Decision ‘08

Another One Bites The Dust

It’s the smartest move of his political career…Senator Russ Feingold, no doubt internalizing the push to the center that brought the Democrats back into Congressional power, has taken his hat out of the 2008 ring:

Feingold, 53, conceded that he faced long odds of winning the nomination.

“It would have required the craziest combination of things in the history of American politics to make it work,” he said.

But Feingold said waging an underdog campaign appealed to him. What didn’t appeal to him, he said, was “the way in which this effort would dismantle both my professional life (in the Senate) and my personal life. I’m very happy right now.”

Feingold had been publicly weighing a presidential bid since early 2005, forming a political action committee, traveling to key states such as New Hampshire and Iowa, and cultivating a more national constituency as an early and outspoken opponent of the Iraq war, the Patriot Act and other Bush administration policies.

The senator said Saturday that he went into that process with more of a predisposition against running than the other way around. Although Feingold’s political activity pointed in many ways toward a run, he was not traveling, fund raising or organizing with quite the same intensity as some potential candidates.

“I began with the feeling I didn’t really want to do this but was open to the possibility that getting around the country would make me want to do it. That never happened,” he said.

“People have always portrayed me as ambitious. I’m not ashamed of that.

“But I have never had a craving to be president of the United States. I used to say it when I was 5 or 7 years old. But I haven’t really been saying it as an adult,” said Feingold, who said he didn’t rule out running in the future.

Feingold’s thinking about the race crystallized in the last few weeks, he said. The Democratic takeover of Congress on Tuesday was a final factor because it added to the appeal of focusing entirely on his position in the Senate, he said.

Who will carry the ‘progressive’ banner in this election? Al Gore is no doubt licking his chops…

5 Responses to “Another One Bites The Dust”

1 Sean P Says:
November 12th, 2006 at 12:14 pm
I think its too bad he isn’t running. I wouldn’t vote for Feingold for President if he ran against Richard Nixon’s corpse, but unlike most of his compatriots, I don’t dislike him personally. Actually, he seems like a pretty likeable guy.
2 Kate Says:
November 12th, 2006 at 12:30 pm
“he seems like a pretty likeable guy”…. which tells me you’ve never met him…. he’s a smarmy little bastard. LOL
3 Dmac Says:
November 12th, 2006 at 12:37 pm
The hilarity that would doubtless ensue if Gore ran would be unbeatable. Have you seen the man these days? He would give Jabba the Hut a run for his money - his suits look like they came from Omar the Tentmaker.
4 Frank Says:
March 16th, 2007 at 2:02 pm
Likability? Character? Hairstyle!
Whatever is required for a candidate to win recent polls say that “character” is paramount. I will never meet Russ Feingold and have no basis to judge his “character.” Nor will any of you, I dare say.
I have, likewise, never met George Bush and yet I have met innumerable people who think they know him and “gosh darn it’ he’s “a lovin’ guy!”

I would vote for a day old crueller if it showed me true initiative.
5 Graham Gifford Says:
June 15th, 2007 at 1:16 am
russ feingold is the man.

he’s a maverick but he sure as hell isn’t Giuliani.

and he’s one of the few socialist-like thinkers we have in congress and damn it we need more. wisconsin can’t fight off selective justice and oppurtunity and health-care all by its lonesome.

and when Iraq was first coming around, Russ was the only lead guy who told all the democrats/the whole stupid congress what idiots they were. when the signing of people who opposed the war in Iraq took place, Russ was the first one to sign. and not only that, he didn’t walk up to the podium, he ran up to sign it. and damn it we need more people who are willing to be un-pc and say what they feel and not advertise to the american people like McCain or Obama or Giuliani with their “I have american values, I have children, I have morals blah blah blah.”

Russ Feingold says it like it is. He’s not gonna’ try and sneak your vote. he wants you to know he exactly where he stands outright and either have you agree or disagree, none of this both-sides-playing bull congress is so good at. damn it, we need more people like russ feingold. and I pray (not really, but I hope) he runs for president at some point in time ’cause I can tell you right now he has my vote.

hell, I’ll run to the polls.