U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin called the tax cuts for the rich, which are part of the Obama tax compromise with Congressional Republicans, "just plain wrong" yesterday. But the senior senator from Illinois voted to move debate on the bill forward anyway, saying, "It adds to the deficit, and it basically says the people who are the most well-off in America don't have to share any kind of sacrifice in these tough times. But I'm a realist, too, and I know that in order to put this package together the administration had to make concessions to the Republicans."

In a separate interview, Durbin predicted that, despite opposition from progressives, the deal would be passed by Christmas.