Erroneous AP Story

There was an erroneous AP story that many of you may have seen online and in your newspapers this morning that reads: "Feingold gives up Patriot Act effort."  Nothing could be further from the truth.  As you can see here, I haven't given up anything.  The story was wrong and I wanted to be sure everyone knew about it.  

I will continue this fight - it's a fight worth having - and it's not over.  

•  Thanks, Senator!

  Give 'em hell.

  by wozzle on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 09:51:12 AM PDT

  •  Here's a Link...

    to the AP story

    by KingOneEye on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:09:19 AM PDT

    •  Fair and Balanced: AP

      First Harry Reid, now Senator Feingold.

      He was too kind in titling the diary. It's more like

      "Misleading AP Story"
      or
      "Duplicitous AP Propaganda"
      

      by Malacandra on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 12:06:35 PM PDT

      •  What the hell is wrong with AP?

        It is almost like AP got infected with mindless pod people spouting GOP talking points! This is getting distressing.

        by Bailey Savings and Loan on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 07:56:58 PM PDT

        •  Hello! Ol' Bailey Savins and Loan!

          Merry Chrisstmas!  The answer is Rev Moon.

          by newfie on Fri Feb 17, 2006 at 04:06:52 AM PDT

          •  No, that's UPI

            by hardleft on Fri Feb 17, 2006 at 08:00:55 AM PDT

            •  I thought about it right after I posted

              Too excited about getting in the Wonderful Life reference.

              by newfie on Fri Feb 17, 2006 at 09:12:50 AM PDT

        •  All you have to do is look back

          at their coverage of the 2003 Venezuelan coup to see how biased their coverage is.  They like democracy as long as corporations win.

          by hardleft on Fri Feb 17, 2006 at 08:00:22 AM PDT

        •  i have been wondering this for a while

          if you look at AP stories, their language and sources trend pro-GOP.

          & this concerning b/c the AP is the source for MANY local papers.

          if the GOP got the AP, they would get these stories disseminated nationally.

          not to get too tin-foil hatish, but i simply see a pattern there.  i haven't done the research to substantiate that & i may be biased, but their coverage just seems opinionated pro-GOP.

          who's running them & what's their background.

          seems to me they are trending Faux-lite.

          Bush, What Price Did You Pay?

          by krazypuppy on Fri Feb 17, 2006 at 08:52:59 AM PDT

      •  just wanted to reply...

        ...to direct you to my post below re: AP that further illuminates the sudden love of the USAPATRIOT act and gov't eavesdropping on Americans...it followed the nerve agent scare...

        by maxschell on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 08:29:42 PM PDT

    •  Anthrax redux

      I find it interesting that after this "nerve agent" scare, everybody is suddenly on board with no investigation of gov't eavesdropping on Americans and the USAPATRIOT is suddenly good "AS IS"...

      <note the AP byline>

      Police: All Tests for Nerve Agent Negative
      By LARA JAKES JORDAN, Associated Press WriterWed Feb 8, 11:06 PM ET
      At least nine senators were among 200 people herded into a Capitol parking garage Wednesday night after a security sensor indicated the presence of a nerve agent in their office building. Later tests proved negative.
      "Test results have been cleared and all test results are negative, so that's very good news," said Capitol Police Sgt. Kimberly Schneider.
      The all-clear came three hours after an air-monitoring sensor indicated a suspicious substance in the attic of the Russell Senate Office Building. It initially tested positive as a nerve agent.
      Lawmakers, aides and other personnel were evacuated to the West Legislative Garage shortly after 6:45 p.m. EST as police conducted several other tests before concluding that it was a false alarm.
      "We had this warning system work," said Sen. Jeff Sessions (news, bio, voting record), R-Ala., one of those in the garage. "People in the building followed the directions promptly. There was no panic, no running, no upset or anything like that."
      Police said none of the people who were evacuated to the garage showed any signs, such as a runny nose, of exposure to a nerve agent. Schneider did not immediately know what triggered the alarm but said it could have been something as innocuous as a cleaning substance.
      "One of the alarm systems that tests air quality went off with a positive reading, and then it went off again with a positive reading, so I guess they thought it was serious enough that they had to take very aggressive action," Sen. Judd Gregg (news, bio, voting record), R-N.H., another of the senators evacuated from the building, said while speaking on a cell phone from the garage.
      Gregg said everyone was eager to go home but understood the need for the delay.
      "I started out flying in Air Force One and ended up in the garage with 200 of my closest friends," he said. Earlier in the day, Gregg accompanied President Bush on a brief visit to New Hampshire.
      A spokesman for Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., said people tried to leave the area but police directed them into the underground parking garage across the street. There, police distributed water and gave regular updates.
      "Everybody was in a fine mood, everybody was calm," said the spokesman, Kyle Downey. "Everybody's been up here for a few years now. What does panic get you anyway?"
      In addition to Sessions, Gregg and Thune, other senators known to have been in the garage were Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., Gordon Smith, R-Ore., Richard Burr, R-N.C., Larry Craig, R-Idaho, Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., and Christopher Dodd, D-Conn.
      Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said that the alert was prompted by a single sensor and that no suspicious chemicals were found.
      "Everybody is safe. This was a false alarm," Frist, a surgeon, said shortly after the all-clear. "I'm sure tomorrow there will be a lot of questions about whether we had to be quarantined, and the answer to that is yes."
      In February 2004, the deadly poison ricin was found in Frist's office, and while dozens of Capitol employees were quarantined briefly and decontaminated, none of them got sick.
      In October 2001, a month after the terrorist attacks, an anthrax-laced letter shut down Congress briefly and closed the Hart Senate Office Building for months of cleaning. Five people were killed and 17 sickened nationwide after coming into contact with letters containing anthrax.
      

      by maxschell on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 08:27:37 PM PDT

  •  C-Span 2 Is Carrying The Debate

    Does anyone know the nature of the amendments being offered by Sen. Feingold?  The Span is reporting that he's trying to get amendments added and that's got the debate stalled for the moment.

    Maybe we could turn this in to a live discussion thread on the debate.

    by Alegre on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:17:03 AM PDT

    •  C-Span 2

      http://www.c-span.org/...

      by Alegre on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:27:38 AM PDT

    •  Front Pagers

      Since we only get one diary per day, could one of the front pagers post a live discussion thread for the Senate debate?  Please.

      by joanneleon on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 03:13:20 PM PDT

•  The AP has been

  getting more wrong than right lately, it seems.

  by AnthonySF on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 09:52:28 AM PDT

  •  If by lately you mean...

