When Chris Dodd pulled out of the presidential race, he promised to keep up the good fight on the FISA bill and filibuster it if it contained retroactive immunity for telecoms. For showing this leadership, there was an outcry from the netroots to support Dodd as Majority Leader. Unfortunately, that support from the electorate (I mean, how dare he listen to the people who put him in office? The nerve!) as well as his continued pledge to filibuster the FISA bill is making Chris Dodd a very isolated person within his caucus. Per Roll Call (subscription req’d):
(D)uring his campaign for the presidency, Dodd chose to focus much of his time and energy on foreign policy issues and became an outspoken critic of President Bush’s wiretapping programs, going so far as to filibuster a compromise Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act reauthorization because of privacy concerns.
That prompted some private complaints from Democrats, who felt Dodd should have focused more on core issues under his committee’s jurisdiction, particularly when the foreclosure crisis began to heat up last fall. Party leaders were reportedly unhappy with the fact that Dodd did not spend more time personally working on the mortgage legislation his committee produced and which Sen. Charles Schumer ( D-N.Y.) ultimately helped shepherd out of the chamber.
And while some hard feelings may remain, Dodd is set on hitting the ground running in terms of his committee work this year, planning an aggressive agenda that will feed into the party’s broader economic efforts, aides said.[..]
Democrats said the FISA fight - which could come in the first week or two of the new session - may be an early test of whether Dodd’s presidential campaign has caused any significant strains in his relationships with colleagues.
One senior Democratic aide said that while some Democrats could have been irked in the heat of the moment, most understand it is the nature of presidential campaigning for candidates to tackle hot-button issues and to rely heavily on veteran staff for day-to-day work in the Senate.
“I think it’s too early to say” whether there are any hard feelings, the Democratic aide said. “But I think you could term it as a key few months for him” in terms of his reintegration into the Caucus. “It will be interesting to watch when he returns,” the aide said.
For those not fluent in DC passive-aggressive speak, allow me to translate the “anonymous Democratic aide” for you: “okay, we know you needed to do something to stand out from the pack during your campaign, but now you need to get in line, or you’ll find yourself at odds with your caucus.” That’s right…the Senate Democratic leadership doesn’t like it when you step away from their agenda of signing off on every one of Bush’s threatened vetoes and take a stand. Look at the telecom donations and see if you see some familiar names.
Dodd needs our support. I’ve been in contact with his team and they want responses from citizens that they can show his staff as well as others to let them know that we have Dodd’s back to continue this fight. Please contact Sen. Dodd or leave a comment on this thread supporting his leadership.
PFAW also has ways you can get involved to fight telecom immunity.
UPDATED: ThinkProgress has White House spokesperson Tony Fratto’s hysterical fear mongering designed to corner the Senate into passing the FISA law with the immunity:
“We’re exactly three weeks away,” he said, “from the date when terrorists can be free to make phone calls without fear of being surveilled by U.S. intelligence agencies”.
You know this kind of scare tactic is Harry Reid’s Achilles heel, he’s petrified to look soft on “terra”, so your support of Dodd is even more crucial.
No Trackbacks To “Dodd Facing Fight Within His Caucus on FISA“
Too bad we couldn’t get Dodd for the WH.
Dodd for Senate President!
(or what ever Reids job is)
http://www.wqad.com/Global/link.asp?L=259460
I received this link from a friend — it permits individuals to assess presidential candidates. To my surprise, Chris Dodd (according to this) would have been my number 1 choice were he still in the race.
I have a lot of respect for Dodd and what he did a few weeks back. Our “democratic” leadership has failed us time and time again. How joyful we all were back when we found out dems would be taking control IN BOTH HOUSES. And how our joys have been dashed. It showed us all party means little because of the golden rule - those who have the gold rule.
