Chicago Daily Observer

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin has been mentioned in past presidential election years as a possible candidate for vice president. But not this year.

“I’ve been approached before,” Durbin, who is assistant majority leader of the Senate, said last week. “I never knew how serious it was.”

Durbin made the comments in an interview about the search for a running mate by Illinois’ other U.S. senator, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.

In years past, Durbin said, he’s meant it when he said no to vice-presidential overtures.

“The irony is, this time, I really want to help this guy,” Durbin said. “It’s a good thing that I’m out of the running, because I would be tempted. I think he has a chance to do some significant things for this country.”

U.S. Rep. Ray Lahood, R-Peoria, has taken himself out of the running for Republican National Committeeman from Illinois in favor of a trip to Lebanon.

LaHood, who is of Lebanese descent, said he didn’t want to miss the opportunity to go on a congressional trip to watch the Lebanese parliament elect Gen. Michel Suleiman, who has been commander of that country’s armed forces, as president, followed by Suleiman’s swearing in. Both take place this weekend.

“I’ve been in Congress 14 years, and this will be my 13th trip to Lebanon,” LaHood said Friday, as he prepared to leave with other members of Congress that evening. “I think it’s important to send a signal – not only from Congress, but from our government – that we’re vitally interested in Lebanon.”