Which Democrats will support Dodd in order to oppose this utterly lawless White House? Clinton? Obama? Biden?
The telecomms have already paid off Sen. Rockerfeller. How many other Dems have have been paid off?
Posted by Gay Veteran at October 19, 2007 10:49 AMDodd is uniquely positioned to do this, he could have walked on by, but he's kept his word to fight and he deserves big time recognition.
Posted by mainsailset at October 19, 2007 10:53 AMEveryone of us and blogistan heavy hitters (left, right and center) need to be up in our Senators' and Reps' grilles backing Dodd on this.
Senators Casey and Spector, Representative Holden,
Do you remember your oath to defend the Constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic?
Everyone of us and blogistan heavy hitters (left, right and center) need to be up in our Senators' and Reps' grilles backing Dodd on this.
Exactly. Dodd's finally saying things we've been begging to hear, he needs to be lavishly rewarded.
Posted by iamcoyote at October 19, 2007 11:32 AMYeah, and what the fuck is up with Harry Reid on this issue?
I'm sorry, I've had it, we need a new majority leader!
Sen. Bernie Sanders on Thom Hartmann today backs Dodd all the way.
Posted by Seven of Six at October 19, 2007 12:03 PMI would not only support him for president, I'd have his baby.
Posted by Sharkbabe at October 19, 2007 12:06 PMYeah, and what the fuck is up with Harry Reid on this issue?
Hasn't Reid said he wouldn't move the bill forward until he's seen the documents that the White House finally gave to the Intelligence Committee?
Posted by snark at October 19, 2007 12:08 PM
From The Hill;
For their part, Senate Democratic leaders were cautious about the Intelligence Committee’s deal. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said he spoke with Rockefeller Wednesday night, but said he would withhold his support until seeing the White House documents that could explain why such immunity would be needed. Aside from the Senate Intelligence panel, no other lawmakers, including those in leadership or on the Judiciary panels, have seen the documents.
Amazing. The new Dem majority has more nads standing up to its own "extremists" than to the GOP opposition in the legislature and WH. WTF?
Right now there is no greater service a congresscritter of either house could do than be obstructionist. The GOP has exhausted any benefit of the doubt there could be. There is a huge track record of mismanagement, misinformation, bad faith, etc. We can safely start from the assumption that any new Republican governance is bad stuff, and leave it to the proponents to convince us otherwise.
Posted by ymr049c at October 19, 2007 12:29 PMFrom Glenn Greenwald:
Clearly, Reid has nothing but contempt for Dodd’s principled stand, which was generated by (and in response to) the actions of tens of thousands of Americans concerned about our constitutional liberties and the rule of law. Reid is dismissively brushing that all to the side — as usual — to ensure the safe and smooth passage of a Draconian bill jointly demanded by the Bush administration, the telecom industry, and their lobbyists.
Firedoglake has it.
Posted by Seven of Six at October 19, 2007 12:31 PMsnark, I'm just saying this is so predictable.
Wait for what documents? The White House isn't giving nothing up. Reid knows it, I know it, I hope you know it.
The decision has already been made.
I will be gratefully shocked if it doesn't pass.
I'm really frustrated by the Dems and their leadership. Which I see none of.
The time to stand up to bu$h was in January!
Well maybe not January, actually when Reid was leading the minority party.
Posted by Seven of Six at October 19, 2007 12:42 PMSo who'e a phony Democrat now? Is the Majority Leader a phony Democrat. Has he placed more phony Democrats in as committee chairs? When will the real Democrats stand up? Is Chris Dodd the only one?
Posted by peter at October 19, 2007 12:43 PMQuite frankly Jane Hamsher sounds a bit unhinged in that post at Firedoglake. Reid's office responded that Senator Reid would work with Dodd and others to fix the deep flaws in the bill. How the fuck does that show contempt for Dodd?
Wait for what documents?
The White House provided the Intelligence Committee with documents explaining it's rational for why immunity is necessary as noted in The Hill story that I linked above.