The people are meaningless. If anyone cared about our people we’d have the entire Congress working to kill NAFTA and other such attacks on labor and the middle class. That’s why this Obama / Hillary fight is so important. It is mostly symbolic as Obama wouldn’t be that much of a change, but we need to cut Hillary down to show the establishment that we aren’t going to take their crap and fall in line anymore.
We need someone like FDR right about now.
the leadership makes me sick. They are front men for corporations and they use Bernaysian propaganda techniques to lull us to sleep with promises they have no intention of keeping
Good to see the one party state is alive and well.
“Hi, I’m Tony Fratto, fucking liar, damn glad to meet ya.”
Mucking out the putrid stalls of the banking industry is obviously a higher priority than protecting the constitution!
I’d like to know who it is that is supposedly telling him to get back “in line”. Give us some names and phone numbers so we can bombard their offices with complaints to stop interfering and get behind him in support - or get voted out next election.
This crap is ridiculous.
In other news on NBC Nightly News tonight Mike Huckabee says “I believe it’s easier to change the Constitution than it is to change the word of God”
I’ve just written.
No one, including the government is above the law. If the country is put in danger by our seeking justice and adherence to our laws, so be it.
Better to die upholding your principles, then to live and have none.
You’d never guess that Tony Fratto came from the Rick Santorum School of Insipidness….never.
Excellent post Nicole.
We know they will cave, though. Only a matter of time.
If Dodd doesn’t fulfill his promise and get the political backing he needs we might as well fold up our tent and go home. 66 percent of American disapprove of Bush, 77 percent believe the country is on the wrong track. If that ain’t handing the Dems a silver platter for the taking, I don’t know what is. How can they just let this opportunity go by?
They already use unity and will vote with the gop.
This will prove it again.
The unity crap is already in play.
Sen. Dodd is the only Dem candidate that I’ve donated to so far because he was the ONLY one to actually stand in the Senate and fight for the law and the Constitution. Clinton didn’t, Obama didn’t and the Republicans to a man are infinitely contemptible.
The Senate and the House Dems have caved consistently to pressure from the minority party, ignoring their clear mandate as well as the rule of law.
I am registered as an Independent. I used to be a Democrat. I might be again someday.
But not as long as the leadership consists of Republican-Lite ass kissers: Harry Reid, Rahm Emmanuel, and yes, “impeachment is off the table” Nancy Pelosi. - clear the bastids out!
Senator Dodd,
Please have more faith in the peoples intelligence than the Democratic leadership seems to have.
We don’t fall for the fear-mongering.
We won’t think Dems are weak on terrorism, if they take a stand for the laws of the land.
I wrote to Senator Dodd (again). Thanks for the heads up.
Chris Dodd is fighting for our Constitutional rights, even when Americans (and apparently his colleagues) do not understand the importance of that fight.
Please help inform those around you, before this too slips through our grasps.
Thanks for the great work you have done and continue to do. I supported you when you ran and support you still. I for one and pushing for you to be a vp candidate due to your hard work on FISA. If party leadership will not back you do to BRIBES. Screw them. they will be voted out due to criminality soon enough
Well, Senator Dodd has my support and will hear from me. So will other leading Democrats about FISA, particularly those who want to pass the bill giving the telecoms immunity. He needs to tell them that he’s working with and for the American people on a Constitutional matter that the Bush administration has violated and to just back off. What tacky tactics to tell him he has to toe the party line.
It’s time to identify ALL Democrats who are willing to let America fall into ruin and tell them you’re going to work against their re-election and work for someone who respects Americans. That obsequious wimp, Harry Reid, makes me sick. And we thought they represented us when we voted for them in 2006. Fortunately, as we’ve seen, there is a movement to get the kowtowing rightwing Democrats out of office, and there are some Democratic candidates already identified to replace them.
In the meantime, C&L, keep us informed about what else we can do as an army behind Senator Dodd. I’m so glad you didn’t let the FISA fight fall through the cracks, which would have been easy enough with all the campaign hullabaloo going on.
