Politicians - Take Note

Why can't they all be like this?

Visiting the UW-Madison campus Friday, U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold tore into what he called attacks on Americans' civil liberties, then laid out how he'll decide whether to make a much-speculated-on presidential bid in 2008.

..."This is a fight against terrorism and an effort to protect innocent Americans who have done nothing wrong. We can do both," said Feingold, who cast the lone vote against the [P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act]legislation when it was first passed in 2001.

...Feingold said he'd continue to speak out about a recently revealed secret wiretapping program by the National Security Agency, saying the practice was possibly illegal and helped make the case for greater checks on authorities charged with rooting out terrorism.

Political watchers such as University of Virginia professor Larry Sabato point out that while Feingold's recent stands on civil liberties and the Iraq war may please liberal activists, they may well hurt his chances later on with moderate Democrats and conservatives.

I don't know which politics Mr. Sabato is following; the ones I saw had bi-partisan support for the filibustering the P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act renewal. I've also seen former officials from republican administrations castigate shrubya for spying on innocent Americans. People, pundits and politicians from all over the spectrum are outraged by this latest revelation. I can't imagine who Sabato thinks will be alienated by a statement with overwhelming public support. Typical Wahoo.

Feingold, in his own glorious way, was also dismissive of Sabato's musings.

"I don't care," he said. "Whatever political considerations I have are absolutely irrelevant to the decisions I make having to do with people's civil liberties and something as weighty as Americans risking their lives overseas.

The day that I start to think politically about those things is the day I should leave politics."

I &hearts Russ!



wing tip to dailykos!