Breaking: Russ Feingold is not running for President

[Perky]

http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FEINGOLD_PRESIDENT?SITE=CATOR&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2006-11-12-07-02-08


MILWAUKEE (AP) -- U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold has decided against seeking the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, saying he wanted to focus on his work in the Senate.

In a letter posted on his political action committee's Web site, Feingold said he was excited that Tuesday's elections gave Democrats control of both chambers of Congress, giving them the chance to "undo much of the damage that one-party rule has done to America."

"We can actually advance progressive solutions to such major issues as guaranteed health care, dependence on oil and our unbalanced trade policies," he wrote.

Feingold, 53, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel he realized he would be a long-shot candidate in a bid for the presidency.

He said running as an underdog appealed to him, but not the way it would "dismantle" his work in the Senate and his personal life.

An outspoken opponent of the Iraq war, the Patriot Act and other Bush administration policies, Feingold had formed his PAC, the Progressive Patriots Fund, and visited key presidential primary states such as Iowa and New Hampshire.

Still, he said he started the process more predisposed against a run than for it.

[Nimrod2005]

1. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[Jeanette in FL]

2. He could always be tapped for Vice President

by Al Gore. That would be another winning combo for me.

I think he is making a wise choice at this juncture.

[Perky]

3. I actually saw this coming

Rudd is an insuregent and its hard tun that typ pf campaign then your party is in power and the president is a lame duck

[Botany]

4. HMMMM do I hear wedding bells?

[BootinUp]

5. Feingold not participating in '08 is a loss.

He would have added an important message and had a good effect overall on the primary.

[MessiahRp]

6. Damn that sucks...

Think of this....

Out of the thusfar mentioned Presidential candidates from the Senate only Feingold and Obama were against the war and Obama plays both sides so effectively that he has generally aligned himself with the same people Hillary has.

Not exactly the choice we're looking for at a time when everyone is completely against this war.

If Kerry drops out and Gore chooses to never run, I'm not going to be very thrilled with our field at all.

Rp

[BootinUp]

8. only Feingold and Obama

were against the war?

Clark was one of the most outspoken on avoiding a war in Iraq.

[wellstone dem]

10. and Clark

nt

[MessiahRp]

15. Read my statement... I said Senatorial candidates...

I didn't state Clark because he wasn't one.

Rp

[BootinUp]

18. Oh, terribly sorry. And why is that such an important

distinction?

Obama was not a Senator when the vote was taken, and neither was Gore.

[MessiahRp]

19. Important because they will be frontrunners automatically

The Senate provides them with daily press coverage that Gore or Clark will not have.

Rp

[blm]

13. Kerry's not dropping out - I'm sure he's looking forward to the debates as we all are.

Except maybe those who have been trying to manipulate their way to be on stage unopposed.

Heh

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

14. But the candidate doesn't have to be a Senator.

In fact, it's better if he/she isn't. It's too bad Feingold won't be a candidate -- I like him a lot -- but there are some very good non-Senator candidates out there, like Wes Clark, who don't have a voting record that can be used against them.

[Ian David]

7. Mark Dayton for President in 2008?

The National Journal also has compiled a ranking of the top ten liberals in the Senate according to lifetime voting record. Neither Kerry nor Edwards is on the list:

National Journal: Most liberal senators, lifetime voting
1. Mark Dayton, D-Minn.
2. Paul Sarbanes, D-Md.
3. Jack Reed, D-R.I.
4. Jon Corzine, D-N.J.
5. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass.
6. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif.
7. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa
8. Richard Durbin, D-Ill.
9. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J.
10. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt

More:
http://mostliberalsenator.blogspot.com/

[wellstone dem]

9. As a Minnesotan, I can say

Mark Dayton is not a viable candidate. He would have been hard-pressed to win in Minnesota because the media would have gone in for the kill.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

12. I concur.

Dayton turned out to be a disappointment in many ways. I would not support him as a presidential candidate (not that he's ever indicated he'd run). He's been inconsistent on some important issues, and he's not a good speaker.

[Dudley_DUright]

11. Russ Feingold has a personal statement about this posted at Daily Kos

Dear Friends and Supporters,

On Sunday, November 12th in Racine, I will hold my 1000th Listening Session with the people of Wisconsin. Before reaching that milestone, I want you to know that I've decided to continue my role as Wisconsin's Junior Senator in the U.S. Senate and not to seek the Democratic nomination for President in 2008.

more...

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/11/12/8554/2518

[ulysses]

16. I'm ok with him continuing his work in the Senate.

Still sucks, though.

[Beelzebud]

17. I wonder if the beltway insiders (carville and crew) still think censure was for political posturing

When Senator Feingold introduced the radical idea of holding this administration to account for their crimes against the constitution, he was poo-poo'd by every D.C. insider in the country. They all said he was doing it for political ambitions in 2008.

Everyone who said that can now FUCK OFF.