Transcript: Sen. Dick Durbin on "Face the Nation," August 26, 2018
The following is a transcript of the interview with Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, that aired Sunday, Aug. 26, 2018, on "Face the Nation."
MARGARET BRENNAN: We're back with Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, the number two Democrat in the Senate and a longtime colleague of John McCain's. He joins us from Whitewater, Wisconsin this morning. Senator, thank you for joining us. How would you describe John McCain's impact on American politics?
SEN. DICK DURBIN: Well he always had a voice of clarity and vision and courage. But I remember those moments of uncommon decency, which is unfortunately in short supply on the American political scene. I can recall when he rose to the defense of Barack Obama at a moment in the campaign when very few expected him to. Contrast that with what we went through in the locker up chants of the last election. I can remember when John spoke out clearly against the white supremacist in Virginia and made it clear that he considered them to be cowards. And I can remember when he stood up for the issue of immigration. Not an easy issue for anybody, certainly not a conservative Republican from Arizona. We spent six months together negotiating a bipartisan comprehensive bill. Four Democrats- four Republicans. John was our leader and we knew with him in charge we were going to finish the job right.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But you heard Senator Flake also references efforts to get immigration Donna. We know Senator McCain says it was one of his great regrets that that effort failed and in his memoir I want to read you this because it really kind of speaks to his maverick reputation. He says, "to get immigration reform done either Democrats need to retake the House or Republican leaders break and bring a bill to the floor for a vote that offends the Freedom Caucus." Is that what it would take to get immigration reform done?
SEN. DURBIN: Well I hope not. Because John McCain used to say to me personally, and to Republicans especially look to the future. This is a very diverse nation. If the Republican Party is going to have a future in places like the southwest of our nation, we'd better be attentive to the needs of immigration. Sure we need border security and we don't want dangerous people in the United States, but let's have a sensible, rational plan instead of this mess of laws that we have on immigration. John used to call the meetings of this gang of eight and you never knew quite what you'd run into in his office. There'd be that time when he'd blow his top and get that steely look in his eye and- and you think to yourself I don't want to be around this Navy fighter pilot for a moment or two. Then he calmed down and the next thing we know, we're moving into an area of agreement. He was widely respected but he knew what the goal was. The goal was to make this a better nation.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But he also was very, very frustrated in that return he- he made to the Senate floor right after his diagnosis. He-he said this Congress is getting nothing done for the American people. Do you see any spark of bipartisanship that comes from his passing?
SEN. DURBIN: Well I can tell you that there are possibilities, glimmers of hope, within the Senate now. I'm just hoping that both sides of the aisle will take inspiration from John's life and message. I made a point of staying on the floor and heard him deliver that, and I will tell you Margaret, I've seen a lot of votes in the House and the Senate, the one that sticks in my mind was after 2:00 a.m. in the morning when John McCain came through those doors into the Senate chamber just leaving a phone call from the president of the United States. He walked up to that table and he could barely move his arm because of the injuries he'd suffered during Vietnam and he pushed his thumb down and said no. And with that courageous no vote he saved the health insurance for millions of Americans. It was a kind of political courage that isn't displayed very often. I hope it's displayed more in his memory.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well we know that moment certainly stuck in the mind of President Trump. We know that the president will not be part of that tribute to Senator McCain. What does that signify to you?
SEN. DURBIN: The president has disrespected many people, but when he disrespected John McCain and the other prisoners of war, it was a moment I'll never forget. And John handled it with such class. He could have roared back at this president and turn the veterans of the United States against the president but he was very quiet about it. And I think he knew that the enduring legacy of his service to our country, along with so many other veterans was going to prevail over those harsh and nasty words by President Trump.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you see anyone trying to block this effort that Senator Schumer says he wants to launch to rename the Russell Building after Senator McCain--any Republicans?
SEN. DURBIN: I certainly don't. I don't know. I can't speak for the Republican side of the aisle, but I heard Jeff Flake earlier and Jeff--another worthy representative of the state of Arizona--I am sure that he and I and many others can make this a bipartisan effort. But even more important than naming a building--and that is important and I agree with Senator Schumer--even more important is that we remember what John McCain's message was to us. Do something for America. You're elected to solve problems--tackle the tough issues and be fair and decent when you do. That was what I heard on the floor of the Senate and that I hope is the enduring legacy of McCain's service.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You said there are sparks of hope. We'll wait and see what that actually results. But I want to ask you the same question that I put to Senator Flake which was you know who is the voice--who is the conscience of the Senate now?
SEN. DURBIN: I don't know that it's any one person. You know John stood out from so many of us because of his extraordinary service to our country risking his life five and a half years and appeared to be camp service in the House and in the Senate and just the way he conducted himself. But each and every one of us have to play that role in his memory. I'm not sure there's one person that's going to grab the banner and move forward. But if we take a lesson from his life and his public life we can make a difference.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator Durbin, thank you. We'll be back in a moment.
