WILL DODD SAVE THE REPUBLIC-- AND WHO WILL HELP?

Jane's got all the details at Firedoglake, but what it comes down to is that Chris Dodd is ready to filibuster Bush's FISA legislation today. Harry Reid is nervous and there's no telling what he will do. He's been conspiring with the Bush Regime on this and he's rumored to be warning other Democrats not to back Dodd. Dodd can't do it alone. It will be interesting to see if Feingold and Kennedy are the only Democrats with the balls to join him. Barbara Boxer, who is probably sorry she ever campaigned for Joe Lieberman and against Ned Lamont in Connecticut-- and who will face the re-election of her life in 3 years-- should take this opportunity to show which side she's on.

Glenn Greenwald is covering this too and he says that none of the senators running for president-- Clinton, Obama (and Biden)-- are backing Dodd, which means, in effect, they all back retroactive immunity for lawless telecom corporations and spying on Americans, making them, in my mind, unfit candidates for the Democratic nomination. Like I said yesterday, it looks like there is no real alternative left for progressives but to vote for John Edwards for president.


UPDATE: ONLY TEN SENATORS STOOD WITH THE PEOPLE AND THE CONSTITUTION

The other 90 seantors are unworthy of high public office. These are the ones-- the only ones-- who voted against spying on Americans and against retroactive immunity for Bush's cronies:

Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Dodd (D-CT)
Feingold (D-WI)
Harkin (D-IA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Wyden (D-OR)

Fury from the grassroots forced Reid to pull the bill... for now. Here's his statement:

"The Senate is committed to improving our nation's intelligence laws to fight terrorism while protecting Americans' civil liberties. We need to take the time necessary to debate a bill that does just that, rather than rushing one through the legislative process. While we had hoped to complete the FISA bill this week, it is clear that is not possible. With more than a dozen amendments to this complex and controversial bill, this legislation deserves time for thorough discussion on the floor.

"We will consider this bill when we return in January. In the meantime, I again encourage the Director of National Intelligence and the Attorney General to make available to all Senators the relevant documents on retroactive immunity, so that each may reach an informed decision on how to proceed on this provision. I oppose retroactive immunity, but believe every Senator must have access to the information to make this important decision."

It's probably just a little coincidence but the bribes (that the Congress has legalized) paid by the giant telecoms went in great part to Bush and the presidential candidates who didn't back Dodd-- in order of bribe-taking: McCain, Clinton and Obama. But, like I said, I'm sure that's just a coincidence and that these three corrupt senators were willing to sell out the American people just because they believe in destroying the Consititution, not because they were being paid to do it.