"What passes for real debate in Washington often seems more like an echo chamber, with politicians talking at politicians"

In this quote, Bill Delahunt is expressing his disappointment with the lack of real conversation and exchange of concepts in the political landscape of Washington. He recommends that what is frequently presented as a significant debate is actually simply a repetition of the same opinions and talking points, with politicians just talking at each other rather than engaging in a real dialogue. This can be viewed as a criticism of the current state of politics, where the focus is more on scoring points and promoting one's own program rather than finding commonalities and working towards options. Delahunt's words highlight the requirement for more genuine and productive debates in order to attend to the complicated issues facing our society.