Open Letter: Thanks A Million, Russ

Dear Senator Feingold,

With a tear in my eye, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the service you rendered America today vis-a-vis the Alito nomination. You keep pulling off these ninth-inning clutch grand slams that give us hope. A hope that our seriously wounded system still has a breath of life. This is a passion that the DLC fails to inspire. One wonders sometimes if they even believe such civic passion still exists.

It's hard to judge soberly if the victory today was merely symbolic. The important progress on the Hill last month suggests this is a winnable battle. But even if it turns out to be a symbolic victory, a moral victory, it remains an important victory.

I've made myself very familiar with your philosophies on Supreme Court nominees over the past three months. I know that I agonized ( http://headstrong-america.blogspot.com/2006/01/feingold-alito-and-next-week.html ) about which way you'd go on this issue. I fully appreciate that you've probably lost some sleep on it as well.

It was the right thing to do for America.

But, at risk of bringing vulgar politics into the mix, it was the right thing to do for your Presidential campaign next year. This was the one issue imaginable that could have pole-axed your budding candidacy in the progressive blogosphere. Though distasteful, it's easy to explain away Roberts. Alito would have been tough. I'm sure such concerns were coincidental to your decision, but would like to express a hearty "whew!" from the Left.

I'm sure you've heard the term "Deaniacs." I just Googled "Feinatic," and got zero hits. Unless a less goofy alternative emerges, I suspect that this, my friend, is about to change.

Thanks for all you do.