Posted by snark at October 19, 2007 12:46 PMThe White House provided the Intelligence Committee with documents explaining it's rational for why immunity is necessary as noted in The Hill story that I linked above.
Well shit snark I can tell what that says, "For the National Security Interests of the United States of America".
Posted by Seven of Six at October 19, 2007 12:52 PMpeter, fuck off!
Posted by Seven of Six at October 19, 2007 12:54 PMExcuse me, it was Greenwald who seems a bit unhinged. Not Jane Hamsher.
Posted by snark at October 19, 2007 12:54 PMOK SoS.
Posted by snark at October 19, 2007 12:56 PMThe document dump on Rockefeller reminds me of the time I was on the board of a non-profit. Serious problems kept occurring so we formed a committee to look into it and asked the director for specific documents. What we got was garbage - literally. Slowly, we realized we were dealing with a psychpath and fired the director. (Sounds easy - but it actually took 8 years of my life.)
The Senate Dems remind me of my companion trustees who just couldn't bring themselves to do what was right.
God, I hate deja-vu
Posted by hellskitchen at October 19, 2007 02:19 PMGotta say, Greenwald did seem to go overboard on Reid's statement. As much as I like Glenn, he sure read a lot more into it than the statement seemed to say. I guess we'll see. Still, Dodd is to be lauded for his stand - we should be sure he knows that we have his back.
Posted by iamcoyote at October 19, 2007 03:11 PMDo people really think Jay Rockefeller sold himself out to Verizon over $25,000 in campaign contributions?
Chris Dodd has taken $400,000 in contributions to his presidential campaign from business PAC's but he's doing what the left wants so he's OK?
Posted by snark at October 19, 2007 03:30 PMWhose take on this issue am I gonna trust on this one right now? Bushie...that he and his minions have handed over all the documents and information on this matter, Rockerfeller and REid who have been fooled by this WH before on serious issues...or Glenn Greenwald?
I'll take Glenn every single time. Fool me once....can't be fooled again?
I hope Glenn is wrong and is overreacting in his commentary. but Glenn's track record of having been correct about issues is much better than the others. I'll stick with him on this one. I mean who could ever have imagine that Bushie would cherrypick information or documents about the scope and realm of the spying program done by the telecoms without legal justification for the past 5 years? Because if it wasn't illegal then why do they need immunity?
Posted by emal at October 19, 2007 03:40 PMStill, Dodd is to be lauded for his stand - we should be sure he knows that we have his back.
That's the issue with me coyote.
Reid should be leading the charge. And what is stopping him from saying, "I do not support any amnesty until the Telecoms and the bu$h administration come clean with the American people."
peter, fuck off!
Seven, surprise, we think alike!
Posted by tempus at October 19, 2007 05:52 PMThe White House provided the Intelligence Committee with documents explaining it's rational for why immunity is necessary as noted in The Hill story that I linked above.
You and the Vichy Dem members of the intelligence committee (Rockafeller, Feinstein, Bayh, Nelson, Mikulski) are too gullible if you believe any White House "documents" will justify this.
Posted by TrainWreck at October 19, 2007 06:35 PM...if you believe any White House "documents" will justify this.
I did not say they would. What I said was that Reid said he would reserve comment until seeing the documents. SoS said there are no documents. When in fact there are.
Posted by snark at October 19, 2007 07:06 PM"So who'e a phony Democrat now? Is the Majority Leader a phony Democrat. Has he placed more phony Democrats in as committee chairs? When will the real Democrats stand up? Is Chris Dodd the only one?"
poor pants-pissing peter, you don't understand that most of us here place country ABOVE party (unlike you right-wingers)
Glen Greenwald is one of our strongest voices for the protection of our Constitional rights and opposition to the lawless White House.
Snark: "Do people really think Jay Rockefeller sold himself out to Verizon over $25,000 in campaign contributions?"
It would be interesting to see how much TOTAL money Rockefeller has gotten from the entire telecomm industry. Whatever, sell-out or just another cog in the Party of War, he has sided with Dear Leader in shredding the Constitution.
Posted by gay veteran at October 20, 2007 07:44 AM