Leadership Now, Leadership As President

Anonymous Liberal, writing on Glenn Greenwald's blog, expresses deep shock that more Democrats aren't taking a hard stance against retroactive immunity for telecoms.

I'm glad that Sen. Dodd has shown some real leadership on this issue (and that others are now following his lead), but I'm frankly shocked that any real leadership was necessary. The political optics (not to mention the merits) of this issue cut so overwhelmingly against the Bush administration that opposition to it should be the default, reflexive position of every Democrat. At the very least, the reflexive position should be that immunity is not on the table until members of Congress know what it is they're being asked to immunize. That's such a simple, clear and easily defensible position that there is really no excuse for saying anything else.

The way to get Senators on the record on this issue is to ask them where they stand. Call the Senate Judiciary Committee and tell them to oppose retroactive immunity.

Athenae of First Draft has a piece on Dodd's FISA leadership up as a columnist for the Daily Southtown. She writes:

Let us now praise Christopher Dodd, since the senator from Connecticut seems to be just about the only guy on Capitol Hill you can pay to care about the Constitution anymore.

Dodd, a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, is ready to turn his entire campaign into a drive to stop a bill that has no other purpose than to shield the Bush administration from legal consequences to its illegal actions.
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It would behoove the Democratic frontrunners to look behind them, back at Dodd, who may be trailing them in the polls but is miles ahead of them in doing the job he wants to be elected to do.

There's no question that those candidates who have a job in government should be using it as a platform to demonstrate what sort of President they will be. I think Chris Dodd has made clear that he will be a President who is committed, first and foremost, to protecting the Constitution. He will be a President who is dedicated to getting results and who can bring people together to get things done. We're seeing that this week with his leadership on the Constitution bringing people together to stand against retroactive immunity for telecom companies. Without Dodd's leadership, we likely wouldn't know where Senators Obama or Biden stand on this critical issue. He's bringing allies to his side to fight a dangerous bill.

And that, I believe, is a great preview of what a Dodd administration will look like. Dodd will be a President who leads with clarity and brings people together to get the job done.

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