Tho Dems leery of Feingold resolution, Kerry interested,thinks * broke law

[flpoljunkie]

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=408006

Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry said of the resolution: "I'm interested in it . . . The president ought to be held accountable, and I think he broke the law."

On television, on the floor of the Senate, and in interviews with reporters Monday, Feingold condemned Bush's handling of the surveillance program in the most pointed terms.

Talking to journalists in the Senate Press Gallery, Feingold said Bush's decision to eavesdrop on Americans without judicial warrants is in the "strike zone" of what the framers of the Constitution saw as "high crimes and misdemeanors" and is "clearly more serious than anything President Clinton was accused of doing."

Feingold added: "It is reminiscent of what President Nixon was not only accused of doing but was basically removed from office for doing."

Feingold said that although impeachment might not be "good for the country," a censure resolution was a "reasonable" way to say, "Look, the guy broke the law, we have to say something about that . . . and let's get back to work."

Feingold said "people are afraid to engage in what needs to be done, which is to call the president to task, because the White House spin machine is ready to intimidate everyone."
____________

Boy, did Feingold get that right! And kudos for John Kerry! Hope he will indeed support Feingold's resolution. Wish they were running the country right now! What a team they would make!

[rodeodance]

1. "WH spin machine is ready to intimidate everyone." yes, it HAS happened

already.

[rodeodance]

3. it started with Scott M. and Cheney even before Russ was on the Senate

Floor.

[ClassWarrior]

2. Call your Senators and ask them this question...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2512789&mesg_id=2512789

NGU.

[rodeodance]

4. and I agree-what a team.

.....Boy, did Feingold get that right! And kudos for John Kerry! Hope he will indeed support Feingold's resolution. Wish they were running the country right now! What a team they would make!

[rodeodance]

5. two good looking intellectuals.

[xultar]

6. NOTICE...Kerry said THINK he broke the law. That is what I was

trying to say yesterday.

they have to KNOW he broke the law. What do they need then investigations. How will we give them that by working on 2k6 mid-terms. Not bitchin and letting the trolls and the MSM divide us.

United we stand. Divided we fall!

[flpoljunkie]

8. It all depends on what Kerry meant when he said "thinks" Bush broke law.

I think he broke the law, too, and so do many legal and Constitutional experts. The man thinks he can do whatever wants--the imperial presidency--and Congress is for him, nothing but an inconvenient impediment.

[wisteria]

11. Exactly, the longer we hold off and we concentrate on 2006, gain

some seats and feel good about the publics perception of Dem's , then we can do some good investigating with some power behind it.

[flpoljunkie]

17. It's strategists who have emasuculated the Dems. Always afraid to take

a position. Don't want to alienate the independents. Guess what? They loathe Bushco too! He's at what--27% with independents?

This is why many Americans feel there is no difference between Republicans and the always cautious, increasingly spineless, risk averse Democrats.

[EFerrari]

12. Well, we KNOW. WE DO. WE need to shape this conversation.

Class Warrior is right on.

Either they support censure or they support criminality.

It's a pretty clear choice.

:hi:

[flpoljunkie]

18. Ed Schultz just played JK interview where he said when asked what he

thought of Bush's NSA wiretapping of American citizens.

Questioner: "What do you think?"

JK: "He is not on legal ground."

[rodeodance]

7. Ahead of leaders --hey good one.

Ahead of leaders

As he has done on such issues as the USA Patriot Act and withdrawal from Iraq, Feingold has stepped out ahead of his party leadership and staked out a position that resonates with many in the party's base. But that position puts other Democrats on the spot and could leave Feingold with few allies in the Senate.

Feingold dismissed criticism that his resolution was politically motivated, saying in an interview that "I'll let the political chips fall where they may."

As they returned to the Senate after the weekend, few lawmakers had seen the text of the censure resolution.

In interviews Monday, a few of Feingold's Democratic colleagues praised the proposal, but most stopped far short of endorsing it, and some questioned what purpose it would serve.

[blue cat]

9. Kerry was the ONLY Dem

that voted with Feingold. This article was from yesterday.

[flpoljunkie]

16. No vote yet. Resolution referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Feingold is on this committee as well as the intelligence committee.

[rodeodance]

10. Boxer said that she could vote for the resolution.-- yaddy yah

....Herb Kohl, Feingold's fellow Wisconsin Democrat, declined to back the resolution. His statement, in its totality, read: "As the Senate continues to investigate the president's implementation of the domestic eavesdropping program, it is not clear that censuring the president is the most effective way to bring that program into line with our need to protect national security and civil liberties."

Among the more supportive Democrats, California Sen. Barbara Boxer said that she could vote for the resolution.

Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry said of the resolution: "I'm interested in it . . . The president ought to be held accountable, and I think he broke the law."

On television, on the floor of the Senate, and in interviews with reporters Monday, Feingold condemned Bush's handling of the surveillance program in the most pointed terms.

[rodeodance]

13. We gotta work on that Sr. Sen. from WI--Kohl

..Herb Kohl, Feingold's fellow Wisconsin Democrat, declined to back the resolution. His statement, in its totality, read: "As the Senate continues to investigate the president's implementation of the domestic eavesdropping program, it is not clear that censuring the president is the most effective way to bring that program into line with our need to protect national security and civil liberties."

[rodeodance]

15. Here are some numbers for Kohl. I called, His staff was pleasant.

. Senator Herb Kohl
Phone: [phone]
District Offices:
Appleton: 920-738-1640
Eau Claire: 715-832-8424
LaCrosse: 608-796-0045
Madison: 608-264-5338
Milwaukee: 800-247-5645

[AtomicKitten]

14. The Republicans have summarily declared the wiretapping legal.

What is really needed is an independent investigation followed quickly thereafter by impeachment.

I think the Dems should be hammering the legality of the issue instead of letting the Republican spin machine simply declare it legal rather than jumping ahead to the punishment.

First things first.