Jon Stewart Plugs Feingold's Censure Call --->>>

[Stephanie]

I am SICK of Democrats who refuse to stand up to the bully in the White House.

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0323-12.htm

Published on Thursday, March 23, 2006 by the Associated Press

Jon Stewart Plugs Feingold's Censure Call
by Frederic J. Frommer

WASHINGTON - Sen. Russ Feingold's call for censuring President Bush hasn't won much support in Congress, but he won a backer Wednesday: Jon Stewart, host of cable television's "The Daily Show."

***

Stewart poked fun at the tepid response that Feingold's proposal has generated on Capitol Hill. So far, only two senators, both Democrats, have signed on as co-sponsors.

"A lot of your Democratic colleagues are reacting as though you're Jack Abramoff and you have a casino you want to talk to them about," Stewart joked, referring to the disgraced lobbyist.

Feingold, who has accused his Democratic colleagues of "cowering," said it was important for the party to show some backbone.

"How many times are we going let George Bush and (Vice President) Dick Cheney say, 'You guys don't support the troops. You're not patriotic,' and let them push us around?" asked Feingold, whose appearance was via satellite from Milwaukee. "We have to stand up to them."

Stewart played a clip from a recent news conference of House Majority Leader John Boehner, in which the Ohio Republican said of Feingold, "Sometimes you begin to wonder if he's more interested in the safety and security of the terrorists as opposed to the American people."

This article provides a good response to Democratic Senators who make excuses for not supporting censure:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/glenn-greenwald/mythmaking-and-excusema_b_17689.html

Glenn Greenwald
03.22.2006

Myth-Making and Excuse-Making on the Feingold Resolution

In order to generate further support for the Feingold Censure Resolution, numerous bloggers are encouraging everyone to pay an actual physical visit to their Senators' local offices in order to urge support for censure. Anyone doing so is likely to encounter the two primary myths/excuses which have been concocted by Senators and others in order to justify their refusal to support the Resolution.

They are both plainly false:

MYTH/EXCUSE NUMBER ONE: An investigation is needed before it can be known whether the President broke the law.

This has become the favored weapon of evasion for most Democratic Senators. Most who have refused to take a position on the Feingold Resolution have used the excuse that there has to be a full investigation before they can know if censure is appropriate. We have heard this excuse from, among many others, Senators Salazar, Stabenow, Bingaman, Levin and Dodd. That is just a small sampling of the list of Democrats who have claimed not to be able to take a position on the Feingold Resolution until an "investigation" is conducted.

<read more at link>

****

MYTH/EXCUSE NUMBER TWO: Republicans want this scandal to persist because it benefits them politically.

Ever since this scandal emerged, Republicans have been wallowing in the bravado of claiming that they "welcome" this scandal because it will benefit them politically, and they continue to engage in this chest-beating in the hopes that Democrats will be intimidated into walking away meekly from the President's law-breaking. Just yesterday, National Review's Senior Editor Ramesh Ponnuru boasted that Republicans were "delighted" by the Censure Resolution, and Glenn "Instapundit" Reynolds gleefully linked to that item and smugly added: "Delight is pretty much all that I've observed." Many Democrats actually seem to be shaken by this sort of cheap and transparent self-defensive bluffing.

<more at link>

[freesqueeze]

1. Good posting and great links...

The Prez has admitted that he broke the law and he plans to keep breaking the law.

Here come the GOPeople changing the rule of law again.

When are the rest of the Democratic party going to grow a pair?

[Stephanie]

2. He double-dog dared the Democrats to do something about it

But they're too skeered. Terra! Boo!

[im10ashus]

6. It's because we now have a bunch of DLCers - republican plants.

They have sold out to corporate interests and they want to pander to the right. They make me sick.

[ladjf]

8. Too many Democratic leaders believe that they will step into

power by default after the Republican administration crumbles. I think they are following a cowardly and foolish losing plan.

[liveoaktx]

18. VIDEO of Feingold on TDS

Feingold for president

[im10ashus]

19. I LOVE you, liveoaktx!!!

I was so pissed I missed it. Will look at this from home tonight. :yourock: :hi:

[wisteria]

3. Since when was Stewart elected to the Senate? I have never heard him

endorse a maneuver by a Senator before. Actually, none of these people understand the legalities of this censure and are not by a long shot experts on this issue. They are just expressing a mean spiritedness towards other Democrats in a misguided attempt to get back at the President.
Democrats are not the enemy here. Each and every one of our Senators and Congressional Reps are entitled to their opinions and the right to not support a call to censure. You may not agree with them, but it is not your call. Instead of attacking those who have not backed up Senator Feingold, why not contact them and ask them to explain their position on this action? You may actually learn something.

Hey, enough is enough, concentrate and re-channel the anger in a more positive direction because that is where you will gain the most satisfaction. And, always question the motives of those willing to stir up trouble within the party, they are usually up to no good.

[Stephanie]

4. You're telling me to question Feingold's motives?

[aquaman]

5. Uhmmm

This show is on comedy central...lighten up.

[im10ashus]

7. What are you talking about?

For the past 5 years we have been asking our reps to stand up against this criminal administration and when someone actually DOES do that, they get no support from their party. To me they are all a bunch of cowards and I will direct my anger TO them and I will most certainly, and even have, called my reps to make sure they know how I feel.