    ...the past 10 years, then yeah I gotta agree with you.

    by guyute16 on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:01:19 AM PDT

    •  wrong and partisan

      i haven't noticed until recently that the AP has become partisan, with their slander on Harry Reid and now this 'erroneous' story. these 'erroneous' reports seem to favor the right only. their true colors are starting to show...

      by MJ via Chicago on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:06:46 AM PDT

      •  Yep, and Lots of Media Distribute Them

        They're the radio news for Seattle's Air America and I remember false stories being repeated all day during the Social Security blowup some months ago.

        by Gooserock on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:24:45 AM PDT

      •  I think

        the neocons have had AP firmly in their grasp for a few years now.
        

        by NeuvoLiberal on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:31:03 AM PDT

        •  Not really neo-con...

          ...just generally Republican-leaning.

          My assessment is that this has been true for some ten years now, and it's a very strong bias. You don't notice it that much because most of their stories are written in a reasonable tone. But when crunch time comes in an election or in a story with serious political impact, they reliably pull out the stops to help the Republican cause.

          People seldom pay attention to the AP because it's not as visible a target, but it has a gigantic influence because such a huge number of local papers pick up their stories. It's one of the most valuable cogs in the right-wing noise machine.
          

          by miholo on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:45:00 AM PDT

          •  both neocon and GOP

            I have seen AP issuing altered stories within minutes of their first appearance, to add the neocon touch to them.
            

            by NeuvoLiberal on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 04:16:47 PM PDT

            •  Please consider

              writing a diary on that with some good examples.

              by We hold these truths on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:35:16 PM PDT

              •  there was a

                really good one on the DFA forum sometime back on Camp Casey. The forum is now closed, so i can't go back to find the links. i'll keep track if and when I come across such instances again.

                by NeuvoLiberal on Fri Feb 17, 2006 at 01:17:23 AM PDT

              •  Found it!

                On Aug 20/21, 2005, there were two news articles appeared one at CNN and another on WaPo with a few hours separating them (links no longer work; more on it below):

                1. CNN. Bush supporters create opposing camp
                'Fort Qualls' built in Crawford to counter protesters' 'Camp Casey'
                Saturday, August 20, 2005; Posted: 10:42 p.m. EDT (02:42 GMT). Link

                2. War Backers Set Up Camp Near Bush Ranch
                By ANGELA K. BROWN
                The Associated Press
                Sunday, August 21, 2005; 2:57 AM
                CRAWFORD, Texas --. Link.

                ~~~~~~~~

                Here's how they differed (lines starting with "<" from CNN and ones starting with ">" from WaPo):

                ~~~~~~~~~~~~

                1,3c1,5
                < Bush supporters create opposing camp
                < 'Fort Qualls' built in Crawford to counter protesters' 'Camp Casey'
                < Saturday, August 20, 2005; Posted: 10:42 p.m. EDT (02:42 GMT)
                ---
                > War Backers Set Up Camp Near Bush Ranch
                > By ANGELA K. BROWN
                > The Associated Press
                > Sunday, August 21, 2005; 2:57 AM
                > CRAWFORD, Texas --

                {NL: Note the Wapo version appeared some 4 hrs after the first one did}

                ~~~~~~~~~~~~

                5c7
                < A pro-Bush camp with a "God Bless Our President!" banner sprung up downtown
                ---
                > A patriotic camp with a "God Bless Our President!" banner sprung up downtown

                {NL: Need I say more? :)}

                ~~~~~~~~~~~~

                26,28c28,30
                < year in Iraq, started the anti-war demonstration along the roadside on
                < August 6. "Camp Casey" has since grown to about 100 core participants, and
                < hundreds more from across the nation have visited.
                ---
                > year in Iraq, started the anti-war demonstration along the roadside on Aug.
                > 6. "Camp Casey" has since grown to about 100 core participants, and hundreds
                > more from across the nation have visited.

                {NL: minor edit}

                ~~~~~~~~~~~~

                31,34c33,36
                < his five-week-long vacation ended, but she flew to Los Angeles last week
                < after her 74-year-old mother had a stroke. Her mother has some paralysis but
                < is in good spirits, and if she improves, Sheehan might return to Texas in a
                < few days, some demonstrators said. (Full story)
                ---
                > his monthlong vacation ended, but she flew to Los Angeles last week after
                > her 74-year-old mother had a stroke. Her mother has some paralysis but is in
                > good spirits, and if she improves, Sheehan may return to Texas in a few
                > days, some demonstrators said.

                {NL: month is shorter than 5 weeks, Preznit Chimpenero is work haaard..}

                ~~~~~~~~~~~~

                36c38
                < In her absence the rest of the group will keep camping out for the unlikely
                ---
                > In her absence, the rest of the group will keep camping out for the unlikely

                {NL: The massager knows his/her grammar}

                ~~~~~~~~~~~~

                45,46c47,48
                < she arrived. Since then, a few Bush supporters have stood in the sun holding
                < signs for several hours each day.
                ---
                > she arrived, and since then, a few Bush supporters have stood in the sun
                > holding signs for several hours each day.

                {NL: he knows how to combine sentences too}

                ~~~~~~~~~~~~

                56c58
                < Peace, co-founded by Sheehan and made up of relatives of fallen soldiers,
                ---
                > Peace, co-founded by Sheehan and comprised of relatives of fallen soldiers,

                {NL: finally the dude is showing off improved vocabulary here. Nice}

                ~~~~~~~~~~~~
                ~~~~~~~~~~~~

                Links:

                The original CNN/WaPo links don't work any more, but here are copies as of now:

                • WaPo version

                • CNN version clip

                • you can find an interesting blog article on the same comparison (but CNN vs Fox) by someone here.

                • google searches CNN and WaPo on the titles yield tons of hits.

                Maybe someone that knows how google cache works can dig up cached copies of the original source articles.

                This news-twisting nexus appears to include AP, ABC News, Fox, WaPo (and perhaps WSJ) from these and other similar instances.

                by NeuvoLiberal on Fri Feb 17, 2006 at 02:19:52 AM PDT

                •  Actually

                  I think that the nexus spreads far and wide, including CNN (except that they seem to tame things down to draw liberal audiences; you know, the lesser of the evils gambit), and of course MSNBC etal.

