I just gave this guy some cash:
Greenwald has more on what happened:
From the beginning, there was pure hostility from numerous Beltway crevices towards Dodd’s stance. The Beltway media largely ignored it except to mock it and question its authenticity with their standard lip-curling, jaded pettiness. The very day that Dodd announced his hold, Harry Reid made clear that he was hostile to it, and strongly insinuated that he would not honor it. That led to an outburst of anger directed towards Reid’s office which caused them — falsely as it turns out — to spend weeks issuing public and private assurances that Reid would treat Dodd’s hold the same way he treats other holds.
More significantly still, the leading presidential candidates — particularly Clinton and Obama — originally said nothing about any of these matters. That led to a separate joint effort from blogs and their readers, along with MoveOn, to demand that the Clinton and Obama campaigns issue a statement vowing to support Dodd’s stance. When the issued statements were ambiguous and seemingly noncommittal, a further controversy erupted, and in response, the Obama campaign (though never the Clinton campaign) clarified that they intended to express categorical and unconditional support for Dodd’s filibuster.
Without question, it was those efforts, spontaneously created and driven by blogs and their readers, which led directly to the principled stand Chris Dodd took yesterday in defense of the rule of law. This was not a process whereby some Beltway politician announced a campaign and then citizens fell into line behind it. The opposite occurred. The very idea for the “hold” originated among a few citizens, was almost immediately exploded into a virtual movement by tens of thousands of people, and was then made into a reality by a single political figure, Chris Dodd, responding to that passion by taking the lead on it.
It’s probably too late for Dodd to make a serious run at the nomination right now, but whoever wins it would be very smart to pick this guy as a running mate. The collaboration between our government and the telecoms in an effort to spy on us (which began before 9/11) in violation of federal law is the stuff of third-world dictatorships, not representative democracies. And the lengths that some Democrats have gone to avoid having to deal with this obvious problem demonstrates the power of special interests and the hold they have over both politicians and the media.
I hope Dodd isn’t in the habit of flying in light aircraft.
The “problem” is that corporations have hijacked our democracy and citizens count for nothing. The Constitution is a scrap of paper. Courts, prosecutors, and investigative committees are a joke. And both parties are whores panhandling for corporate money.
@1 If they want him badly enough, they’ll accept collateral damage in the form of a whole commercial airliner full of innocent people.
And if happens let’s not forget whose idea it was:
“Congratulations Speaker Pelosi, now let the bombs fall where they may. My prediction: terror attack on domestic soil passenger aircraft within the next six months. Casualties in the 2-300 range. And, unfortunately, maybe that’s just what we need. It’s obvious people don’t remember what happened 5 years ago. Posted by FullContactPolitics at November 8, 2006 10:52 AM”
http://blog.usefulwork.com/cgi.....ry_id=7430
(Richard Pope identified “FullContactPolitics” as GOP legislative candidate Mark Griswold.)
I am thinking I cold get behind Dodd as majority leader in the Senate before he idles away as a VP. Frankly, I think he would be better at it than Reid, if for no other reason than he has a much safer seat in CT than Reid does in NV.
@4
That’s a really good point. I’m definitely with you on that.
Dodd = hero right now.
May he be recognized for same.
He got $50 from me this morning, and I left the party last year. I wish that the Chris Dodd’s in the Democratic party were the majority. It is a sad day for that party when you can only point to a few as definitive defenders of our basic rights as citizens.
I also noticed Madam Clinton took another wishy washy stand on this issue, and Obama was not much better with it. With Hillary, it was par for the course. She has no ability to detect political opportunity. I wish Obama had rallied to the cause. I was more disappointed in him for not flying to Washington and getting involved.
It would be great if this put Dodd’s campaign on afterburner. He would make a better President than Hillary or Barack, and is more electable than either of them.
Thank you for your contribution!
From: Chris Dodd (info@chrisdodd.com)
Sent: Mon 12/17/07 8:54 PM
Reply-to: info@chrisdodd.com
To: busdrivermike@
Chris Dodd for President
Dear Michael ,
Thank you for your generous contribution to my Presidential campaign. With your help, I am fighting to spread my message that in this election, the American people want a leader who will stand up and fight for what they believe in, but also bring people together around those ideas and get results. You and I know that whether the issue is ending the war in Iraq, providing universal health care to every American or making college affordable, our next President can’t just pick fights – he or she needs to be able to bring people together and win them.
I encourage you to keep in touch and let me know your thoughts on the issues that matter to you. And keep checking my website for updates as I travel to communities around the country. I believe America’s best days are still ahead of her – but getting there will take a leader with a proven ability to get the job done.
Again, I am deeply grateful for your contribution. I will continue to work hard to maintain the confidence you have shown in me and I thank you for your continued support and friendship.
Warm regards,
Just in case you thought I was b.s. ing you about the money.
I put my money where my mouth is.
How about you Mark, the redneck, welcher?
Welsher? Put his money where his mouth is? You’re jesting, right?
Roger Rabbit says:
The “problem” is that corporations have hijacked our democracy and citizens count for nothing. The Constitution is a scrap of paper. Courts, prosecutors, and investigative committees are a joke. And both parties are whores panhandling for corporate money.
