BUT WILL THEY LISTEN? – AT 12:54 P.M. ET:  The Democrats smell blood.  Some believe they can retake both houses of Congress next year.  But one of the more adult Dems, Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, is warning the party about doing exactly what it's doing.  From The Hill:   

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) predicted that Democrats would lose to President Trump again in 2020 if they are too liberal.

Durbin — the second highest-ranking Democrat in the Senate — said on local Chicago radio station WLS-AM on Sunday that Democrats shouldn't “overdo it” by acting too liberal in response to Trump.

The senator was responding to comments by Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.), who the host of the radio show Durbin was on said warned Democrats against moving too far to the left out of fear they could lose votes to Trump.

"We need to be balanced. She's right about that,” Durbin said.

“We don't give up on our values, but we better be sensitive, too, that there are people with more moderate views, and people who may disagree with some parts of the Democratic platform as they are presented. We've got to be open to that possibility," he said.

The host asked Durbin if Democrats could lose seats by “being too liberal.”

"You can," Durbin replied. "I think you can overdo it. We have to really appeal to that sensible center. It's a thin stripe now. It used to be a lot wider stripe, but it's an important and determining factor in most elections."

COMMENT:  Durbin is right, but I think he'll be ignored.  The Democrats have become more and more extreme.  And many of the extremists are violent or condone violence.  In addition, Bernie Sanders, himself a left-wing extremist, has attracted many people to Democratic politics who are absolute true believers.

There are moderate, thoughtful Democrats, but many moderates have been driven out of the party or marginalized.  I think Durbin realizes he's on the radical hit list, as is Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader in the Senate.  Neither of these men has the necessary credentials for the new Democratic Party.  Think Barack Obama.

October 16, 2017