                  Free and independent press has long been compromised, most noticeably since circa 1999-2000, perhaps not coincidentally when Rove entered the national scene, and that's precisely what is allowing the rotting of our democracy to its core, as Al Gore talked about in his Oct. 5 We Media address. Until we find ways to restore freedom of press, the uphill climb will be painfully arduous.

                  by NeuvoLiberal on Fri Feb 17, 2006 at 02:39:58 AM PDT

                •  Rewording 'Bush supporters' to 'war backers'

                  is a touch of neocon magic.

                  by NeuvoLiberal on Fri Feb 17, 2006 at 03:25:13 AM PDT

                  •  Great stuff, Neuv

                    I tried to 4 you, but it ain't working.

                    Your type of stuff is why we are here.

                    by andreww on Fri Feb 17, 2006 at 06:50:32 AM PDT

                    •  thanks

                      andrew. I'm thinking of posting post a diary on this one of these days, perhaps with some "action items".

                      by NeuvoLiberal on Fri Feb 17, 2006 at 09:07:39 AM PDT

  •  AP's Headlie: <--(that's not a typo)

    Feingold Drops Effort to Block Patriot Act

    From the third paragraph:

    Feingold stuck to his objections, saying protracted talks with the White House over the law's protections for civil liberties produced only a "fig leaf" to cover weaknesses that leave people vulnerable to government intrusion.

    "What we are seeing is quite simply a capitulation to the intransigent and misleading rhetoric of a White House that sees any effort to protect civil liberties as a sign of weakness," Feingold said during a floor speech Wednesday.

    Does that sound like giving up to you?

    by KingOneEye on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:06:55 AM PDT

    •  Taken out of context?

      "'I have no desire to inconvenience my colleagues or force votes in the middle of the night," Feingold, D-Wis., said in a brief statement on the Senate floor."

      I'm sure the above quote was taken out of context.  I wish we could get the rest of it for clarification.  Is that floor statement on-line yet?

      by Alegre on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:21:19 AM PDT

      •  what he said

        right after that was that he would continue to ask the he be allowed to offer amendments to the Patriot act, but not take up time right then with those requests... my best memory of what he said, not a direct quote but damn close.

        by OneCrankyDom on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:27:14 AM PDT

      •  I wonder if that was a reference

        to the GOP's dirty tricks at the end of the year with the budget and defense spending bills during the week before Christmas (during the same time period that Feingold was working on the PATRIOT act.)  Remember when they started the House session just before midnight on a Sunday night and went through til 5am or so?  Broke House rules, changed a conference report on the sly, ANWR, etc. etc.  I'm thinking it might be a bitter (and justified) reference to the way the Republicans have been doing business in Congress these days.

        by joanneleon on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 07:35:00 PM PDT

  •  Guilt by Association

    The Shotgun Cheney story this past weekend was reported by rancher Armstrong to her local newspaper, which is an AP associate, Sunday. I'd like to see the AP ombudsman explain the process by which they picked up and distributed the story.

    by DocGonzo on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:58:08 AM PDT

  •  Totally incorrect, and I don't mind saying it

    The Associated Press has a strong sense of fair reporting: an enormous amount of effort goes into presenting a full story of the facts and nothing more. They can't be perfect all the time, but I've worked closely with AP staff before in various places around the world and there truly isn't a newswire more deserving of its reputation.

    Please don't join in the AP-is-partisan bashing. It only serves to damage the credibility of it and other mainstream news networks. And that's a worse thing than it seems - conservatives feed off casting doubt on the 'librul MSM' and are trying to push it to a point where there is no such thing as 'respectable' journalism, and NewsMax has as much credibility as the BBC.

    Unless you want to end up in a world where it's possible to 'prove' anything through disreputable newspapers because sufficient doubt has been cast upon the ones with true integrity, then by all means call AP partisan and inaccurate.

    I still think they're the best newswire in the world, and without them we'd be sorely missing actual facts in reporting - and in this political climate, that's the last thing we need.

    It's got to the stage now where you can't even quote an AP-based news story to a right-winger without them claiming it's a leftwing propaganda network, and that's a truly awful situation to be stuck in: when the most 'establishment,' accurate news agencies lose their credibility.

    by Mephistopheles on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 11:18:50 AM PDT

    •  I'm sorry, but...

      begging people to stop criticizing the AP because it "... only serves to damage the credibility of it and other mainstream news networks" sounds an awful lot like the part of the Bush v. Gore decision that said that actually counting the votes in Florida would serve to undermine the credibility of a Bush presidency.

      I submit that the thing that damages the credibility of "mainstream" news media outlets the most is bad, partisan "reporting." If you want to say the AP isn't partisan, fine - I don't know anyone in the organization personally and can't say what's in their heads and hearts.

      But at the very least you've got to admit that the example cited in this diary is HORRENDOUSLY bad reporting and/or editing. If whoever wrote that headline isn't partisan, then they've got the attention span of a gnat and obviously didn't read the entire article because that headline grossly misrepresents the content of the article itself.

      If you interact with wingnuts who think the AP is leftist, show them this article...

      by snookybeh on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 11:34:24 AM PDT

      •  Two Words

        Nedra. Pickler.

        'Nuff said.

        by Volvo Liberal on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 11:43:18 AM PDT

        •  exactly

          hehe, mephistopheles, go read some Nedra Pickler AP articles, she is very partisan and often inaccurate.  And over and over, nobody calls her out on it but the blogs.  Not saying all AP reporting is trash, but they have their moles just like everybody else does by now...

          by itsbenj on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 12:28:22 PM PDT

    •  The AP has been flubbing major headlines

      for years, consistently.  Too often the headlines don't match the lead and nut graphs.

      Can you tell us how that shop works?  Is it staffed by interns?  Do they have time to read and understand the content before they craft headlines?  Do the reporters have any say over headlines?  Do editors oversee the process?  If so, how frequently do they override, and at whose behest?

      The AP's headline/content disconnect is damaging their reputation.  They need to get it fixed.

      Thanks for any insights,

      by Mogolori on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 11:48:59 AM PDT

      •  Of course, in a lot of local markets and papers...

        the local editors have the ability to change Headlines, even to edit whole paragraphs out of stories.

