Check out this cool-kid dismissal of Senator Dodd's FISA hold --

[DeepModem Mom]

WP: The Trail: A Daily Diary of Campaign 2008
Dodd Makes Play on FISA Legislation

Here's a first for a Senate presidential candidate: blocking a bill that doesn't exist yet.

Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.) announced in a breathless press release this afternoon that he would block the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) "from being considered by the full Senate and from receiving a vote on the Senate floor." The statement came as the Senate Intelligence Committee met to consider the legislation -- and weeks before it is likely to reach the floor....

***

The rhetoric got hotter with every paragraph. "It is unconscionable that such a basic right has been violated, and that the president is the perpetrator," Dodd said. "I will do everything in my power to stop Congress from shielding this President's agenda of secrecy, deception, and blatant unlawfulness."

Assuming the bill clears the intelligence panel, where debate continued this evening, the next stop is the Senate Judiciary Committee, where it could well run into problems. Assuming all goes smoothly, the legislation could hit the floor in mid-November, although senior Senate aides said late November or early December is a more likely time frame.

Whenever that big day comes, Dodd -- as the keeper of the "hold" -- must return from the campaign trail to officially block debate on the bill. That entails standing around on the Senate floor, forcing procedural votes, avoiding the furious glares of colleagues who don't share the same concerns. The standard duration of such showdowns is about a week -- time that Dodd, who is trailing badly in early primary polls, can scarcely afford.

--Shailagh Murray

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2007/10/18/post_137.html

[wtmusic]

1. That does it for me.

Dodd for President. I'm donating to this man's campaign.

Enough of the wishy-washy crap.

[Rageneau]

2. Candidates who take courageous stands will be the ones we support.

And since we have several candidates whose campaigns are sinking at the moment, we may see even more bravery from some of them. When they get desperate enough, even long-time Democratic politicians can take a principled stand.

But only if they;re really desperate. Otherwise, business as usual.