Will Clinton and Obama Join Dodd's Filibuster?

Daily Kos Staff

Friday October 19, 2007 · 12:10 PM PDT

2007/10/19 · 12:10

As mcjoan wrote earlier, Chris Dodd has said he will filibuster the Senate FISA bill if it contains provisions for retroactive immunity for telecom companies. Those provisions may yet be stripped out before a filibuster is necessary, but they must not be allowed to go through. It is not ok for Congress to say we live in a country in which following George W. Bush's orders is an acceptable defense for any illegal act any company or person commits.

Chris Dodd is leading on this issue. Where are the other Democratic presidential candidates in the Senate? Obama and Biden have at least both said they oppose the immunity provision. Clinton has yet to do that.

But it's not enough to say they'll vote against immunity. At a bare minimum, they need to be willing to vote to sustain the filibuster. Anything less says "I am not willing to stand strong against George W. Bush's assault on the Constitution." Leadership would entail participating. If Dodd's reading from the phone book, stand up, take it from him, and keep reading.

A strong statement from Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton that either will actively work to prevent passage of any bill with an immunity provision in it would make it less likely that a filibuster would even be necessary. Their participation would make it more likely that a filibuster was upheld. Will they stand up for civil liberties, accountability, the rule of law, the Constitution?

Senator Obama?

Senator Clinton?

Will Clinton and Obama Join Dodd's Filibuster?

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