        That doesn't seem to be what happened here, but I've seen the same AP story appearing online with an accurrate headline, and in two of my home state newspapers with misleading headlines.

        just sayin'...

        by thought on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 12:18:08 PM PDT

    •  I have no doubt there's a lot of fine people there

      But I also have no doubt that the Reid stories, in particular, were the result of high-level manipulation. You don't get something that wrong, repeatedly, in defiance of the facts and basic journalistic practice, without someone pulling some strings.

      I think this is the case at the best large news organizations. You've got a lot of good, honest reporters trying to do their jobs. You've got some dirtbags eager to whore themselves out to the White House for access, and you've got management and ownership beholden to the GOP -- or else just terrified of crossing them.

      I know a few folks at big news orgs, and I've heard their tales of how pressure is applied from above to censor stories unfavorable to the GOP and "balance" the news diet -- in favor of the GOP over the facts. They're good people. They're trying to do the right thing. They take reporting seriously and understand its function in a democracy. But at the end of the day, they work for GOP-beholden assholes, and the craven whores among the reporters are either given a pass or actively promoted and encouraged to suck up. So you've got your good reporters, and your bad reporters, and the bad ones never seem to get punished for doing slipshod work and, indeed, often get promoted, and the good ones have a harder and harder time getting honest news out. That's how it works.

      by Septic Tank on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 11:55:10 AM PDT

  •  Yeah -

    What is up with them?  And not just the AP - pick your news service - from big mistakes such as this to misquoting or offering up flawed or erroneous analysis.  What the hell happened to fact checking before reporting?

    by The Fat Lady Sings on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 02:01:03 PM PDT

•  Damn the liberal media!

  you would expect nothing less from the press.

  by FleetAdmiralJ on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 09:53:10 AM PDT

  •  AP via Yahoo is biased

    Someone at AP or Yahoo gives extremely misleading headlines to stories that are consistently rated "Top Stories" or "Most Viewed". For example:

          *  President Satisfied With Cheney's Account AP - 1 hour, 24 minutes ago
        * Cheney Says He Can Declassify Secrets AP - Thu Feb 16, 8:36 AM ET
        * Democrats Want Gonzales Off Abramoff Probe AP - 33 minutes ago
        * Chertoff Acknowledges Lapses in Response AP - Thu Feb 16, 9:20 AM ET
        * Patriot Act Moves Closer to Renewal AP - 1 hour, 3 minutes ago

    Note that "Democrats" is linked with "Abramoff", and that "Chertoff" is merely acknowledging "lapses" in "response". These phrases set up subtle but false interpretations of 'news' stories.

    by Wharton on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:10:27 AM PDT

    •  Don't know if it makes a difference but

      I go through and rate articles on Yahoo a few times a week.  If they are really biased or have the misleading headlines, I give them the lowest rating.

      by joanneleon on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 07:42:14 PM PDT

•  Never doubted

  you were continuing the fight.

  Thanks for your work.

  by elizsan on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 09:53:21 AM PDT

•  Thank you, Senator

  By the way, your Patriot Act article in Salon.com was wonderful. I wish more of your colleagues had your courage.

  by Dump Terry McAuliffe on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 09:53:38 AM PDT

•  Hang in there Senator

  I'm glad that your voice is there to be heard.

  by AmberJane on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 09:53:53 AM PDT

•  Keep Fighting Senator!

  Its now or never. Our thoughts, prayers, and support are with you.

  by buhdydharma on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 09:54:17 AM PDT

•  COntact them

  Headquarters
  450 W. 33rd St.
  New York, NY 10001

  Main Number
  [phone]

  by Mikecan1978 on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 09:54:31 AM PDT

  •  Contact AP And Set Them Straight

    Let them know we don't appreciate their misleading reports.  They got it wrong and we need to let them know we're paying attention.

    [e-mail]
    

    by Alegre on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:04:11 AM PDT

    •  Just fired off a note to AP

      [e-mail]

      Contact AP and set them straight folks.  They need to hear from us on this!

      by Alegre on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:12:42 AM PDT

  •  Before you contact

    Go read Media Matters busting THE SAME REPORTER for an earlier story on...you guessed it: the Patriot Act.

    by Bob Brigham on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:21:48 AM PDT

•  They were wrong

  Thanks for the clarification!

  by Sunqueen212 on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 09:54:38 AM PDT

•  Thank you for fighting this fight.

  I wonder if "erroneous AP story" should be shortened to "AP story".

  Considering the quality of AP stories recently......the adjective may be unnecessary.

  by Manix on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 09:55:01 AM PDT

•  Yes Please stay with it

  I've signed your petition because we desperately need to put some limitation on the powers that this administration ascribes to itself. Ask them why on earth they need the Patriot Act at all when they claim to be above the law?

  Thank you Senator Feingold!

  by vcmvo2 on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 09:55:20 AM PDT

•  I saw it

   I also knew that it couldn't be true. Thanks Sen. Feigold for keepin on keepin on. We're proud of you.

  by high uintas on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 09:55:53 AM PDT

•  are you sure?

  You know,... the media is Never wrong.

  thank you for continuing to represent the people, and to fight to retain democracy in our country

  by demnomore on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 09:56:10 AM PDT

•  lies

  gotta be doing something right if they gotta lie about you.  Thanks RG

  by SouthPaul on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 09:58:04 AM PDT

•  Calling senators

  Thank you for keeping up the fight, Sen. Feingold. I'm e-mailing my two senators now to urge them to back you.

  by cRedd on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 09:58:55 AM PDT

  •  Call Your Senators Now

    202-224-3121

    Capital Switchboard.  Ask them to put you through to your Senator's office.  It's a quick call - they need to hear from us!

    Last I heard, they were debating a cloture motion on the reauthorization of the so-called Patriot Act.  C-Span 2 http://www.c-span.org/...  is showing the Senate procedings live and at this point - they still have this issue listed as current.

    by Alegre on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:08:23 AM PDT

•  Go after them!

  Someone has to have the balls to call them on their BS!

  Drink shade grown coffee!

  by mad ramblings of a sane woman on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 09:59:00 AM PDT

•  We know you haven't given up, Senator...

  ...I saw you on C-SPAN fighting for the America we believe in this morning on the Senate floor.

