A BuzzFlash Guest Contribution

GET BUZZFLASH ALERTS

CONTRIBUTOR ARCHIVES  

Most Democratic Senators Fail As Presidential Candidates

A BUZZFLASH GUEST CONTRIBUTION
by Stephen Crockett, co-host of Democratic Talk Radio

The Feingold resolution to censure Bush over illegal wiretapping is the single most important measure of qualification for 2008 Democratic Presidential candidates. The measure is incredibly mild. Democratic Senators should be calling for impeachment hearings for Bush and Cheney based on this issue. The failure of all other Democratic Senators to support the Feingold censure resolution completely disqualifies them to represent Democrats in the 2008 Presidential election in the opinion of Democratic Talk Radio.

The censuring of Bush over illegal wiretapping is supported by 70 percent of Democrats in the latest American Research Group poll on the issue. Independents are fairly evenly split. Only Republicans strongly oppose the censuring of Bush, although a significant Republican minority does support the measure. Senate Democrats with the exception of Senator Feingold are demonstrating a spineless character that shames Democratic activists everywhere.

A significant minority of Senate Democrats are routinely supporting the worst of Republican political positions. The few who voted in favor of the Alito Supreme Court nomination did serious disservice to America. The large number who scuttled the Alito filibuster attempt deserves to be condemned. The Senate Democrats who voted to renew the falsely named Patriot Act are shamed forever.

Senate Democrats who support Bush on Iraq, tax cuts for the wealthy, unfair bankruptcy tightening laws, Right Wing judicial nominations, trade agreements, etc. are not representing the majority views of Democratic voters. These Senate Democrats are doing a "Zell Miller-lite" politically, to the disgust of Democrats everywhere. Democratic voters want leadership like that of Feingold from our representatives in the US Senate.

Senators Clinton, Edwards, Biden and Kerry do not deserve Democratic votes in either the Democratic Presidential Primaries or the 2008 General Election unless they quickly offer their public support for the Feingold censure resolution. Democratic Talk Radio will not support ant Presidential candidate who fails to at least support censure. We are actually looking for a Democratic Presidential candidate who supports impeachment hearings against Bush and Cheney.

The Corporate Media and inside the beltway hacks are buying the Republican line that censure is unjust or radical. Both spins are simply absurd wishful thinking. Comments against the Feingold censure resolution by Republican Senators like Specter, Frist and Sessions demonstrate intellectual dishonesty and a program of political disinformation planned at the highest levels of the Republican national leadership. Neither Senate Democrats nor Democratic commentators should be providing them with political cover. These Senate Republicans should be facing recall efforts in their home states based on their outrageous comments and positions regarding the illegal wiretapping by the Bush White House.

Senate Democrats clearly demonstrated their lack of courage after Al Gore gave his excellent speech condemning the excesses of the Bush Administration and defending American Constitutional protections. See: Al Gore: American Hero Speech Defending Constitutional Government. They should have rallied to support Gore's positions immediately. They failed completely!

Democrats want the kind of leadership displayed by former Vice President Al Gore, DNC Chairman Howard Dean and Senator Russ Feingold. We do not want wimps leading our Party or representing us in government! We are not afraid of a good fight with the forces of Bush Republicanism.

Senator Feingold has immediately become the Democrat to beat in the 2008 Democratic Presidential Primaries because of his leadership and courage on issue after issue. Will the timid nature of the other Democratic Presidential hopefuls completely doom their campaigns before they even make official announcements of candidacy?

A BUZZFLASH GUEST CONTRIBUTION

Stephen Crockett is co-host of Democratic Talk Radio.