Feingold Could Be First Anti-War Candidate

[UpInArms]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5258664,00.html

WASHINGTON (AP) - By issuing an early call for a timetable to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq, Sen. Russ Feingold could emerge as the Democrats' anti-war candidate of 2008, in the tradition of Eugene McCarthy and Howard Dean.

Although Democrats have been critical of President Bush's handling of the war in Iraq, they have been reluctant to call for a timetable to leave, fearing it could reinforce stereotypes that their party is weak on national security.

Feingold, a Wisconsin Democrat who is comfortable on the outskirts of his party, counters that setting an end date in Iraq - preferably by the end of 2006 - would free U.S. leaders to focus on terror threats worldwide.

<snip>

As the first senator to call for a withdrawal timetable, Feingold finds himself in familiar terrain. In 2001, he was the only senator to vote against the USA Patriot Act, the post-Sept. 11 law that expanded the government's surveillance and prosecutorial powers.

...more...

[JNelson6563]

1. Feingold fan here!

I'd happily vote for Russ. :toast:

Julie

[mmonk]

2. I'm still waiting

to see all the candidates, but he would definitely have my vote at this point.

[54anickel]

19. I'd sort of hate to give him up here in WI. Being selfish I guess...n/t

[Don1]

3. When I found out that he voted Nay on the PA

is when I first noticed him. The only Congressman to vote No on it...

Now, being so anti-war, just adds to his credibility.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

15. The only Senator.

And Landrieu was a NV.

[jsamuel]

4. screw 2008, I am looking at 2006 now

[Laelth]

6. Same here.

Congress needs a major overhaul.

-Laelth

[krkaufman]

10. Agreed. Overturn the House and Senate in 2006...

... and we could have a new President by early 2007. :)

[txaslftist]

5. Feingold would definitely have my vote.

[hopein08]

7. That's cool that Feingold's getting UK coverage!

Now he just needs some more here.

I'm a dyed in the wool John Edwards supporter but if their stances stay as they are (for Feingold) and as they were during the '04 campaign (for Edwards) and I have a choice between the two in the 2008 primary, I would vote for Feingold in a heartbeat.

[Robbins]

9. Feingold

He may be the Dean of 2008. With his votes he can attack Republicans on Iraq with more credibility than some. And this time with Dean as chair of the DNC a non DLC candidate like him has a chance. While I am
still uncommitted for now he joins Wesley Clark as the top choices for the Nomination for me.

[OKthatsIT]

8. BULLSHIT...her husband is a war profiteer..$millions

She is the worst of all the Dems who pretend they are Dems.

[krkaufman]

11. Ummm... That's Democratic Sen. Russ FEINGOLD, of Wisconsin...

... and NOT California Sen. Dianne FEINSTEIN.

[OKthatsIT]

14. OH GEEZ...Im so sorry...I goofed

[Charles19]

12. Was living in Wisconsin when Russ was first elected there

Been an excellent Senator!! Wisconsin is lucky to have him.

Being the only one with the backbone to vote against the bone-headed PA, he would certainly have my vote!

[MisterP]

13. ah, so that's why Dean's working on a regional-batch primary system

harder to backstab the threats to the status quo

[krkaufman]

17. Where can I learn more re: this "regional batch primary system"?

thanks.

[mb7588a]

16. He should be our hero....

Howard Dean wasn't the anti-war candidate. Nobody but Bob Graham truly was. I think the Dean comparison is insulting to Feingold. He's seventeen times smarter and better spoken.

Feingold has it all.

1. Voted against the Patriot Act
2. Voted against NAFTA, CAFTA, GATT, Fast Track and Most Favored Nation status for China
3. Voted against the No Child Left Behind Act
4. Coauthored the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2001 (McCain-Feingold), for which he received the Profile In Courage Award from the JFK Presidential Library
5. He's a champion of civil rights, fighting against racial profiling
6. He's on the front line of health care reform
7. He's a leading deficit hawk in the U.S. Senate
8. He's not afraid to vote on his convictions, and principles, and does so will immeasurable courage.
9. THE ONLY MEMBER OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY TO SET A DATE FOR FULL TROOP WITHDRAWAL FROM IRAQ.
10. He has kept his three (later 2 were added) original garage door promises (http://www.russfeingold.org/promiseskept.php ):
--- I will rely on Wisconsin citizens for most of my contributions.
--- I will live in Middleton, Wisconsin. My children will go to school here and I will spend most of my time here in Wisconsin.
--- I will accept no pay raise during my six-year term in office.

--- I will hold a "Listening Session" in each of Wisconsin's 72 counties each year of my six-year term in office.
--- I will hire the majority of my Senate staff from individuals who are from Wisconsin or have Wisconsin backgrounds.


And that's just off the top of my head.

[krkaufman]

18. "the Dean comparison is insulting to Feingold"

Just silly. Hardly insulting. It's safe to say that their records are not identical, but a comparison between the two relative to a defined set of characteristics is perfectly reasonable -- and far from insulting, I would think.