Progress Illinois

Rep. Phil Hare is a national treasure. The former factory worker and UNITE-HERE organizer is a no-nonsense politician and a perfect replacement for former Rep. Lane Evans, the progressive champion sidelined too early by Parkinson's Disease. On the way back from D.C.'s National Airport yesterday, Politico caught up with Hare and got his take on the presidential race, his appearance on The Colbert Report, and the definition of "working American." The whole interview is worth your time, by I particularly enjoyed this excerpt about his Republican colleagues' penchant for inflammatory commentary (specifically, recent remarks by GOP Reps. Steve King and Lynn Westmoreland):

Hare: I’ll tell you, I think what Steve King said about him the other day, it was not just ridiculous, he really did dishonor on this House: talking about (Obama’s) wife and children and patriotism and Muslim stuff. I mean, there’s no place for Steve King’s stuff, honestly, and he ought to apologize. And he won’t because I think – as kooky as it is – I think he actually believes it. That’s what’s scary about it.

Politico: Are members ever inclined to, instead of battling over this in the press, go over and take it up with one another?

Hare: I’m very inclined. I’m having a hard time not doing it. I don’t know what I’m going to do when I see him, because, look, I don’t mind him [GOP Rep. Steve King] saying, ‘Barack Obama would be a terrible president.’ But when he says that Muslims and extremists would be celebrating in the streets [if Obama won] …this guy is way, way, way off. And Westmoreland’s comments about [Obama] being “uppity” and then saying I didn’t know that [was offensive] -- I mean, Lynn, I ain’t buying it, nobody’s buying it, we know what you meant.