  Thanks to you and Senators Jeffords and Byrd for believing in America the Democracy, not America the Police State.

  by AmericanFactotum on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 09:59:03 AM PDT

•  Thank you for your efforts..

  "Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms [of government] those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny."- Thomas Jefferson

  You are a true American patriot Russ Feingold!
  

  by a gnostic on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:00:40 AM PDT

•  Thank You!

  Senator Feingold,

  Thank you for fighting to preserve our Constitution.  Please consider representing a broader constituency in 2008.  I consider you the most moral and courageous of our representatives.  You give me hope for our country!

  by ab imo pectore on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:03:43 AM PDT

•  Felonious media

  And while Mr Entwistle and Cheney dominate the "media" bandwidth.
  http://www.kten.com/...
  Sieg Heil!
  

  by Lasthorseman on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:04:14 AM PDT

•  Good on ye'.....Thanks for

  the heads-up, Senator, and for everything else you do as well--we need patriotic heroes and heroines who fight like you do.

  by bibble on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:05:46 AM PDT

•  The most important fight!!!

  
  Filibuster, and make everyone go on the roll, as with Alito, about cloture.

  by jgkojak on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:05:47 AM PDT

•  Senator

  I've been watching you on today, and reading the accounts in the media as well, and scratching my head.

  Thanks so much for weighing in here to clarify the contradictions - your commitment is inspiring.

  by bumblebums on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:06:06 AM PDT

  •  on C-Span, that is

    by bumblebums on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:06:34 AM PDT

•  Senator Feingold

  you are the only reason I haven't run kicking and screaming away from the Democratic party. Thank you for your efforts. You have all of my support.

  by DEVO9SAM on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:06:58 AM PDT

•  Your fight for our civil liberties

  is appreciated no matter how much bad third-party reporting and obfuscation we have to slog through!

  by CJnyc on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:07:19 AM PDT

•  Senator I sure hope that

  one day people will fully understand how important this fight is or was which ever way it does turn out.

  I have watched most of it on Cspan when they are airing it and I can say that you make me proud of you.

  I only wish that those other Democrats had the guts to stand up for the good of our nation. Sadly some of them do not seem to care that they are helping to destroy our freedoms and our country.

  by eaglecries on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:12:06 AM PDT

•  Thank you, Senator Feingold

  I hope the media takes note of your broad support among rank and file Democrats.

  by soyinkafan on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:12:27 AM PDT

•  That's funny that you should mention that

  because honest to God, the only place I saw that article listed was on the FoxNews homepage this morning (it has since been removed).

  Not joking.

  Go fig.

  by RhetoricalRubberneck on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:12:35 AM PDT

•  Thank you, Senator Feingold

  I wish more politicians were interested in keeping the truth before the populace.  It truly helps us when you take the time to communicate directly with us.

  I can't tell you the number of times I have emailed and called my Senators and Representative and have received no answer much less an acknowledgement that they received my communication.

  If more people would do what you do, especially when it comes to correcting erroneous articles like the one distributed by the AP today, perhaps our country would become less divided and more united.  And...I probably wouldn't have to email and call as much.

  Thanks again and keep up the great work.  You've more than earned your position.

  by nolalily on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:13:16 AM PDT

•  We love you, Russ. Keep at 'em.

  by kjwldn on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:14:55 AM PDT

•  RECOMMENDED!

  Because I  just can't HELP recommending a diary by a politician, even one akin to a heavily edited letter to the editor.

  by Maryscott OConnor on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:15:06 AM PDT

•  I Love your courage

  and dedication sir! You are a true patriot!! Now what I really want to know is when we the people are going to get out there in the streets and take our country back? Let's rumble!

  by Alohaleezy on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:18:13 AM PDT

•  Thanks for the fight, Senator!

  by MilwMom on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:19:09 AM PDT

•  Run for President!

  Please?

   Hell, I'll write you in if nothing else.

   FIGHT ON

  by MoNuckah on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:21:24 AM PDT

•  Never Had Any Doubts

  Senator Feingold you fight for your beliefs and our rights even when others believe it is not politically advantageous. That earns maga points with me. Please continue to be our light in the wilderness. Maybe, your courage will rub off on some of your colleagues.

  I will share one of my favorite quotes with you.

  I personally reject the false choice that is being offered Americans that they must give up their liberties to have security. - ABA President Michael Greco

  The current assault on our individual rights is my number one priority and I fear that loss more than I will ever fear terrorism.

   

  by MO Blue on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:26:57 AM PDT

•  Media Will Be Active Opponents

  during the coming election cycle. Last election they were just testing concepts. Everything that can be done to develop alternate channels for reaching voters is going to be needed.

  by Gooserock on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:27:07 AM PDT

•  Demand a retraction-correction

  something widely released stating that they recognize that they were wrong.

  The AP is going to keep sandbagging liberals and progressives until somebody calls them on it and makes them make it right.

  by LeftHandedMan on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:27:32 AM PDT

•  thanks

  I woke up to a story reported on Air America that you started a one-man filibuster and had to give it up from lack of support. That's very different from giving up altogether.

  by OrangeClouds115 on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:30:35 AM PDT

•  I watched you on cspan this morning

  Senator Finegold keep up this fight...you are fighting on the side of the constitution Sir and a growing majority of the country seems to be catching on that YOU are who is fighting to protect and preserve their forth ammendment rights.....the country is getting it Sir

  you are especially right to get outraged when republicans try to belittle the change for a 7 day period before notification and a MONTH (i like that you used month instead of 30 days)

  you are right when you say THERE IS NO REASON for the government to get a month before they have to divulge the sneak and peek or GO TO COURT to get a legal extention to intrude into our homes without notice...

  please keep fighting Senator Finegold...and speaking out on the Senate floor....stay on message and keep pointing out that WHEN republicans dress you they DONT Adress your concerns or the issues you raise OR the specifics in your ammendments...point out they are trying to use fear and 9/11 to NOT have to address the specific issues....i think that point is reasonating with middle america these days.

  by KnotIookin on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:33:15 AM PDT

•  My newspaper(s)?

  Silly wabbitt....many of us don't even touch newspapers. I haven't read one in 4 years -- other than to look at the front page through the window box of the paper dispenser so I can see what 'the people's talking point' will be for the day at the office.

