[AGL] Feingold on the State of the Dimmercratic Party

[Harry Edwards]

<http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/ 
2006_03_01_digbysblog_archive.html#114291557063531949>

Why We've Got His Back

by digby

Russ Feingold appeared on Charlie Rose and I suspect it may be what  
forced Bill Kristol to admit that he was "an impressive politician" who  
made the case very effectively.

Crooks and Liars has the video and I urge you to watch it all. He has  
his finger on the pulse of the Democratic base --- which, by the way,  
represents the new majority.

Here's a short excerpt. When Charlie asked about all the pearl  
clutching about his censure motions among the beltway courtiers, he  
replied:


"Shades of October 2002. These are the same pundits, consultants, and  
spin miesters who said you've gotta vote for the Iraq war or George  
Bush is going to hang you out to dry and he's gonna show that you don't  
care about the troops and you don't care about the fight against  
terrorism.

"They pull it every time. And the Democratic insiders in Washington and  
the consultants fall for it every time. They don't realize that the  
thing that bugs people about the Democratic party right now is that we  
don't seem to stand strongly enough for what we believe in.

"How can we be afraid at this point, of standing up to a president who  
has clearly mismanaged this Iraq war, who clearly made one of the  
largest blunders in American foreign policy history? How can it be that  
this party wants to stand back and allow this kind of thing to happen?

"And then add to that the idea that the president has clearly broken  
the law --- and a number of Republican senators have effectively  
admitted that, by saying "you know, we need this program so let's make  
it legal," --- so they are admitting it's illegal.

"The idea that Democrats don't think it's a winning thing to say that  
we will stand up for the rule of law and for checking abuse of power by  
the executive --- I just can't believe that Democrats don't think that  
isn't something, not only that we can win on, but it does, in fact,  
make the base of our party, which is so important, feel much better  
about the Democrats. The Republicans care deeply about making the base  
of their party feels energized. What about the people of our party who  
believe in the Democratic Party especially because they fight for the  
American values of standing up for our rights and civil liberties?"

Word.

digby 3/20/2006 07:54:00 PM Comments (31) | Trackback (1)