About Feingold for President (inc. thoughts on DLC)...

[hopein08]

I'm really sorry for starting another thread on a possible Feingold run in 2008 but I just came across an interview with him from 2002 in which he covers just about every topic that I count as the most important. The first thing I thought was, I have to share this! Hope nobody minds too much:7

Here is a snip of two questions...

Q: But you seem to be putting a toe in with your travels to campuses and to important primary states.

Feingold: That wasn't the reason I did it. I was asked by students from Brown University when I spoke there. They said we really like what you're doing, and we'd like you to run for President, but in any event would you be willing to go to some larger campuses and speak? And I said yes. I find that exciting, because I find that students are very strong on my issues, stronger than anyone: anti-death penalty, anti-racial profiling, campaign finance reform, questioning the anti-terrorism bill. And what I did do was to indicate that I want to see a more progressive Democratic ticket. I'm not happy with the Democratic Leadership Council's dominance of the party. And although I'm unlikely to be the person, I want Wisconsin's progressivism to influence the ticket. And we'll do better as a party if we do. We'll have more energy. We'll have a broader tent.

Q: Why is the DLC dominating?

Feingold: I think it's because the Democratic Party decided that corporatizing was a way to help with fundraising, especially in an era of soft money. It allowed the Democratic Party, in their view, to blunt some of the issues, like trade, that were causing problems with, frankly, the larger moneyed interests. And the ultimate example of that was the coronation of Gore in Los Angeles. That convention was a corporate trade show. It was nothing like the Democratic conventions of the past. So I see the DLC as, to some extent, taking the soul away from the Democratic Party. And I see the DLC as having sold American workers down the river. I oppose GATT, and NAFTA, and all the things Clinton and Gore were for. When we lose our commitment to opposing something as manifestly wrong as the death penalty, I'm very uncomfortable with that.

...

There's more on progressivism, campaign finance, Israel/Palestine.

I know the interview is from 2002, but I found it very informative.

Now I just hope that Feingold runs! Though I don't know what I'd do if Edwards and Feingold both run!:crazy:

Sorry about another Feingold thread!

[benddem]

1. Don't be

I love the guy.

[blackangrydem]

2. His name is synonymous with Campaign Finance Reform = 527s

Is that a plus or a minus do you think?

[mattclearing]

3. A plus.

He can always say "We did what we could." He did more than anyone else did.

[latteromden]

5. I think it's a plus; as he's said, the McCain-Feingold bill was not meant

to do EVERYTHING. There's more work to be done in the system, definitely, but M-F was a step forward in the right direction.

[blackangrydem]

7. Do you think it could be used against him by a wily opponent

in the primaries?

E.G.,

"Russ Feingold made the Swift Boat Vets possible"
or something to that effect.

[latteromden]

8. It could very well be. On the other hand, he could also go all out and

sign a pledge to reject all help by 527s and circulate it to the rest of the primary contenders to sign to see what exactly THEY planned to do about it - it would be so wonderfully ironic if this opponent in the primaries (okay, let's just pretend they exist for a second) refused to sign the pledge, but it would be effective either way.

[Telly Savalas]

16. Can anyone name a candidate...

that doesn't have something that can be used against them in a campaign?

[hopein08]

18. A plus

I think that Feingold has made it clear that the campaign finance reform act is a step in the right direction. I never really got the idea from what he's said that it is a stop all/catch all fix for the problems.

[Hippo_Tron]

20. ENTIRELY depends on if he has good strategists or not

But Bush did sign McCain/Feingold and Feingold has been against 527's. The question is, who is the GOP going to be running in 2008, somebody who voted for it or against it, or a Governor who did neither.

[latteromden]

4. You could NEVER have too many Feingold threads! Have you checked out

the Draft Feingold group on Yahoo!? If you haven't, you oughta. Even if you don't know who you'd vote for if both Edwards and Feingold ran (I'm actually stuck between those two and Kerry if all three run - dammit, I'M the undecided voter, now! - well, I'm rather leaning towards Russ, but I just don't know)

Ooh. *shudders* The song Don't Stop (that I happen to be listening to right now) seems to have taken up the same meaning it did in the days before November 2nd, with all this. Exciting. :)

[hopein08]

19. Thanks, I just joined

This is kind of exciting and weird in the sense that it's still 2004 and we don't even have any clue if Edwards, Feingold, or Kerry will even be running. I honestly don't know what I'd do if one of them didn't run!

