This time, Feingold is battling a Democrat in the White House

[a kennedy]

By Alexander Bolton

Sen. Russ Feingold has again staked out a lonely position on national security — but for the first time, he faces a fight with a Democratic president.

The Wisconsin senator is the only Democrat in the upper chamber to call on President Barack Obama to set a flexible timeline for withdrawing American troops from Afghanistan.

It is familiar territory for the liberal stalwart with a libertarian streak. He stood alone in the days after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the only senator to vote against a massive expansion of intelligence-gathering powers dubbed the Patriot Act. He was also the first senator to call for U.S. troops to leave Iraq in 2005.

The difference then was he was opposing President George W. Bush. Now he’s standing firm against a man whom he supported in the election — without any apologies.

“I just speak my mind, I call ’em as I see ’em,” Feingold told The Hill. “If something bothers me, I say it. I don’t wait for the water to be warm. If I think something’s wrong, I think it’s my job to identify it.”

This time around, he may have some company sooner.

On Sunday, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) called for the American mission in Afghanistan to be “time-limited” and said the administration should tell

Congress exactly when troops will return home. Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), John Kerry (D-Mass.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Bob Casey Jr. (D-Pa.) have signaled concerns that suggest they may join Feingold.

full article: <http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/58683-this-time-feingold-battles-a-dem-in-white-house>

[redqueen]

1. I wonder why more seem to be following Feinstein than Feingold.

Feinstein's 'exact' date seems less reasonable than Feingold's flexible timeline.

Odd.

[karynnj]

5. I read that as Feinstein (and the others) potentially joining Feingold

[redqueen]

8. Oops... you're right.

*d'oh*

[Greyhound]

2. K&R.

[dflprincess]

3. Apparently the author is having trouble grasping that Feingold has some principals

and he'll stick to them regardless of what party the president belongs to.

I'm also a bit confused by his saying Feingold has a "libertarian streak" if he's using Russ' vote against the Patriot Act as proof of that. Feingold made it clear he was voting against it because there had not been time to read it and he was concerned about what was in the bill. Being opposed to an expansion of government intelligence gathering when it involves methods like warrentless wire taps is hardly a position just Libertarians take.

[sybylla]

9. Good point.

I guess The Hill doesn't recognize a principled progressive legislator when they see one.

[redqueen]

4. I think this good news deserves a kick...

:kick:

[karynnj]

6. There will be hearings on Afghanistan tommorow and Thursday

On Wednesday, there is a look at three potential strategies. Thursday is called countering the threat of failure in Afghanistan. Kerry has expressed concerns to Clinton, both times she appeared before the SFRC and has had earlier hearings. He is going to be on NPR today.

Feingold is on the SFRC, so he likely will be at those hearings.

http://foreign.senate.gov/hearings/2009/hrg090916p.html
http://foreign.senate.gov/hearings/2009/hrg090917a.html

[TheKentuckian]

7. I'm not super caught up on timeline but DEMAND goals, objectives, and ways to mark progress (nt)