Feingold

Diane points to a recent Hertzberg piece in the New Yorker to explain her mixed feelings on the Feingold censure motion. I've posted in support of Feingold and his censure motion and was struck by the extent to which basically every prominent Democrat ran from it - especially considering some of those same Democrats had signed on to the Senate's censure of president Clinton.

Considering the reaction, I think it's pretty clear why Feingold "sprang" his censure motion on his fellow Democrats - had he talked with them about it, they would have tried to talk him out of it.

As to the suggestion that Feingold did this because he's running for President - I'm not sure anyone thinks this is a surefire winner for Feingold. In fact, the same people that say Feingold did this because he wants to be President also say it's political suicide - quite a contradiction don't you think?

Most importantly, Feingold has a history of following his own drummer on things like the Patriot Act and the President's illegal wiretapping when he thinks civil liberties are getting stomped on by the government. It's part of who he is as a politician - it's in many ways his issue.

So, you may not agree with Feingold's approach, but he did what he did completely in character with who he is as a politician and the response of his fellow Democrats was to run. That says more about the party than it does about Feingold.