So, as far as the democratic “leadership” is concerned, Dodd’s fight against the FISA bill was all politics and campaigns and, “well Chris, now that you’re no longer running for something, aren’t there more important things to do? Who gives a shit about FISA, anyway!”
Again, pardon me. Just thinking on this induces more dry heaves.
No retroactive immunity. You break the law, then there should be consequences. that’s the point of checks and balances. If not Dodd then who?
Go Dodd!
Senator Dodd, just remember that the FBI didn’t pay their wiretapping phone bills last week. The phone companies cut them off. Whenever anyone gives you crap about towing the party line, just say, and repeat, “the phone companies cut off the wiretaps” when the bills weren’t paid.
Dodd says and does what many Democrats are looking for. Unless the other Dem’s “get in line” they may find themselves out in the cold. Is the way new parties have developed over the history of our country? Gotta go read up on my U.S History to see how its done. I am ripe for another choice-the Republicans are despicable and the Democrats are deplorable. Doesn’t leave much left, does it?
We won Round 1 in December. We will win Round 2 and go for the knockout next.
You need to do more than simply write comments on C&L.
You need to place comments on other messageboards. Especially on those of your hometown newspapers. We need to get even more people involved and aware.
You need to call radio shows, especially local ones and get others to support Dodd and save the 4th amendment.
You need to talk to your friends and relatives and get them involved.
We did a great job before, but we need to do even MORE this time.
If we do we can WIN and defeat the telcos. and corrupt politicians.
1-800-828-0498 (Wash. switchboard, ask to be connected to any Senator/Congressperson.)
Call OFTEN!!
There are very few leaders left in this country…at least inside the beltway. Senator Dodd is one of the few still standing. Why telecom immunity is even being discussed is beyond me. The rule of law is all that protects us.
No taxation without representation.
I haven’t had representation in D.C. for 7 years.
No retroactive immunity. Please Senator Dodd let them know we as Americans still care for law and order. Corporations are not above the law.
I’m telling you they’re all in this together, Reid, pelosi, rahm emmanuel. Democracy is dead in America, Long live plutocracy!
Once again, I challenge the Hillary and Barack supporters.
Call your candidate and URGE them to return to D.C. to support Chris Dodd in his filibuster. Not only can they help save the 4th amendment but it might get them a few votes from the left wing which is largely undecided. It might be enough to put them over the top.
But the great benefit of Hillary and/or Barack returning to Washington is that the media will follow them. The public will learn of this great Constitutional fight and become involved and engaged.
Remember, in December, when we won Round 1 of the filibuster there was a MEDIA BLACKOUT on the story. They want to keep most of Americans ignorant of the fact that their 4th amendment right’s are being ripped away from them. We must make as much noise as possible!
Again, I beg of you Hillary and Barack supporters, get you candidate to return to Washington to support Chris Dodd when the filibuster begins! We need all the help we can get.
Thank you to Sen. Dodd.
He acted in the only way a patriot should.
It was shocking to see that in december he stood
alone against the inertia destroying our democracy.
We must make the Democrats who think they can
betray our democracy fear for their jobs.
I would have voted for Chris in today’s Michigan primary if he hadn’t dropped out after Iowa solely because of the FISA legislation — he’s the only person in the senate who seems to be able to see reason and stand up to the bullying of the Bush Administration.
Kudos to Sen. Dodd for his stand against granting immunity to the telephone companies that cooperated with the Illegal wiretapping program. We cannot allow any further high crimes to go unpunished. The majority of the country is behind you!
dodd and wexler will both fold. this administration will not be held to account.
Is “surveilled” a word? Not even the spell checker likes it.
Senator Dodd. Thank you for standing up for the law. Without it our country will go straight to Hell. You know it. I know it, and hopefully a few million more people know it.
You do America proud, sir.
jesus zimmerman @ 36:
I don’t think either one will fold. They may lose, but they aren’t likely to fold.
Why the HELL does it take so much energy to get Congress to do what it’s supposed to do? It’s like pushing that boulder uphill.
