Senator Conrad Reveals the Chip on His Shoulder

On C SPAN, on a Monday in April, 2009, the subject under discussion by the Budget Committee was the House/Senate/ White House 2010 Budget Plan.

Representative Jeb Hensarling (R. Texas, 5th District) addressed the Budget Committee Chairman, Senator Kent Conrad (D. North Dakota) and said, "The President says he wants to reform entitlement spending, but it never happens. Don't say that you're being bi-partisan; you're not being bi-partisan."


Conrad replied, "You, Representative Hensarling, tripled the national debt, so who are you to talk? Bush did the same thing, things you're blaming us for. Not you, but your party. It was a disaster."


What, I asked myself, was his point ?

that two wrongs make a right?

that you Republicans had your turn to create a disaster, so now we're taking ours?


A more professional reply from Conrad might have been to defend his committee's crafted formulas for resolution, to point out some informative details for the benefit and support of the viewing public. Instead, he acted like just another bratty kid in the sandbox.