Dissing JK to bloggers

[kerrygoddess]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rj-eskow/feingold-and-the-foxhole_b_19692.html

[TayTay]

1. I didn't think that was a diss

Feingold did outperform Kerry in the '04 race in Wisconsin. Feingold was the local candidate though and Kerry was the unknown.

What's mnore interesting is that all the comments are good. Hmmmmmm.

[ginnyinWI]

3. Feingold is very popular here

Even Repubs vote for him--although probably not the most RW ones.

[kerrygoddess]

4. Check the links

to the other blogs

[karynnj]

7. Also, when the same comment was made by a Feingold (WI) person

When asked they admitted that Feingold had a pretty pathetic opponent. I doubt anyone polled Bush vs Feingold in WI, because that wasn't the race. So they are comparing:

Feingold, an incumbent Senator vs a competitor
and
Kerry vs an incumbent President

This is apples to oranges.

[Mass]

2. No dissing there. He says he does not listen to consultants and that

this does not hurt him.

It may be true or not, but I dont see how it is dissing Kerry. He is just THE other statewide race as a reference.

[karynnj]

8. The comment I disagree with is on national security

I don't think he was a bad person to say it, but I think he is wrong. I really think that his vote against the patriot act would be used against him in a national race. On the left and right there are people who dislike those things that infringe on civil rights. But, there were other parts of the patriot act that were needed. (I think if he were to throw that vote at Kerry in a primary debate he would get his head handed to him - with Kerry going through the international laudering etc)

That said Feingold's stands will work better in 2008 than in 2004. It's clear that Feingold is trying to be the left anti-war candidate - and he has the credentials for it. My guess is that Hillary would love him to capture that spot as Kerry or Gore might be more likely to get enough people behind them to stop her. The media does seem to be also pushing Edwards for that side.

If the Kerry of last Saturday shows up, he will blow the others away. I know some of what Kerry spoke of was "Feingold's issue" but I seriously doubt Feingold could have the fire Kerry had in Fanueil Hall.

[ProSense]

5. I don't think

Feingold's popularity in his home state detracts from what Kerry achieved. While Feingold bested Kerry by 140,000 votes, Kerry increased Gore's numbers by 250,000. In 2000, Gore got 5,000 more votes than Bush.

[sandnsea]

6. I'll refer to my own DeFazio

Who could easily say the same thing about the voters in my House District, I think Wyden could too. If either did, I'd turn right around and ask why voters didn't connect their campaigns to the national party; and since they're so popular, how could they be better advocates for the Democratic Party values since the middle has proven they're willing to vote for them.

I guarantee that the 10-20% extra vote wasn't because they voted against the war or the Patriot Act. I think DeFazio voted against the Patriot Act, I could be wrong on that. They both "voted against the war".

Local campaigns have nothing to do with national campaigns. But that's politics and I don't blame Feingold for using whatever advantages he thinks he has.

[karynnj]

9. My Congressman regularly gets

a huge percent of the vote, which doesn't even mean he could win the Republican nomination for Senate.