  But, yes, I had 'heard' that you had given up and am soooooooo pleased you haven't and neither have I. But gosh, senator, the last couple of weeks, I have serious questions about the approach of trying to dowse and 'manage' each little fascist fire that is burning all around us.

  It is out of control and horrifying.  I have a diary in me that is burning to get out and it is something having to do with inciting the people to just take over.  But god we are lazy and out of shape... not to mention OLD.

  by letsfight on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:33:23 AM PDT

•  Good...but

  Where's the rest of the party?  Why the HELL is it even in question that Dems will fight the Patriot Act unless it is deeply fixed?  Why is it just YOU on point, Senator Feingold?  Has everyone else in the "party" hightailed it for the bunker to see if you get shot to pieces?

  by praedor on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:39:42 AM PDT

•  Wait just one minute

  From the article: Feingold Drops Effort to Block Patriot Act, by Laurie Kellman, Associated Press Writer, Wed. Feb. 15, 9:58 PM EST

  Did you, in fact, say this Senator Feingold?

  "I have no desire to inconvenience my colleagues or force votes in the middle of the night," Feingold, D-Wis., said in a brief statement on the Senate floor.

  If that is a manufactured or misattributed quote, then publicly demand a retraction/correction or sue the Associated Press. If, however, you made that remark then the headline fairly characterizes what's going on - whether you like it or not.

  Can I tell you something Senator? I don't give a good damn if you or your un-American colleagues are "inconvenienced," that's what happens when actual righteous battles are waged. And heaven forbid anybody makes these demented sods work overtime at all, let alone to override the Constitution. Are we citizens cramping your style with our desire to remain free in America? Are we bothering you and your colleagues with our demands to investigate and correct the kinds of government abuses that once justified a revolution that gave rise to this nation? Unbelievable...

  I'm utterly disgusted with the instinct to preserve collegiality in any chamber of the Congress while our Bill of Rights and constitutional framework are under assault. I just thought you should hear it from me.

  by Kimberley on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:41:13 AM PDT

  •  "No desire" /= no intention.

    Apples. Sandwiches.

    by ben masel on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:51:57 AM PDT

    •  Semantics

      Intention = functional equivalent of "desire."

      Apples to apples.

      by Kimberley on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:57:31 AM PDT

      •  Apples and Sandwiches

        refers to the filibuster scene in Russ' favorite film, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

        by ben masel on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 11:26:38 AM PDT

      •  Depends on the person

        I don't use 'desire' interchangeably with 'intention'. Why would I - they are different words for a reason. 'Desire' is emotive, intention is not.

        I have no desire to make my staff work late, but I have every intention of telling them to if this project isn't completed today.

        In some ways I use it as a stronger term - "I don't want to do this, but I'm fully committed to doing it" vs. "I'm going to do it" with no suggestion of how I feel about it. To my staff, if I use the 'I don't desire...' phrase, they know I'm serious and fully committed to it because they know that I like them and don't ask them to do things unless it's really important.

        But the usage varies a lot and many people do use them interchangeably. Most of the people I work with don't use it in this manner themselves. I can see how the AP got it wrong if Russ uses it in the same manner as I.

        by johnsonwax on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 11:38:08 AM PDT

        •  Language

          is a powerful tool. It can be used in ways that help bolster your cause or it can be used against you and your cause.

          While Democrats remain the favorite whipping boys of news media, it's critical to state one's intentions in the most assertive, active language possible. For starters, it's critical not to preface an epic fight with, "I have no desire to inconvenience..."

          Don't misunderstand me, here. Feingold's efforts are noble - but his desire to remain civil in the face of an all-out assault on America's framework is of questionable wisdom.  I know why he's doing it, it's his style. And opposition designed to preserve comity may be sufficient 90% of the time. But our Bill of Rights has been considerably damaged by incursions of PATRIOT Act and that puts this fight deep into remaining 10% territory.

          Only Feingold, Byrd, and Jeffords avoided clear civilian dereliction in the Senate this afternoon. On the other hand, ninety-three other Senators in the United States Senate, on both sides of the aisle,  failed to execute their duty to defend America's framework and the constitutionally guaranteed rights of this citizenry today. They sacrificed substance for illusion, at the expense of Americans today. That's a fact. That's the truth. And that's what needs to be said, over and over again.

          by Kimberley on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 12:59:29 PM PDT

          •  Correction

            Ninety-seven, not "ninety-three," in last paragraph above.

            by Kimberley on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 01:05:56 PM PDT

      •  postmodernism means...

        "the author is irrelevant"

        by bleargh on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 11:41:36 AM PDT

  •  It sounds like...

    ...Feingold has stopped (or has been defeated) in his attempt to filibuster it, but will attempt to add amendments and other bills later to try to fix it.

    So the headline "Feingold Drops Effort to Block Patriot Act" is technically accurate, if the "effort" in question is merely the act of filibustering.  It is quite misleading, however.

    A quick Google News search found the same article with a different, more accurate headline at the Concord Monitor.  Thier headline was "Feingold ends Patriot Act filibuster", followed by a sub-headline of "He calls civil liberties compromise 'fig leaf'".

    http://www.concordmonitor.com/...

    by Geotpf on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 02:46:34 PM PDT

    •  No question

      The headline did not cast Feingold's efforts in a favorable light, although the article fleshed out Feingold's position well enough.

      But we've all seen some really egregious examples of blatantly misleading reports from AP writers, Jim Abrams, Katherine Shrader, John Solomon and Sharon Theimer come to mind. I think those reporters should be frozen out by all Democrats, since they're clearly out to make Democrats look bad. But the article that Feingold mentioned today wasn't a hatchet job on the truth or his cause, it just wasn't flattering. And, in fact, Feingold did give up the effort to filibuster a particularly insidious piece of legislation. Frankly, I'd rather be watching he, Byrd and Jeffords speak on C-Span right now. It's that important.

      by Kimberley on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 03:17:42 PM PDT

•  Impeach

  by onionjim on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:42:01 AM PDT

•  Keep on fighting!

  You are our guy on this issue.  We're counting on you to keep fighting.  I watched CSPAN and you're all doing a great job.  Great debate against Sessions.

  by PAprogressive on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:42:19 AM PDT

•  Like they say: AP bites Dem, that's not news ...

