Feingold In 2008?

While some might say that Sen. Feingold is a left wing liberal, I think it is important to remember who elected him to the Senate. For those who don't live near or visit Wisconsin, outside of Milwaukee and Madison, the state is very conservative.

I have friends up in the Appleton and Green Bay area, and while they might be Packers fans and conservative, they are some of the most honest people around. And while their support for the war was strong in 2003, their support has wavered in the last year. But it is not just the war, it's the spending, the dishonesty, the size of the government and that the middle class is being left behind.

In front of the same group that wasn't happy with Hillary, Russ received a much warmer reception. Maybe even warmer than Kerry too.

(WaPo)Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold, a potential 2008 presidential candidate, received a raucous, enthusiastic greeting Wednesday from a liberal group as he criticized President Bush for the Iraq war and a secretive domestic wiretapping program.

The same crowd had booed Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., the presumed 2008 front-runner, a day earlier for opposing a set date for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq.

Feingold was the first senator to call for a timetable to bring back troops, a popular position at the Take Back America conference.

I know some of my friends on the right think a timetable is a bad idea, and I would agree that a public date would be a bad idea. However, for people within the Sit Room, the select committee members and our "coalition of the willing", shouldn't there be a timetable?

Another thing that I strongly agree with Sen. Feingold on is not sitting back and let the Republicans fail. Rather take it to them.

"They got it wrong in Iraq," Feingold said to applause. "Iraq was a mistake."

And he reiterated a theme he's made in recent speeches, exhorting Democrats to show some backbone. Everywhere he goes, Feingold said, people ask him the same question: "When are you guys going to stand up?"

"There will not be progressive change in this country this year or any other year if we think we can win by default, or by running out the clock," he said.

I couldn't agree more. And he is one of the few Democrats that actually votes what he feels is right, not what is popular. If we win or lose, let it be on what we believe, not what looks good at the moment. It's like a line that was in West Wing, A French man was looking out the window at the people running down the street and asked, where are they going, I must lead them! That is following not leadership.