What's up with Russ?

[Nipper1959]

In fact, while Feingold supports his fellow Democrat Barack Obama for president, he continues to express (when asked) his affection and admiration for McCain, even in ways that deviate from his party's core strategy against the Arizona Republican, which is to paint him as a clone of President Bush, and a "maverick no more."

Feingold calls McCain "very original" and a "maverick by nature." McCain's own TV ads call him the "original maverick."
http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0808/Russ_Feingold_not_making_life_easy_for_DNC.html#comments

What is wrong with him? McCain has openly thumbed his nose at the McCain/Feingold act regarding financing his campaign and has flip flopped on everything.

[saltpoint]

1. Feingold is savvy in the ways of Washington but retains a refreshing

and unpredictable independence from the crowd.

IMO that is in significant part what makes him such a terrific U.S. Senator.

[undeterred]

2. He doesn't have to be so damned congenial

during an election year. :grr:

[PeaceNikki]

3. Why not?

He's a very admirable and stand-up guy who knows that nastiness accomplishes nothing.

Good on him.

[undeterred]

5. Because his comments can be used in a McCain commercial,

that's why. We don't need to be giving them ammunition against Obama.

[hornblast]

4. even with his congeniality, Russ wondered if McCain's nastiness wouldn't backfire

Do recall that Feingold wondered if the nasty tone McCain's campaign has taken could backfire upon him. Feingold is realistic. He knew his famous CFR bill would take a long time to get through, and he knows his place in the Senate is important. (Read: not as VP.) He also sees McCain's bitter poison pill could hurt McCain in the end. And I believe he said he'd rather have President Obama. Journal Sentinel may have attempted to conceal that a bit, but that is my interpretation of the article.

[mojowork_n]

6. I'd almost want to think that's just The Journal, pandering to Waukesha County.

What's Russ supposed to say, when they ask him about someone he's always gotten along with?

Imaginary conversation:

("Why no, Craig, I used to think I knew John McCain very well, until it looked like his campaign was dead in the water, 8 or 9 months ago... Then, when he was hitch-hiking from airport to airport, without any money in his campaign to pay for airfare, he suddenly turned around and grabbed his ankles, coming out in support of the Bush tax cuts he'd always opposed, reversing his position on waterboarding and torture, and everything like that... and all of a sudden he was the shoo-in Republican nominee...by universal media acclamation... What can *you* tell me about that, Craig?")

Whoever assigned Craig Gilbert the story knew what they could expect.

I'm not going to be surprised, at all, when The Journal Sentinel endorses McCain. Articles like this one (or yesterday's "legislator's report card" from The Heritage Foundation, in the Crossroads section, or the constant stream of B.S. from their 'community columnists') are just another indicator that that's what they're going to do.

[undeterred]

7. Check for Feingold dating news at this link...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/11/were-hearing-at-huffpost_n_118139.html