I understand that Edwards is holed up today plotting strategy for Super Tuesday. He should know that leading this fight will get him a ton of earned media. If Obama ducks, it will be like voting "Present" in Illinois. Both Obama and Clinton have a lot of telecom money fueling their campaigns. If they are not willing to do what is right on this issue, they are conceding to Edwards on his special interest argument. If

Edwards leads, he wins whether or not they follow. He gets free media and if they follow, he gets credit. If they fail to act, he gets the issue.

Glenn,

Nothing, I mean nothing, makes my blood boil more than your reports on the Democratic leadership, specifically Harry Reid.

The battle we are fighting is hard enough against the Republicans, but then to have to turn around and fight the Democrats, it is maddening.

I've come to expect corruption from the Republicans, and I'm no democrat, but they were my last hope.

I know Feingold, et al read this site. I hope they make a stand.

More better democrats. Can't happen soon enough.

Thanks Glenn.

...as used in Glenn's sentence: "...because he [Reid] wants to pressure and shame Dodd, Feingold and any others who might support them out of filibustering telecom immunity and new warrantless eavesdropping powers."

That Mssrs. Dodd and Feingold might be shamed into abandoning their support for the rule of law (I was about to write principled support, but is the word "principled" really necessary?) is, one hopes, unthinkable. That Mr. Reid thinks he can shame anyone into abandoning support for the rule of law tells me everything I need to know about Mr. Reid and the status of the rule of law in the United States Congress.

any third party.

I have made a number of calls to the Senate today...led with Reid's office. The staffer tried to say that Reid has "stated publicly" that he is opposed to telecom immunity. I mentioned that his actions belie his words. Given the choice he's bringing the Intelligence bill to the floor with its noxious immunity provisions.

I am truly aghast at the Democratic Congressional majority and its failure to bring any kind of accountability to this administration. I remember back in the day when Impeachment wasn't on the table so that important Congressional work could be done without distraction...hasn't worked out so well.

What have we gotten instead of impeachment? Nada.

We have gotten:

Subpoenas only as a last resort, and then not followed up.

Revision of FISA to grant wide expansion in executive power.

Contemplating grant of immunity to telecoms.

Continued funding for war of aggression in Iraq.

From Matt Stoller at Open Left:

Credo Action (formerly Working Assets) has shut down the email servers of Presidential candidates John McCain, Barack Obama, and John Edwards by sending 56,325 emails based on this action alert yesterday on retroactive immunity. Meanwhile, Glenn Greenwald mocks Congressional Democrats for acting like losers, yet again, and allowing Bush to ignore their subpoenas with no consequences.

http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=3377

if any other senator is going to back Dodd on this besides Feingold? I'm composing an e-mail to Kennedy and Kerry now since they are my reps. I usually feel blessed to have them as my Senators- I'm hoping they don't let us down on this one.

January 23, 2008 9:11 AM

Huge Participation Brings Big Results

This is remarkable: CREDO Action members have sent so many emails to the presidential candidates in such a short period of time that we've shut down the Obama campaign's email servers!

At last count, over [strike]56,325[/strike] 68,421 emails have been sent through yesterday's action alert, which called upon presidential candidates and sitting Senators Hillary Clinton, John McCain and Barack Obama to leave the campaign trail and help stop retroactive immunity and bad FISA legislation from becoming law.

Don't let up now! We're making the people who want to be President know that we expect them to lead right now.

Keep the pressure on by emailing Senators Clinton, McCain, and Obama now, and telling your family and friends to do the same.

Click here to take action!

Matt Browner Hamlin helped lead the fight against telecom immunity as part of Senator Chris Dodd's presidential campaign. He has joined the CREDO Mobile team to stop the Bush administration's illegal wiretapping program and hold the telecom companies accountable for their lawbreaking.

RE: FISA Bill -- No Telcom Immunity

Dear Senator,

I am offended by Majority Leader Reid's admonition to the Senate that the FISA bill must get done this week in order not to inconvenience the schedules of elected officials. I quote: "We have to finish FISA this week. Everyone should be aware of that point. We have to finish it this week. I know there are important trips people want to take. We have the very important economic conference in Davos that Democrats and Republicans alike would like to go to.."

This bill does NOT need to get fnnished this week. No bill at all is better than this FISA bill. I urge you to support NO BILL that contains retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies. This is a bad bill that few Americans support. Please do not allow Majority Leader Reid to ram the FISA bill down the throats of the American People. Please support Senators Dodd and Feingold in their pledge to filibuster any FISA bill that does so.

Thank you.

Binx

This issue has consumed my entire morning. Started with a worthless phone call to Reid's Washington DC office, followed by writing an e-mail to Reid, followed by submitting a couple of posts to Glenn's blog, followed by reading Glenn's latest post, followed by this post. Obviously, Reid has already decided to re-introduce the IC bill, rather than the JC bill. GAGG!!!!

Once again I implore you to participate on the Senate floor if Chris Dodd is forced to filibuster the telecom immunity provision of the FISA bill. All three Democratic candidates have issued statements in support of this issue, but no one including yourself has shown a willingness to back that support with concrete action.

The poll results that the ACLU recently published make clear that this is a winning issue with the public at large.

How much more of a winning issue would it be among potential primary voters?