While I originally posted this at Open Left, I felt it deserved a mention here as well.
The enthusiasm you brought to the Dodd campaign, and the Senator himself, in those contentious October and December days was something special to all of us.
Can't wait to do it again ... Lord knows we'll have plenty of chances with this caucus.
Tim
1.) One final time, for the record: Our best chance to stop an extension with retroactive immunity died when Harry Reid decided to introduce the Intelligence Bill as the base bill.
2.) Four committees of jurisdiction reported a FISA bill out (2 house, 2 senate), and three of them didn't include RI. The one that did, was reported as base in the Senate. You figure it out ...
3.) Why didn't Dodd object to unanimous consent on the "compromise" that determined vote thresholds?
Well, the answer is simple: If he didn't Jello Jay would have bolted and brought Democratic Senators with him to vote in favor of a subsequent McConnell cloture motion. The same kind we beat back before the extension.
Had Dodd objected, there would have been no amendments at all. Not that the ones we got made a difference.
4.) It is on to the House now, where at least we have a shot of voting out a bill that does NOT include retroactive immunity. Once that comes out of committee, Dodd has pledged to filibuster any bill that includes RI.
5.) Despite the fact we failed, this was a pretty rewarding experience. Without "us" making our collective voices heard online (and offline), this thing would have sailed through the Senate with nary a peep. I am sure Dodd would have fought, but this hard? To this effect? I am not sure.
If you count this as an accomplishment, I strain to recall another where we have played a similarly important and direct role. We've made a difference in electoral campaigns, clearly. To do so in the halls of Congress is something altogether different, and exciting for the future.
6.) At the risk of being called an Obama fanboy, he stepped up today. When he could have been campaigning and attempting to secure more delegates in a close Presidential election, he was in the Senate ... voting.
For all the time we spent encouraging him and Hillary Clinton to do just that -- it is more than worth a mention.
Hillary Clinton, was not there to vote on these amendments -- despite all the grand press releases sent out over the course of the effort.
7.) Finally, more and better Democrats is what we need. If there was one thing thing that can take the bitter taste out of my mouth this evening -- it's resting secure in the understanding that we have "one more vote," and are that much closer to a progressive majority in the legislative branch. Go Donna Edwards!