Just sent this to Dodd:
Thank you, Senator Dodd, for your courage in leading the fight against retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies in the FISA legislation. When most of our elected Democrats seem content to fold in the face of the Bush administration’s fear-mongering assault on our civil liberties, you stood up against a blatant misuse of power and showed us what a real profile in courage looks like. Please don’t give up the fight!
time to change from the bottom up. support actblue’s effort to fund good candidates, who are beholden to noone except the electorate that thinks the constitution is worth giving up your job for. pelosi? reid?
actblue also gives you information about the candidates so you can determine who to support without msm censorship and stupid questions.
Dodd is one of the ‘Good Guys’.
It’s too damned bad he couldn’t make it over the ridiculous ‘celebrity hurdle’ we ignorant members of the body politic set for our presidential candidates. No wonder they pay no attention to ’substantial issues’, we’re their role models, and we’re a bunch of asses.
We ought to be damned glad we have folks like Dodd working in our interests.
if any of the democratic party in congress votes yes to giving immunity to the telecoms, then they need to be moved to gitmo and be blown up in the facilities as gavel has stated he would do on the day of his inauguration.
this corporate suck-ass entrenched bastard congress need to face the fatal consequences to their jobs for giving criminals working with and for the bush/cheney administration
whatever you want. email addresses, phone numbers etc etc ….please GOD just don’t give in to retroactive immunity for the telecoms and if you want Pelosi’s job? You have my FULL support!!!!!!!
I’ve been trying to cut Pelosi some slack for ever……….but 20 grand?…..ugh…she needs to go..Durbin too……………why am I gettin the feelin we’ve been had………….(don’t answer that….and if you must…….try to be kind)……..fuck.
I hope Dodd sticks to his guns………….he should be the nominee.
I just went to Senator Dodd’s website and left him a message thanking him for standing up for what’s left of Democracy. It only took a couple of minutes and I think letting him know that his efforts are appreciated is the least we can do.
I was one of the many netroot supporters to donate due to his stand on FISA. He had guts, I hope he still does.
Senator Dodd,
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your principled stand regarding the issue of Telecom Immunity. Please keep up the good fight and stand up to the so-called Democratic Leadership that is apparently willing to sell out our civil rights and liberties in the face of fascist fear mongering.
Judge Dan Haywood’s (played by Spencer Tracy) speech at the end of the movie Judgement at Nuremburg that applies so much today:
There are those in our own country too who today speak of the “protection of country” — of “survival.” A decision must be made in the life of every nation at the very moment when the grasp of the enemy is at its throat. Then, it seems that the only way to survive is to use the means of the enemy, to rest survival upon what is expedient — to look the other way.
Well, the answer to that is “survival as what?” A country isn’t a rock. It’s not an extension of one’s self. It’s what it stands for. It’s what it stands for when standing for something is the most difficult!
Please do not give into either the weak-kneed Democratic Leadership or the fear-mongering criminal element of the Bush Administration.
Your consideration is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Andy Kasehagen
Albuquerque, New Mexico
It is a total shame that Chris Dodd is having to fight the DEMOCRATS for the American people. What did we get when we gave the democrats the majority????? It seems like we got republicans in whiny clothing!!!!
How much money have the telephone companies bribed the democrats with? These are criminals. They broke the law, and they are trying to bribe lawmakers into giving them immunity!!!! And by the way, they put the lie to their defense of only trying to be patriotic, when they shut down the surveillance because the government didn’t pay their phone bill!!!
The Senate has no business trying to give immunity to anyone for crimes that have been committed. If the telephone companies truly believe they committed no crime then let them say so in an open court!!! Just like every other accused criminal. We used to be a country of laws, now it seems we are a country of bribes and corruption, just like so many other third world countries.
Of course Reid & Pelosi are on the list of people who’ve taken contributions from telecoms. I hope when they go down, its because they’re involved in a scandal picked up by federal wiretapping. Assholes.