  Dem bites AP, that IS news.

  by RonK Seattle on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:43:20 AM PDT

•  What is NOT news:

  AP and other major news outlets paint Dems as quitters.

  by Five of Diamonds on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:44:26 AM PDT

•  This is a pattern.

  We're seeing the same thing with the NSA story.  Has anyone noticed how, while the Cheney mess has been going on, we've seen a number of high profile articles stating that Dems are backing down on the NSA issue as well as a few other issues.  It's a little too convenient for my taste.  Then you add this AP article, which is BS as well and you see an effort to do what Rove has done 1000's of times before.  Convince the Dems they are fading.  Doesn't have to be true, just gotta get them thinking it.  Get the public thinking it, and get the networks to say it repeatedly.  Then it will all just fade away as it usually does.

  I believe Glenn Greenwald was talking about the same thing this morning on his blog.  How the stories in the press aren't matching up with what is happening on the ground.

  It's blatant, it's textbook, and it's Rove.  Now how  do you deal with it?  This kind of post (thank you Senator!) is a good step, but we need to find a way to proove where these stories are coming from.  Cut that off and the battleground changes significantly.

  by Zergle on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:44:43 AM PDT

•  Senator Feingold, I love you

  and my husband is very understanding about that ;-)

  Keep fighting, Senator!   We've got your back.

  by TigerMom on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:44:58 AM PDT

•  Thank you, Senator

  Thanks for posting and letting us know.

  If you are going to start diarying every time the press gets it wrong, you are going to be a very busy man with a very full blog. ;)

  by OLinda on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:46:18 AM PDT

•  Thank you Senator !!!

  I commend you for your continued effort to preserve our constitutional rights and democracy.  There are now few checks and balances and secrecy is the M.O of this administration.  It must be exhaustingly hard work to move anything along that this administration does not want.  Some time, write a diary about your senate experience of fighting for change....ie: a day in the life of trying to amend the patriot act.  I can only imagine the process must be arduous.
  Again, thank you.

  by Digginthislife on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:47:01 AM PDT

•  You are,

  one of the few proud to be a Democrat instead of a Republican clone.  Too bad the rest of the party is either too cowed or corrupt to stand up for real democratic values.  Thanks for the fight.

  by dkmich on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:47:57 AM PDT

•  How was the error made?

  b) Was this an example of a reporter misinterpreting a written document or an interview or a Republican or someone else feeding intentional misinformation to a reporter?

  b) More important, are you related to Skipper Feingold of Kansas City?

  by sclminc on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:48:36 AM PDT

•  I saw the title to this and thought...

  Erroneous AP Story?

  Which one!?

  by phillyPete on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:52:10 AM PDT

•  Feingold 4 Prez meetups

  start this Sunday.

  http://russforpresident.meetup.com/

  by ben masel on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:55:01 AM PDT

•  Thanks for correcting that story

  You're doing us all a real service in your fight to preserve our civil liberties.

  by CarolynC967 on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:56:00 AM PDT

•  Russ Da Man

  Every Democrat, and for that frickin' matter every Republican, ought to be fighting against the Patriot Act.

  No one is doing more in this fight than Senator Feingold.  Bless you, sir, you are the true patriot, the true republican, and the staunchest friend of the Constitution in the Senate.

  by proudtinfoilhat on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:58:43 AM PDT

•  Thanks Senator

  I think when you run for President (Yes I am hopeful) you can make repealing the Patriot Act one of your campaign promises. Honor the US Constitution repeal the Patriot act

  by TexasLiberal on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 10:59:50 AM PDT

•  Thank You Thank You Thank You

  Please continue to fight.  These days it seems like no one is representing the majority of Americans.  Please do not be afraid to stand up for us.  There are so many backdoor deals stabbing us the back constantly these days.  It seems like things are so corrupt that there is no way to fix the mess we are in right now.  Please continue to fight.  It means the world to Americans.

  by Buckley Roberts on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 11:01:11 AM PDT

•  Thank you Senator Feingold

  Is there anyway you could get on television and say that--I mean really take the AP to task for printing stories like this?  They do it quite often, and will keep doing it until Democrats come out in a unified force, with a coordinated strategy, using all of the powers of the government/media at their disposal, and hold individual reporters and the media culture in general accountable.  They will keep doing it as long as they feel they can get away with it without repurcussions.  I hope you have been reading Peter Daou as of late.

  The reach of the AP was really hit home to me today as I was waiting to get my hair cut in Wyckoff, NJ.  I picked up the Bergen Record and as I flipped through it, I noticed almost every article (except for an excellent editorial arguing that things would have been different had the Cheney Incident occurred in Weehawken, NJ) was Associated Press.  This is the case, I believe, with most local newspapers around the country, so everytime one of these phony headlines appears in the AP, people all across America waiting to get their hair cut and their nails polished, are fed nonsense.

  by panhu on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 11:05:25 AM PDT

  •  it's also good

    for us to get on the AP's case about this.

    by Cedwyn on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 11:06:37 AM PDT

    •  I agree

      and we do go after the press on a daily basis, but it would be helpful if the Democratic Party would formulate a coordinated media strategy, employing a war room/truth squad approach, for dealing with this kind of misinformation.

      by panhu on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 11:17:22 AM PDT

•  i don't know

  what we'd do without you, Senator Feingold!  thank you so much!

  hopefully, you read all of our comments and will heed my request that every Democratic member of Congress reads this piece from digby.

  they have made a huge error in their analysis of why the Republicans have the edge on national security and every time they genuflect to the administration's wacky plans they drive the image home. The problem for Democrats isn't that they are seen as soft on national security. It's that they are seen as not believing in anything  and therefore are not strong on national security.

  Every time the Democrats first speak out strongly and then fall in behind Republicans on national security like this, selling out their principles and the deep concerns of their constituents, they reinforce the image that there is nothing the Democrats are willing to fight for and the national security vote goes to the Republicans who have shown they are willing to fight for everything.

  ...The polls today show that more than half of the country believes the president broke the law with this program and that it was wrong for him to have done it. And the press is in the most danger they've been in since since the Pentagon Papers, which was the last time whistleblowers came forward with such important revelations about government secrecy and lawlessness. So Democrats do not have to fear the press on this --- particularly if they remind them who their friends are on this issue. The Republicans are split on it, with the libertarian wing and the doctrinaire conservatives finding themselves having to swallow their disgust or break with the party. Democrats are in a much better position than they think to turn this into a positive and drive a wedge through the Republican coalition while they do it.

