Russ Feingold in 2008

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

Has Feingold specifically said that he doesn't ever plan on running for President?  Has anyone asked?

If there is one left-liberal in the country who could take the White House, it's probably Russ.  He is a brilliant campaigner, charismatic, attractive, upbeat, intelligent, and debates very well.  He also has a reputation as a independent that sits very well with voters.

It will be interesting to see how he handles the second-term Bush judicial appointees.  If he continues to participate in Operation Judge-Block, combined with his vote on partial-birth abortion this will kill him.  But if he can build up his reputation as an independent, bipartisan unity-builder, he's got a shot.

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

Feingold as Dem nominee - almost as good as a Dean or Hillary nomination. 

He isn't any more liberal (well, ok, maybe a bit), and he doesn't carry anywhere near the personal baggage of either.  He's a liberal, without all of the negative stuff that most people associate with liberals.  Heck, I know a lot of Republicans who love the guy.  He's someone who is at once left-wing enough to win the Democratic nomination and broadly appealing enough to win the nation.

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

If he runs he’ll probably fight Dean for the Liberal vote in the primaries and I’d expect him to win that contest, however while he might do well in Iowa and New Hampshire he will find it next to impossible to win or even do well in the Southern Primaries.   

He'd crush Dean, for one and only one reason: Democrats want to win the Presidency in the worst way, and Dean can't win.  LibDems aren't going to touch him with a 10ft pole.

While Feingold would lose big in SC and on Southern Tuesday, he'd do fantastic in Iowa, New Hampshire, Michigan, and Arizona (of course).  Which would carry momentum into the first Super Tuesday.

Feingold's biggest obstacle: money.  He's got to raise it fair and square, which means he'll need a nationwide, grassroots effort.  Once he gets enough delegates, though, the money will start to snowball.

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

The possibility of the Dem nomination going down to two of my favourite Senators is a pleasing one :-)

I for one would MUCH rather have Bayh than Feingold.  I am much closer to Bayh on the issues.

Although a President from Middleton would be kinda neat.

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

Has Feingold specifically said that he doesn't ever plan on running for President?  Has anyone asked?

If there is one left-liberal in the country who could take the White House, it's probably Russ.  He is a brilliant campaigner, charismatic, attractive, upbeat, intelligent, and debates very well.  He also has a reputation as a independent that sits very well with voters.

It will be interesting to see how he handles the second-term Bush judicial appointees.  If he continues to participate in Operation Judge-Block, combined with his vote on partial-birth abortion this will kill him.  But if he can build up his reputation as an independent, bipartisan unity-builder, he's got a shot.

Feingold is a goddamned fascist.  Like McCain. 

I understand and appreciate why you feel the way you do about Feingold (I don't like anti-speech laws either), but I must point out the ultimate irony in calling the only Senator to vote against PATRIOT a "fascist."

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

anti-speech, ban on raves, gun control, hate crimes, etc. etc.

just a little to authoritarian for my tastes, I guess.  but I'll concede that fascist is a bit harsh, because, on the other hand, he is against increased penalties for drug offenses, against federal marriage definition, and has been supportive of abortion rights, guantanamo bay detainees rights, various civil liberties,  etc. 

I apologize to you and to him.

No need to apologize to me.  I just have a well-tuned irony detector :-).

And hate-crime laws are also fascist, I agree.

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

Feingold would be a great nominee for the Democrats.  Probably the most progressive candidate who has any chance to actually win.

He's probably the only left-liberal in Washington of any stature who doesn't inspire nationwide disdain, ala Ted Kennedy, Barbara Boxer, Nancy Pelosi, etc.  His real advantage is that, despite his leftism, he's still seen as an independent and a maverick - in the same way that McCain, despite his rightism, is seen as an independent and a maverick.  No one is going to use the phrase "Russ Feingold and his liberal buddies in Congress."

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

Feingold would be a great nominee for the Democrats.  Probably the most progressive candidate who has any chance to actually win.

But he won't get nominated, thankfully because much as i respect the guy he's too liberal on the issues of "God Guns and Gays"... I'm already backing Bayh for the nomination... let battle comence.     

I support Bayh as well, although for now I'm keeping my "dream ticket" displayed in my sig. :-)

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

Pro-choice groups do have powerful grass-roots organizations that could mobilize against Bayh.  In the general election he would lose their organization as well, but not to an opponent.

It would be something that would be thrown at him, but he could probably overcome it, the thing is his views on abortion are very much in line with the majority of Americans view that abortion should remain legal but with strict restrictions and the banning of procedures like partial birth abortion... the good thing about Bayh is he'd drive Dean crazy  

In 1992 where a lot of anti-death penalty groups very opposed to Clinton?

People don't feel nearly as strongly about the death penalty as they do about abortion.  On either side of the issue.  It's rarely a litmus test for anybody.  Al Gore was also pro-death penalty and you heard nothing about it.

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

I'm convinced that the Evangelicals would show up against to vote against Feingold even if Bush doesn't fight his pro-life fight.

If you think that most Evangelicals would vote against someone simply for being Jewish, then you don't understand Evangelicals.  Evangelicals don't vote based on whether the candidate has the same religious views.  They vote based on whether the candidate has the same moral views.  Given a pro-life, anti-gay-marriage Jewish candidate, and a pro-choice, pro-gay-marriage Baptist candidate, the Evangelicals will break for the Jew 10:1.

Feingold would lose the Evangelical vote because he's a social liberal, not because he's Jewish.  Lieberman, for example, would do very well if he ran against someone like Rudy Giuliani or Arlen Spechter.