In the run-up to 2008 there will be many peaks and valleys in the fortunes of prospective candidates. News events will highlight the advantages of one candidate this week and another next week. The media will hype whatever ephemeral trend it thinks will stir viewers. And always there will be Hillary looming on the horizon like Sasquatch, peering at the curious explorers but not really letting anyone see her.
But there is one name in the field that isn't waiting to showcase his vision, principle and courage. Senator Russ Feingold has been living it. He represents the future of a Democratic Party that has a spine, a brain, and a conscience.
Brought to you by...
The dailyKos community has recognized Feingold's value over time by voting for him in increasing numbers in every one of Kos' straw polls, raising his percentage of the vote from 10% last June to 48% yesterday. He's done this by consistently demonstrating a sense of purpose and patriotism in his role as a senator and an American.
In the past few months, Feingold has taken the lead on critical issues such as:
- The Patriot Act renewal
- Lobbying/Corruption
- Supreme Court nominations
- Katrina Relief
And, most recently, he has shown the lonely courage of demanding accountability from the president via censure for his violation of the law and the Constitution.
In the months and years prior to that, he has compiled a record that any
Democrat American can be proud of:
- Rated 100% by the AFL-CIO (Labor)
- Rated 100% by APHA (Health Care)
- Rated 100% by SANE (Nuclear/Peace)
- Rated 93% by NARAL (Choice)
- Rated 91% by the NEA (Education)
- Rated 89% by the LCV (Environment)
- Rated 80% by the ACLU (Civil Liberties)
- Rated 26% by the US Chamber of Commerce
- Rated 0% by the Christian Coalition
Russ Feingold has respect from a diverse electorate in his home state of Wisconsin. He has run well in both urban and rural communities. He is known well at home as an honest and committed representative and even the conservative elements amongst Wisconsin voters give him high marks. That bodes well for his opportunities nationally.
I'd like to take a moment to address some of the shallow and irrelevant concerns I've seen expressed about a Feingold candidacy. Yes, he is Jewish and divorced. But any voter who would vote against him on the basis of his religion, isn't going to be voting for the Democrat anyway. And if he were to get just the divorced vote in America, he would win in a landslide. By the way, for the timid out there, every Democrat in this race will be called an extreme liberal. Don't be cowered.
There is a lot of support out there for Al Gore that could take the steam out of Feingold's sails. I, frankly, don't know why. Even if you concede that Gore won in 2000 (which I believe), he won by such a small margin that it is hardly anything on which to hang the next election. It was actually a pretty poor performance considering who he was running against.
I do think Gore has found his voice since retiring from politics. His speeches have been intelligent and inspiring. But that just confirms my view that he should not run in 2008. He has never been more righteous and effective than since he stopped running. Why would anyone who admires this new Al Gore want him to go back into an arena where he was stunted and ineffective?
It's time to look ahead. Russ Feingold is the future. He has the intellect, passion, principle, and history, to lead Democrats forward. He is, perhaps, the most articulate defender of the Constitution in my lifetime (and a shout out to Sen. Byrd). This is the candidate to get behind. Not just to promote his candidacy, but to promote his vision and agenda. G o R u s s !