Roger and all his funny believers who really hijacked this country? Tell me why the Democrats are so blue today? What really happen to the Democrat Party in 1968 during the Democrat convention in Chicago, Illinois? Who is running the Party today? Conservative Democrats like Scoop Jackson or the secular liberals? Why did the party drop the blue collar and Catholic workers for the fringe voters on the far left? The New Socialist Democrat Party today supports the special interest groups, communist, socialist, and the whack environmental groups. Roger today we are left with a one party system and a bunch of extreme creatures running this country. Let’s not forget this country is a republic not a democrat government. Democracy does not equal democrat party but secular liberalism running this country. Roger you are now looking up a dead horse ass for answers.
Who made this statement?
The Democrats limped out of Chicago divided and discouraged, the latest casualties in a culture war that went beyond differences over Vietnam. It would reshape and realign American politics for the rest of the century and beyond, and frustrate most efforts to focus the electorate on the issues that most affect their lives and livelihoods, as opposed to their psyches. The kids and their supporters saw the mayor and the cops as authoritarian, ignorant, violent bigots. The mayor and his largely blue-collar ethnic police force saw the kids as foul-mouthed, immoral, unpatriotic, soft, upper class kids who were too spoiled to respect authority, too selfish to appreciate what it takes to hold a society together, too cowardly to serve in Vietnam…. Much of my public life was spent trying to bridge the cultural and psychological divide that had widened into a chasm in Chicago.
4, 5 – Deal me in.
@11 Did you say something, squirt? Talk louder, I can’t hear you.
And turn off your fucking italics, dumbo.
I don’t even read klake’s comments anymore. It’s like avoiding that steaming pile of dogshit in the yard — my big, wooded 1.7 acre property with all the trees and peace and serenity.
I’m so glad I’m not some stupid, bitter WingNut™ driving around in some dead-zone Chrysler with Bush stickers all over it.
I’ll wave next time I see ya, klake.
Chris Dodd’s position on this issue underscores Democrats’ dilemma this election season: we have a wealth of choices. Chris Dodd is considered a second-tier candidate, yet he is eminently qualified to be president and I would happily vote for him. On the other hand, he is not my first choice. I am, sadly, a bit wary of having another New England senator as our party’s candidate. I take pleasure thinking of the Republican dilemma currently–no candidate anyone likes. Scandals just under the surface, ready to break. Incompetency across the board. How does that feel, fuckheads?
I could get behind an Edwards-Dodd ticket in a big way. But then the thought of having Chris Dodd be Majority Leader in President Edwards’ administration has me kvelling. You’d by God see something get done in Congress with that one-two punch!
@ 15, Headless Lucy said: “I don’t even read klake’s comments anymore”
Jeepers, I thought it was just ME! I stopped a while ago, thinking Klake BS was just a waste of cyberspace.
@ 17 The Guy With No Car says: I could get behind an Edwards-Dodd ticket in a big way. But then the thought of having Chris Dodd be Majority Leader in President Edwards’ administration has me kvelling. You’d by God see something get done in Congress with that one-two punch!
You know, THAT makes some sense to me. I personally think that if anyone could BREAK the partisan logjams, instead of going with the lobbyists ruining/running the country, I think it is Edwards. So I’m still sticking with backing him. I think Edwards is the only one truly interested in the common people and getting this country brought ‘up and off it’s knees’. Plus, when he didn’t get the nom last time, he cheerfully jumped on board (no sour grapes) and did his dangdest as a cheerful VP candidate to keep the platform rolling.
But, frankly after the “Blue Wave” last year I’m not convinced that the Dems are going to be a simple Shoo-In, much as they might think it would appear. Don’t think Dems should get over confident here. IF they could get some stronger players, some momentum, like as you suggested “with that one-two punch” perhaps the country could at least BEGIN to pick up the pieces after Bush’s assault on the world. Would Reid step down, do you think, if it meant making progress? I happen to be a Dem, but have to admit the ‘Dem majority’ just doesn’t seem to be producing much, even though I realize they can’t overcome a veto. Just too many excuses and much left un-delivered.
@ 19, FnF “Just too many excuses and much left un-delivered.”
Probably I should clarify – that it may be ‘perceived’ like that to the common voter. I do not think it’s going to be a Shoo-In, even if the Wingnuts deliver some real nutcase on the Repub side. Maybe if the Repubs splinter – – now, THAT might be mighty FINE!
Need to go write my “WishList for Santa” in hopes that he will deliver a real Splinter Winter. I’ve been good this year, (well, for the most part anyway).
IMO the best Republican candidate for the Dems would be Romney because a huge proportion of the GOP base would never vote for him just because he’s a Mormon. The worst possible Democratic candidate for the Dems would be Clinton — she fractures the Democrats and unites the Republicans. I would like to see Edwards get the nomination, not just because I like his message the best, but also because polls show that he would beat each of the potential Republican nominees by the widest margin, a necessary consideration since the GOP is not likely to give up their use of dirty tricks to try to steal the election.
My personal opinion is that a lot of the Democrats that are currently caving to Bush would get back into line behind a Democratic president. We’d need a good majority leader and majority whip in both houses to enforce party discipline, and at the moment I’m not sure who that would be.
@11
Klake,
1968 was 40 years ago. Get over it.
And close out your tags, for crying out loud. I fixed yours.
@ #15 – give her the one finger salute!
Dodd is right on this – we need to stand up and not give retroactive immunity to telecoms that knowingly broke the law.
However, we should also be prosecuting the administration officials that solicited companies to break the law and have some transparancy on the quid pro quo that these companies got for illegal cooperation on spying on
American citizens.
Tehy are not going mess with MY constitution to make their own private fascist state!