Right Now: Filibuster/Breaking News (Check It Out)!

[ihavenobias]

There is a great, live web stream on www.theyoungturks.com discussing the filibuster (FISA, Telecoms, etc.). It also seems there is some action brewing and breaking news:

www.theyoungturks.com

[Evergreen2U]

1. FISA cloture votes this AM

In CA this mornings votes:

Boxer voted for filibuster (against cloture)
Feinstein voted against filibuster (for cloture)

[jenmito]

4. On another thread, Obama said he supports the filibuster. n/t

[ihavenobias]

5. That's Awesome

Hopefully his leadership influences others.

[Ammonium]

7. Sort of

He has said he won't return to washington to vote because a no vote is basically a vote for the filibuster. I don't exactly agree with that argument.

[ihavenobias]

8. Oh (Ralph Nader)

yeah, that's an important distinction. Thanks for pointing that out.

PS---Ralph Nader is on the air now too.

[jenmito]

10. No. THIS is what he said:

Obama’s Statement on Dodd and Filibuster
By: Jane Hamsher Monday December 17, 2007 11:32 am


I contacted the Clinton, Edwards and Obama campaigns last night to ask them if they had statements on Dodd's filibuster against retroactive immunity today. So far the only one to get back to me with one is Obama:

"Senator Obama unequivocally opposes giving retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies and has cosponsored Senator Dodd's efforts to remove that provision from the FISA bill. Granting such immunity undermines the constitutional protections Americans trust the Congress to protect. Senator Obama supports a filibuster of this bill, and strongly urges others to do the same. It's not clear whether he can return for the vote, but under the Senate rules, the side trying to end a filibuster must produce 60 votes to cut off debate. Whether he is present for the vote for not, Senator Obama will not be among those voting to end the filibuster."

Both the Edwards and Clinton campaigns said they are working on statements.

It would be wonderful if Obama came off the campaign trail to support Dodd.

http://firedoglake.com /

Taken from KoKo01's thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=3852466&mesg_id=3852466

[ihavenobias]

11. Right

If they want to show leadership they should ALL come off the campaign trail.

PS---The live web feed is back up: www.theyoungturks.com

[jenmito]

12. He put out the first statement. None of them can afford to come off the campaign trail right now.

And didn't you just call it "awesome"? :shrug:

[ihavenobias]

13. It's Awesome

that he supports it and is the first the come out for it, yes.

But I would LOVE for Obama (and everyone else for that matter) to really take a stand and lay off campaigning for a day or two for this incredibly crucial issue.

Also, considering they're in a democratic primary, don't you think anyone that actually did this would gain a nice boost from the base at the perfect time?

[jenmito]

14. Well,

they have very little time left to try to win over every voter in Iowa. I think talking face to face to people at this stage is more important than a symbolic vote if they put out statements. IF the vote were to be close, I'm sure they WOULD have gone to vote. Just like he did when he had to cancel an appearance on The View.

[K Gardner]

16. Cant "afford" to come off campaign trail?? Can he afford to let our

civil rights be flushed down the drain.. isn't that one of his talking points?

Please don't defend him. I don't defend my guy for not being there.

[jenmito]

17. Correct...

and like I said, if the vote would've been close they would've all been there.

[K Gardner]

22. Do you even know what a Filibuster is? Because your defense is either based

on ignorance or apathy. Either way.. not good.

[jenmito]

24. Of course I do!

I am neither ignorant nor apathetic. :eyes: They can easily perform the filibuster without 3 more Senators "filibustering."

[silverojo]

19. To HELL with "statements"!

They should get their asses back to Washington and VOTE! Selfish bastards are more concerned about their pursuit of power than what's right for America!

[ihavenobias]

21. I can't argue with you

Again, we have no leaders:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cenk-uygur/where-are-our-leaders-whe_b_76909.html

And even the people that are *chosen* to lead the democrats aren't leaders:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxTF8n-Iee0&eurl

[jenmito]

25. If Edwards was still a Senator, do you think he'd have gone back to DC?

All I know is he sure started talking "big" about what Congress should do after he left!

[silverojo]

18. Feinstein sounds more like Lieberman by the minute n/t

[99th_Monkey]

2. "Can't make connection. Server too busy" n/t

[ihavenobias]

3. Try Again

They just took a short break so there's a chance you might get in (and you'll just hear some music until they come back on air).

It's pretty interesting so far!

[Tejanocrat]

6. Dodd could possibly win my vote over this issue.

[ihavenobias]

9. Website Overload/Tech Problems

It appears the website is overloaded. The live stream crashed on me (and presumably everyone else) during the Nader interview (unfortunate because it was interesting) and now I'm getting the "cannot find this website" message.

PS---I think the show will last as long as the filibuster, in the spirit of an On-Air Filibuster.

[ihavenobias]

15. A Link To The First Hour Of The Show

http://youngturks.wmod.llnwd.net/a591/o1/TYTV12-17-07.wmv


Today, December 17, at 3pm ET The Young Turks began to air a special show on this website. Due to technical problems, many people were unable to hear or watch the first hour. Here is a link to the video of that hour so you can watch Cenk discuss recent events at The Young Turks, as well as Senator Dodd's possible filibuster to oppose giving telecoms immunity for domestic spying. There is also an interview with Ralph Nader. Plenty of good stuff.

Also:

If the website goes down, the video stream may still be going. Please write down or save this address, and put it into the address window of your browser and you can view the video of the show, even if the site goes down.

http://winmedia.voxcdn.net/2954-WMV-aarnetvid1

[Adelante]

20. FYI - re all four Senator candidates

Dear Majority Leader Reid:

We understand that the Senate will shortly be considering amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. As you know, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the Senate Judiciary Committee have reported very different versions of the FISA Amendments Act, S. 2248, and it is up to you, as Majority Leader, to decide how the Senate considers this legislation.

We urge you to make the version of S. 2248 reported by the Senate Judiciary Committee the base bill to be considered by the full Senate. While the structure of Title I of both bills is the same, and both make improvements over the Protect America Act, the reasonable changes to Title I made in the Judiciary Committee ensure that the FISA Court will be able to conduct much-needed oversight of the implementation of these broad new surveillance authorities, and help to better protect the rights of innocent Americans. While we appreciate the hard work that the Intelligence Committee has done on this legislation, the process by which the Judiciary Committee considered, drafted, amended and reported out its bill was an open one, allowing outside experts and the public at large the opportunity to review and comment. With regard to legislation so directly connected to the constitutional rights of Americans, the results of this open process should be accorded great weight, especially in light of the Judiciary Committee’s unique role and expertise in protecting those rights.

We also believe that the Judiciary Committee bill is preferable because it does not provide immunity for telecom companies that allegedly cooperated with the administration’s warrantless wiretapping program. As this is such a controversial issue, we feel it would be appropriate to require the proponents of immunity to make their case on the floor.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Russell D. Feingold (D-WI)

Christopher J. Dodd (D-CT)

Barack Obama (D-IL)

Bernard Sanders (I-VT)

Robert Menendez (D-NJ)

Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE)

Sherrod Brown (D-OH)

Tom Harkin (D-IA)

Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD)

Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY)

Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI)

Jim Webb (D-VA)

Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA)

Barbara Boxer (D-CA)

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/004890.php

[ClarkUSA]

23. Funny how Hillary "Telecom Lobbyists are people, too" Clinton hasn't signed that statement ...

Then again, Rupert Murdoch wouldn't like that, would he?

[Adelante]

26. She did sign it - look again nt