  If the Democrats in congress simply stood together on principle instead of listening to overfed, out of touch strategists who have misdiagnosed the problem for years, they would begin to crawl out of this hole on national security. In order for the nation to trust them to defend the country the first thing they must do is stop believing that going along with the Republican Eunuch Caucus will ever improve their lot. People trust leaders who lead not followers who fall in line.

  patriot act, demanding a spying investigation, not legalizing what is now an incontrovertibly illegal program - digby's wisdom applies to all of it.

  as always, we've got your back.  thank you again for all that you do!  you're a gem!

  by Cedwyn on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 11:05:36 AM PDT

•  Thanks Senator! we're depending on you

  by annefrank on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 11:08:05 AM PDT

•  Senator Feingold

  You are now my hero.  You are the only true democratic leader I have heard since Al Gore.  Even standing on your own, you fight the good fight.  And you are absolutely right on the Patriot Act.

  Keep fighting, we here love you for it and stand behind, or beside if you prefer!

  by smokeymonkey on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 11:10:46 AM PDT

•  Specter: Patriot Act changes are 'cosmetics'

  Arlen Specter tells it like it is:

  "Sometimes cosmetics will make a beauty out of a beast and provide enough cover for senators to change their vote," Specter told reporters Wednesday.

  So, Specter agrees with Feingold, the changes the administration made to the Patriot Act are merely cosmetic. Designed to simply provide cover for the senators to change their vote. And Spector, like all but 2 other Senators, refused to stand with Feingold to demand we get this important legislation right. Only one other Democrat, Robert Byrd, stood up for our liberties. Pathetic.

  Thank you, Senator Feingold, for fighting the good fight.

  by tooblue on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 11:12:59 AM PDT

•  Durbin...

  He's a huge disappointment.  Why's he caving on this?

  Sunset in 2009?  This is rediculous.

  by Ramo on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 11:13:50 AM PDT

  •  Agreed

    I was really disappointed with Durbin, especially when last week I was praising him for standing up to Specter on the Asbestos tort issues and exposing some ugly details about it.  Then today I see him partnering with Republican Senators on these PATRIOT act bandaids, trying to make the little fixes seem more significant than they are.

    Then he gave a little impassioned speech about how he pledged to be forever vigilant, watching the government's actions and making changes to the law in the future if necessary.  All I could think of was - do you really expect me to be comforted by that kind of promise?  I really don't understand his motives with the PATRIOT act.  Lately I always seem to feel that there are constant backroom dealings going on, i.e. you support me on issue x, and I'll support you on issue y, or some such sellout nonsense.

    As for Specter, what little respect I had for him is lessened everyday.  He's all rhetoric and nothing to back it up.  Say one thing, do another.  Blah blah.  Meanwhile, what has he supported that really had any positive impact?  Where's his self-professed resolve for investigating the NSA spying scandal?  This man is very sly.  He knows what to say in order to walk the line, and he never seems to have to answer for the lack of consistent follow up action.  Why my neighbors in Pennsylvania keep reelecting this man is totally baffling to  me.  They can't be paying attention.

    by joanneleon on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 08:16:22 PM PDT

•  Thank you

  And you should know we're still behind you all the way.

  by rubygloomrox on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 11:14:10 AM PDT

•  Thanks Russ

  and have fun on Bill Maher's show on friday.

  by Groper on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 11:19:17 AM PDT

•  Erroneous Story

  We have learned to take much of what is spouted off in the corporate media with a grain of salt.  Never doubted you for a minute.  If the media isn't talking about this "popular" president that are trashing Democrats.  Its the only meme they know and people aren't buying it anymore.

  To wit:  BushCo and Republicans are coming to realize that when you have lost your credibility, you've lost everything.  

  by nlacey on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 11:20:51 AM PDT

•  I'm dreaming of a feingold adminstration

  Thanks, Senator. I will write to AP.

  by sozzy on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 11:21:39 AM PDT

•  i just read elsewhere

  that cloture just passed and debate is now over?

  by Cedwyn on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 11:22:14 AM PDT

•  I'm in PA

  thanks....

  We have learned here in PA that Spector is unpredictable. Cannot be cannot on for anything...But  my hope is that he will do theright thing and just say no to the Patriot Act.

  I'm Jewish too....and I can't help but feeling the way  I imagine  Jews in Germany felt during the 30's: their world is getting smaller and smaller...America is slippping away. ..

  BUT WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER DEMOCRATS??????
  

  by cybermome1207 on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 11:25:27 AM PDT

•  I heart Russ Feingold

  I do. I really do.

  Feingold/ Someone else '08

  by ThanxAl on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 11:27:20 AM PDT

•  SENATOR FEINGOLD

  Senator, I just read in Truthout.com that you are the 'ONLY' one supporting a filibuster regarding the
  Patriot Act.  Our country needs a leader such as yourself, who will stand up and fight instead of buckling under pressure. Thank you for doing this for us all, and PLEASE run for President. You will definitely have my and my husband's support 100%.

  by Harper on Thu Feb 16, 2006 at 11:27:35 AM PDT

•  CA - TODAY - passes Repeal of Patriot Act!

  The CA State Senate voted 23-10 this morning, February 16,  to pass the  Resolution calling for CONGRESS TO REPEAL the unconstitutional provisions of the USA Patriot Act.

  California has joined seven other states to become the 8th state to pass Anti-Patriot Act Resolutions.

  The other states are Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Montana, and Vermont.

  Colorado, Idaho, and Montana voted Republican in the November election.  Alaska has 2 Republican Senators and its only Congressional Rep. is Republican.

  Since the resoultion was passed by the State Assembly, this means that the resolution has passed the State Legislature and a letter will be sent to Congress requesting repeal of the unconstitutional sections and that it directs the state agencies to not use any resources to enforce any unconstitutional sections of the Patriot Act.

  California has now joined 7 other states in passing similar resolutions.

  ---Thank you Bill of Rights Defenders,
  Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) successfully managed to stall the PATRIOT Act re authorization on Wednesday, February 15!  

  The White House version of the re authorization recently sold to four Republican senators (Sununu from New Hampshire, Hagel from Nebraska, Murkowski from Alaska and Craig from Idaho) is being held up for at least a few more days.  

  John Sununu plans to introd