I don't know where the democrats get the impression that Mukasey is any better than Gonzales. He IS Gonzales II. And one more thing about Feinstein. She has a history of being the last hold out on votes that would seem to be a no-brainer going back as far as 2002. So hopefully it doesn't come to that for something as significant as this. For all her progressive and feminist posturing, she votes with the right on issues like these way too much.

This administration does not need an AG, so why is this so hard? W has admitted, through numerous signing statements, that he doesn't have to follow the law. To him and Cheney and their followers, it really doesn't matter what this or that legal professional thinks about this or that legal issue. The ends, always, justify the means it seems. Therefore, vote for him and give W some 'cover' so that the Right can say, see, there are differences of opinion here (which there really aren't except amongst the ill-informed, those that don't care and paid pundits. Or don't vote for him, and W still might get him through a recess appointment. That is, unless, Harry's bought some cots for the Holidays.

In the end this is all diversion. Come recess, M's the new AG. Who wants to go out and play?

"He may be the best nominee we can get from this administration in this respect."

Shorter Feiny: I guess since all they'll give us is garbage, we'd better just eat it. Better to accept trash than go a little hungry.

These clowns are unreal.

Why would Bush nominate anybody who hasn't shown a willingness to lie to Congress when called upon to do so... they don't exist in the Bush party...

What reason would any person have for thinking that a Bush selected nominee would stand by his word...

it is a fools paradise...

"We need an Attorney General who will tell the President that he must abide by statutes enacted by Congress, and who will not equivocate on an issue as fundamental as torture. I will consider these and other issues as I weigh my vote.” Feingold dixit.

OK, Russ...so what's holding you???
Isn't it OBVIOUS that this guy is NOT a guy who would "tell the President that he must abide by statutes enacted by Congress"?
Isn't it SCREAMING IN YOUR FACE that he is he is NOT a guy who "will not equivocate on an issue as fundamental as torture" as shown by his testimony and letter to the SJC?

What else do you need to make up your mind? Ask Chuck Shumer??? Talk to your Rabbi, next time you stop by the temple???? Consult with the board of AIPAC???

I thought you were decent but you fooled me, Russ...(sort of what Mukasey did to Schumer...!)
Schlemiel vs. Schlemazl like you guys like to say...

Contact Sen. Charles Schumer at (202) 224-6542.

Contact Sen. Diane Feinstein at (202) 224-3841.

Contact Sen. Russ Feingold at (202) 224 5323

The issue is not what Mukasey the man or Mukasey the judge would do. It was what Attorney General Mukasey would do. Scott Horton and Marty Lederman point out that those are two very different things.

If getting or keeping his job requires a pledge of no special/independent counsel to investigate ANY administration wrongdoing, if he is allowed only to fix relatively minor matters going forward, that is worse than no AG at all.

It cements over the past, making it appear there was no wrongdoing, while making only modest and peripheral improvements. Meanwhile, the evidence and nightsweats over prosecution and conviction grow stale and cold. That's just another form of immunity to which the Senate should not grant its consent.

Well, it's all over. Feinstein and Schumer just said they will vote yes. Sign

The only way to get the message to these folks is to stop contributing. If its a choice between having a Dem and having a Rep in office, I'll vote for the Dem every time. But until they stand up to Bush or, better yet, put impeachment back on the table where it belongs, they are not getting another dime. Until they give me a reason, I'm not giving any money.

I, too, have contributed to the Progressive Patriots fund. I have a lot of respect for Russ Feingold. I'm not sure why he's hedging, but I will withold judgement until I see what he actually does. If he caves on this, then that will change my view of him.

I can still contribute to Al Franken's Midwest Values PAC. They supported a lot of true progressives in the last cycle. I spent more of my money donating directly to some of the best candidates myself.

I long ago swore off the DCCC and the DSCC and the DLC and the rest of the establishment Democratic party groups.

We need to change the party from within, or start our own. (I don't plan to ever vote for a Green party candidate, by the way.)

-- ARG

When the chips are down, Senators Schumer and Feingold have shown their true patriotism and integrity. They are going to vote as AIPAC which is run by Zionist spies tells them how to.

Why not make Mukasey appoint a special prosecutor to see if war crimes have been committed? This would ease your conscience forever, and it would avoid a recess appointment by Bush and keep us from being a nation that is despised because we torture. This guy looks like he does not mind torture. I recall a report that someone tortured who appeared before him with a shirt on was not examined. Mukasey said, "He looks fine to me," or some such. I don't think he will uphold the Geneva Conventions; I don't think he will insist that the president follow the law. I think he'll be what he seems to be: whatever the administration wants.

Al in Austex, I hope you're right. It's been a bad week, er, month, er, year, er...

"Come on people, Senator Feingold has proven many times he legislates with a high standard of integrity."

And now he has proven that sometimes he does not.

Evidently, the blackmail was: if you don't approve Mukasey. I'll recess appoint someone you really hate.
The problem is if congress won't stand up to bushs' lawlessness, who will?
We are under siege and in desperate need of a hero. Haven't seen one riding out of the democrats camp.
And I agree with upstream comments, no money to anyone in a party that is satisfied with status quo.

KYJurisDoctor: Your link mainly references a floor speech by Mitch McConnell. That doesn't count for much in these here parts.

Feingold has announced at an event in Madison today that he will NOT vote for Mukasey. Not that it will make a difference in the outcome, but he gets to keep my respect

In the interest of accuracy, I think the following link is the original source for this story:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/11/3/183754/078

Again, you should be able to click my name above to go there.

-- ARG

Feingold is pathetic. First he stalls until some other Democrats cave, then he comes out all "courageous". He is a total coward on this issue. Schumer and Feinstein are definitely sell outs, but Feingold is just plain a coward. Too bad. But what have we come to expect from Democrats?

It's the Jews stupid. I will never vote for anyone that supports Israel or is Jewish again, period.

I'd like to remind everyone that Feingold has betrayed us over and over and over again.

He has continually voted in favor of every idiot political hack this administration has sent before his committee.

He is the accidental hero of the Democratic Party because he "accidentally" voted against the Patriot Act.

Let me explain: He has said he voted against it because he read it. A cute line, to be sure. But think about what that means.

I believe ANY Dem who actually read the Patriot Act would have voted against it. He admits that he doesn't read every piece of legislation, but he decided to read this one.

But, isn't READING THE DAMN LEGISLATION the job of our elected officials?

Therefore, he's being called a hero because he ACTUALLY DID HIS DAMN JOB this one time.

The rest of the time he has spent undermining Progressive ideals and promoting his own image.

He's a piker and he needs to go. And, yes, I'm a Democrat.