Would you support a senator who said this?

[whometense]

I was really struck at the meeting we had before when Senator Voinovich stopped the proceedings, rewrote the script, based on his conscience. I mean, he just sat up and said, I'm uncomfortable with this.

And lo and behold, people were amazed: Washington was amazed. The country was amazed. And I was amazed that everybody was amazed. Because what is going on that a senator doesn't act according to script, acts according to conscience, and everybody is taken aback? I think Senator Chafee said, This is the first time this has happened in the four years I've been here. Well, then, something is wrong with here, not with Senator Voinovich.

And I was struck that he was set upon by certain automatic forces in the country that are then unleashed to vilify him for acting as a senator ought to act.

When I first came here, that's the way almost everybody did. That's the way it worked. And we shouldn't be so amazed that somebody in fact stops and thinks about something and responds according to their conscience.

[Vickers]

1. I would, but I'm bracing myself for the O. Henry ending

:P

[whometense]

2. Hopin' for a few more comments

before I spill...;-)

[KC21304]

3. My guesses would be

Luger, Hagel. None of the other Republicans have been on the Foreign Relations Committe long enough to remember doing something according to conscience.

Now if we are talking about a Democrat, could be Biden,Sarbanes, Dodd,Kerry, Feingold,Boxer,

[cestpaspossible]

4. I love Kerry, but the irony

of talking about the 'forces... unleashed' against Voinovich after his effort to get his grass-roots supporters to pressure Chaffee was not lost on me...

[whometense]

8. I love Kerry too,

but I'm not sure I agree with your comment. The GOP attack machine was unleashing more than pressure on Voinovich; they unleashed smears.

Kerry's supporters were urged to pressure Chafee, not to slime him. Big difference, in my book.

[cestpaspossible]

10. I think you are reading sentiments into my comment that I didn't

express, and don't feel.

[whometense]

11. No big deal, really.

I am afraid, though, that Kos has hairtriggered my response time. I need a few days on a desert island, listening to Bach and reading Jane Austen. ;-)

[newsgatherer]

5. Why don't they switch?

What I cannot understand is why Senator Voinovich, Chaffee, Warner, Snowe and Collins just don't switch parties and become Democrats.

Esspecially after the base closing list yesterday. Why in the world would Snowe and Collins remain R's?

[nickgutierrez]

6. Who was it? n/t

[Emit]

7. Reid? n/t

[whometense]

9. Ok,

I'll spill. It was John Kerry. Anyone shocked?