Today's move by Reid and Durbin was a great first step in developing a true opposition party. The question is, where do the rest of the Democrats stand on this issue? Do they support such drastic action as invoking Article 21 and holding a closed session of the Senate? I think this question can be asked of Republicans as well. Surely, Senators McCain, Hagel, Spector, Chafee, Snow, and Dewine support an inquiry into why we went to War in Iraq. It would be UnAmerican of them not to.
So I ask, where does you senator stand? I think this question is most relevant if your Senator supported the War in Iraq in the first place. Harry Reid supported the war, but today he made a big step by supporting an investigation.
I'll take the first steps.
My 2 senators:
Dick Durbin
- Assistant minority leader Dick Durbin CLEARLY supported the actions today. He provided the "2nd" to Harry Reid's motion and went on TV threatening to have a closed session EVERY DAY until the Repulicans agree to an investigation. He was also at the press conference with Reid talking about the strategy. On top of that, Dick Durbin voted NO on the war.
Barack Obama
- Clearly opposed the war and spoke out against it prior to the beginning. No word yet on his stance. Senator Obama, if you're reading this, how do you feel about what happened today?
I know that Schumer and Rockefeller stand behind Reid and Durbin on this one. That's good to hear. What about others?
2008 Candidates
Bayh?
Biden?
Clinton?
Feingold:
"I applaud Senator Reid's effort to focus the Senate on what should be our top priority - our country's national security. I voted against the Iraq war because I was concerned it would become a dangerous diversion from the need to keep Americans safe from terrorism. The war has become all of that and worse and that's why I have proposed a flexible target date of December 2006 for an end to our primary military mission in Iraq. This Administration's policy has made our country weaker militarily and economically, and it has emboldened and fostered the terrorist networks that threaten us.
Debating our nation's security in closed session does not undermine consideration of the pending reconciliation bill, as some Republicans have tried to argue. Even if Democrats wanted to, they could not prevent the measure from coming to a vote. Far from obstructing the Senate's business, Democrats are advancing it. Senator Reid has finally succeeded in overcoming the real obstruction we have seen in the Senate, namely thwarting efforts to get a complete and truthful accounting of the Administration's activities in their rush to war.
We owe nothing less to our men and women in uniform who have been asked to put their lives on the line in Iraq, and to the American people who are paying for this endeavor. Until there is such an accounting, the American people will have every reason to question the credibility of Congress and the White House."
Statements like this only reinforce my belief in Russ Feingold for 2008.