How is Russ stirring up trouble? By taking a stand against W? Give me a fucking break!

[ladjf]

10. Russ is the first Senator that has had the courage and foresight

to call Bush out.

[im10ashus]

11. Thanks heaven for Russ.

If it weren't for him, I would be wondering where the real democrats are.

[ladjf]

14. We have a few scattered here and there. But, they sure as hell

aren't too many in the Senate. Sometimes I think that Kennedy is a good one. But, he occasionally cops out like the others.

I believe that a ticket of Gore and Feingold would be the strongest. Gore has matured since 2000. He is not the same public person that he was then. He has learned some bitter lessons, especially from whom he should accept advice. The Lieberman VP thing was a disaster, not to mention Donna Brazille and a few other wrong minded advisers.

Clark is smart enough to do a good job and as far as I know he isn't a crook.

Conyers is a hero but likely too old and not influential enough.

McKinney is smart, insightful and brave but has too many enemies.

Boxer almost always comes down on the right side of any issues. I like her a lot but doubt her communications skills. (she is a good speaker but not great.)

Hillary and Bill have a personal agenda that doesn't include the best interests of most Americans.

Kerry has disappointed me too many times.

Bayh would be one of the worst choices.

Vilsac - who is he?

Murtha - a smart, outspoken American. We ought to figure out how he could best serve.

Edwards - Mister slick. I like what he says but I can't help but feel like I'm listening to a car salesman.

Biden - Surely no Democrats are taking him seriously.

Flame away me hardies.

[im10ashus]

16. I don't think you should be flamed for that.

I happen to agree with most of your comments. We SHOULD be talking about this now BEFORE the primary election in 2008. After the Convention we can back whomever gets the nod. In the meantime, question all of their records. We need to know where they HONESTLY stand.

[ladjf]

22. I don't intend to promote anyone that voted for the Iraq war,

or who doesn't consistently speak up for the best interests of most Americans. However, if someone I don't like gets the Dem candidacy, I'll support him/her as I did in 2004.

[im10ashus]

23. We are on the same page.

I am sick of all the DLC candidates. Yes, I voted for and supported Clinton, and I was PISSED when he signed DOMA. But I will stand by my party.

[ladjf]

9. Are you saying that when a prominent media figure promotes

one of ours that we should ignore it unless they are also in the Senate?

[im10ashus]

12. That's the same thing I was wondering.

You just put it more succinctly. :hi:

[seabeyond]

24. instead of bashing the dems, i thought it was much more relevent

stewart talking about what happens when a dem finally tries to hold bush accountable, per boehners speech. i thought that had much more impact in the interview then the few seconds they talked about fellow dems, dissing them. so in essence i agree with what you are saying

[RazzleDazzle]

25. Right. They deserve our support while they help us go fascist fast

while the Bushies steal our national wealth and treasure unto several generations forward; while the Bushies set up a dictatorship with the chief executive above the law; while they use the same damn script to try to take us to war with Iran; while they run the economy into the ground and ship all our jobs overseas; while they wage war on the middle class in as many OTHER ways as they can think of...


I could go on. And on. Nearly anyone here at DU could.

Here's the deal. There comes a point when friends who continue to betray you must finally no longer be considered your friends at all. I can tell you from personal experience: the earlier the decision is made to cut them loose, the better. The earlier you call them on their bad behavior and make them accountable, make the responsible for their actions, the better.

OTOH, you continue to reward them for betraying you (by, say, re-electing them) and continue to keep them in their positions of power and influence in your life (like re-electing them), you can only reap more betrayal out of the deal.

Supporting and defending people who are hurting you is called codependence. Sadly, it operates in governtment and politics just as it does in personal relationships.

[Swamp Rat]

13. SUPPORT FEINGOLD!!! ... SUPPORT CENSURE!!!

STRIKE WHILE THE IRON IS HOT!!!

SUPPORT FEINGOLD!!!

:patriot:

[ladjf]

15. I agree with you about "while the iron is hot".

Do you recall that right after Feingold presented the censure resolution, Reid got the floor and talked for 20 minutes about the death of Sen. Inoue. With all due respect to the Senator, I couldn't help but get the feeling that Reid was attempting to interfere with the momentum of Russ's presentation. He could have done the tribute at some time other than exactly at the end of the Feingold presentation.

The Senate Democrats are following a strategic road map that seems to be based upon the theory that if they stay quiet, the Republicans will simply fall out of power due to their corruption. If that is what they are doing, they are following a foolish and losing strategy. (Not to mention cowardice.)

[Swamp Rat]

21. It's foolish with a heavy dose of cowardice.

[seabeyond]

17. i especially liked when stewart took the boehner comment and asked

feingold if it doesnt make it hard that you critize bush and they accuse you of being friends with terrorists. one of the very few (only) media people that seems to have put that forth. most all other medias tend to jump in with the repugs promoting the dems that speak out as being friends of the terrorists allowing it to feed across the nation

i think stephanie you have your answer why the dems are wary

[fooj]

20. The President BROKE THE LAW. It's that simple.

Peace.

[JudyM]

26. Re: myth #2: their bluster scares dems off. Were the swiftboaters ever

sued? I think the dems are in part still shell-shocked about that campaign vs Kerry... none of them wants to be taken on by such an assault so they tread carefully. Seems like if the swiftboater instigators were prosecuted that would give our folks a little more personal psychic strength.