Well, I'll just say that I'm happily undecided for the moment (apparently just like my potential candidates!).

[iwantmycountryback]

6. I really hope he runs

He seems to have a populist message and he is against NAFTA, the Patriot Act, the Iraq war. He is fairly liberal but is still able to appeal to the rural voters of Wisconsin.

This is what Kerry did in WI:
http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/WI/P/00/index.html

This is what Feingold did:
http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/WI/S/01/index.html

He won by over 330,000 votes while Kerry won by 11,813. He must be doing something right.

[Fire Bush]

9. I never really did like Kerry all that much

And the thought of Hillary in '08 frankly makes me nauseous. But as a former Wisconsinite I would love the opportunity to vote for Russ again.

[JohnKleeb]

10. I would love it if he ran

I disagree with some of his votes but you know why he voted for them, and etc. He's great, I could easily support him if he ran.

[Liberal Christian]

11. I don't want Feingold to run

because I want him to be my senator for a long, long, time.

[Radical Activist]

12. That's it. I'm in love.

I'll have to see who else runs but I'd be happy with Feingold.
The spirit of Fighting Bob LaFollete lives on!

[Radical Activist]

13. His criticism of the DLC is a little unique

A lot of people are criticizing the DLC and Dean based a good chunk of his campaign on criticizing them along with Bush-lites. When I read this it struck a cord with me more than the usual DLC-bashing and it took me a minute to understand why.

Feingold actually names a vital policy issue where he defers with the DLC. He doesn't just say they are bad, or that they need to stand up to Bush, or call them names. He specifically names a very important way in which he differs from their approach on an issue, not just in style. I wish I heard more leaders talk about trade, how that hurt American workers, and how important that issue really is.

He's not just posturing by bashing the DLC. He's talking about a fundamental difference between him and other members of the party that have been compromised by the corporate agenda. It's one thing to bash the DLC. It's another to bash the DLC and then give a clear vision of an alternative path.

[genius]

14. My only issue with Feingold is his environmental record.

He has one of the worst environmental records of any Democrat in Congress. It could be because Wisconsin is pretty clean and he doesn't worry about the environment. He would have to agree to change his position on such things as Yucca Mountain before I would support him.

[latteromden]

15. Environmental ratings since 2000

From Project Vote Smart:

1999-2003
Average score from the League of Conservation Voters: 91%
Average score from the Sierra Club: 70%
Average score from the National Parks Conservation Association: 100%
Average score from the American Lands Alliance: 67%
Average score from the Comprehensive US Sustainable Population: 71%

Not so bad.

[genius]

21. That's actually really low for a Democrat.

The better ones score at least in the high 90s from all those groups. And his support of Yucca Mountain is troubling. I would like to see him take a stand against it. Edwards has low environmental ratings but he voted against Yucca. To win CA, this is a big issue among Democrats. Kerry also voted against Yucca but he has really high ratings on the environment. Don't get me wrong. I like Feingold but I see room for improvement.

[latteromden]

24. Wow, low? Lord, shows me how low my expectations are for the party's

senators. *sigh*

[GOPBasher]

17. He wins handily in a dead-even state.

[merh]

22. I'd vote for him based on this statement alone!

I oppose GATT, and NAFTA, and all the things Clinton and Gore were for. When we lose our commitment to opposing something as manifestly wrong as the death penalty, I'm very uncomfortable with that.

His environmental record is not bad, it is just not as good as other dems. That means he has room to improve (which he can still do)

[Zhade]

23. Feingold deserves a medal for speaking the truth.

He's a pretty darn good guy.

[Hungy]

25. www.draftruss.com

It sounds like there's a fair amount of interest in a Feingold campaign.

To anyone who's interested: http://www.draftruss.com - let the drafting commence.


~Eric S. Hungerford

[unblock]

26. locking: dupe

please continue here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1438959&mesg_id=1438959