiliar with the details of the House GOP proposal.

Transcript:

DURBIN: John McCain returned to Washington because he was slumping in the polls. The economic issues have hurt him because, sadly, he has been part of the problem. He was a believer in Phil Gramm of Texas’s philosophy, which had the government taking a hands-off view toward the credit industry. And that has led to the abuses, which have created the rotten portfolios of today.

And when he pronounced that the “fundamentals of our economy are strong” just hours before the collapse of major companies, it was a great embarrassment to him. So his notion was to shake up the scene by suspending his campaign and returning to Washington. It was no help. In fact, it hurt.

When he came here, it just brought more razzle-dazzle to the process and nothing substantive. When he went into the White House, he was asked to finally spell out his views; he couldn’t do it. He was given his chance yesterday and he really didn’t have anything to offer.

So, he continues to make the rounds on the Hill, but I don’t think it’s productive. I think it’s just the opposite. I think he’s emboldening the critics of any effort and making it more difficult for us to get anything done.