Update: Harkin in as Co-Sponsor
I just called both my senators’ offices to find out where they stand on Sen. Russ Feingold’s proposal to censure President Bush over his illegal domestic spying program and learned that Sen. Barbara Boxer will support the censure resolution, but that Sen. Dianne Feinstein has not yet decided.
I mentioned to Sen. Feinstein’s aide that the text of the senator’s censure resolution against President Clinton in 1999 is available on the web, including our site, and said I hoped she would re-read the text of her 1999 resolution as she made the decision.
Btw, Sen. Boxer often doesn’t get the respect outside of California that she deserves so I always like to point out that in the national elections in November 2004 she received the third highest number of votes in the nation, under President Bush and Sen. John Kerry — and received more votes in California than did Sen. Kerry.
Finally, if you haven’t called your senator yet, please do it now. Firedoglake has the numbers here.
Update: MSNBC and ThinkProgress are reporting that Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa will support the censure resolution; TP says he’s signed on as a co-sponsor. TP also quotes liberal GOP Sen. Lincoln Chafee as praising Feingold and saying it would be “positive” if the censure fueled debate over the legality of some policies in the war on terrorism.
Barbara Boxer is one of my two senators and I have often, while watching her on TV, commented to my wife that she has more “balls” than 98% of senators. If we had forty-three more like her this country wouldn’t be facing the impending dictatorship that Bushco and the Rethugs are bringing about with their perfidy.
Feingold/Boxer for 2008! Pushing for Hillary to be the ’08 nominee is irresponsible, she would be an even more divisive candidate than Bush, and we will surely lose if she does become the nominee.
I agree with B. Arnett — Barbara Boxer is a true Democrat — along with Senator Fiengold: my hat’s off to him! if the other seemingly spineless dems in Congress represented their own constitutent the way these two fine senators do, our country would not be in the mess it is now tangled in. Bush needs to be impeached for his actions. He has continually and constantly, throughout his presidency broken the law and used the thugs in his administration and the Republican lead congress to intimidate those who speak the truth!
I also agree that Fiengold as pres candidate with Boxer as Veep would be a great ticket (I also like Al Gore –); the fact is the last two prez elections, that the dem consultants have made the wrong decision: Kerry’s running mate choice of a southerner to win over that part of our country was a disaster. A solid Midwesterner (i.e. – if Kerry had picked Gephardt as his running mate in 2004, MO would have gone blue along with Iowa — probably too Ohio — but it would not have mattered what illegal schemes that were purported on the Ohoio voters, because MO/IA would have canceled all the illegal vote fixing in OH out!
We need a Midwesterner that is respected on the ticket for the purple states — forget about the South. In 2000 TN didn’t even vote their own candidate in — that shows how ridiculously partisan that are and [stupid] to not vote in their own candidate: The benefits to TN would have been tremendous!
I believe the Repub’s are pushing the Hillary ticket because they know it won’t win — I believe to some degree that this Dubai Ports deal is way to allow Congressional Repub’s who are up for re-elect in 06 to show their “independence” from the White House right prior to their campaigns — Karl Rove has come up with this “type” of theatrics before for the party…
I believe Boxer, who is my Senator, and Fiengold are great and courageous Senators… I believe Feinstein votes for two constituents: her husband’s international banking firm and Condi… her Standford Alumni.
BOXER IS A REAL DEMOCRAT. DIANE FEINSTEIN IS REALLY A REPUBLICAN.
Agreed! Feingold/Boxer! Perfect! Screw Hillary.
I agree with the author of the article. I called my Senators in Hew Jersey and told them that I support Senator Feingold. I also told them that they shouldn’t be afraid to speak the truth about Bush because the majority of Americans feel the same way. If the Democrat Senators can’t fight for us now when can they fight?
I live in MD and Boxer has been my hero for a long time. Feingold is in a class by himself. I would support either/both of these candidates before Hillary. She supports the war in Iraq, which makes her totally wrong in my book.
Boxer only. Feingold is a sell-out.
Dianne Feinstein certainl IS a “Repug in Dem’s clothing”; her hubby would stand to lose too much in his weapons production and war-profiteering if she went against The Little Dictator and crew; and Feinstein is a virulent homophobe, as well, just what we do NOT need.
I think that Feingold has a lot of courage. I would support him for President. If we want to win in 2006 the Democrats need to start sticking together and backing each other up. I also admire Boxer because she always speaks her mind.
While I applaud the actions of Russ Fiengold, the lack of spine displayed by the other Democrats painfully illustrates that America needs another political party. A party that will actually represent the people.
I think that the phone calls,e-mails, and petitions in support of Feingold’s resolution are paying off. Slowly, yes, but still we’re making a little headway. (Dubai Deal? – They rightly caused a brouhaha and I loved every minute!). Anyway, we need to keep the their feet to the fire. Some of the more sympathetic fence-sitters are finally making a move in our direction; most likely because they are beginnning to realize that their base will revolt if they don’t put up a fight against this cabal of crooks and liars on an issue as critical as this.
They let us down on Alito and many of us made our anger known. I know Tom Harkin got the meanest letter I’ve ever sent after his non-appearance for that important vote. But in that letter I also told him how desperately the Left needs to hear our representatives speak up for us and our country. Hopefully my letter and others swayed him this time. I couldn’t believe it, but I actually cried for joy when I read he had joined Russ. Don’t give up yet. It’s taking time, but if we can convince them that the media will never respect them until they fight, and thus they’ll get more of the same lousy coverage through the mid-terms, more will join the fight. We just have to deluge them with our demands so they feel compelled to stand up.
I would like for Dems to start standing up period. i eally like Senator Feingold and wish he would start speaking in public more (like Hackett did at one time)..would like to see debates in order to get some comparisons. mostly all i’ve heard so far is Feingold said something which was a great comment at the time. i need to “see” how they feel about certain matters happening right here and what they would do to fix some problems made by this administration. God bless us all and keep us safe …
Boxer is the one senator who has the guts to stand up and do the right thing. I wasn’t surprised to hear she was supporting Feingold. I wish she would consider running for president in 08. Dynamite often comes in small packages. Boxer is probably just what this country needs. I would’nt hesitate to vote for her.
If the Dems nominate Hillary in 2008 they’ll lose again. She’s a big disappointment and can’t be trusted. She’s backed away from taking positions too many times and I would NOT vote for her.
The idea of a Feingold/Boxer or Boxer/Feingold ticket is the first pairing that’s given me some hope for our country. I think many of us are looking for courageous candidates who have integrity and can’t be cowed by the likes of the world’s Karl Roves.
I’m an American living in Thailand. Althought we have a corrupt Bush-clone, Thaksin, hanging on here as Prime Minister, the People are marching EVERY DAY (nonviolently) to get this crony-lovingest politician you ever saw to resign. Several months ago, pre-Bush censure, I recommended a Feingold-Boxer ticket for 2008. Please, no Hilary. If I was back in the States, I’d favor marching every day until Bush resigned, but, of course, our democratic, capitalist leaders have everyone working two jobs to keep us off the streets.
Actually I want to see Bush in jail. I fantasize about him sharimng Saddam’s cell.
Pzander
I have heard that 19 Democrats now in Congress supported a Censure against President Clinton……how can they NOT support a censure against this selected President for true high crimes?? It is mind bending.
I am a true believer in what the Democratic party stands for. I am a PROUD LIBERAL and am just waiting for my Democratic Representatives to realize how many of us are out here just waiting for them to fight WITH us!! Stop cowtowing to the right wing media folks!! Let’s scream our views and a whole stampede will follow!