I think it's great we hold Obama to account but..

The alternative to a president who id not democrat is beyond imagination. Without democrats at the helm the ship is going over a cliff. Change is coming but it isn't coming without our work we are not there yet. The FISA thing sucks but that is the small picture. zoom out and see where America will be if we do not give Obama the heave to get him over the finish line then once he is there make sure every second he knows we are watching him. We are currently still in the old system where Democrats have te ball of power but Republicans still own the court it's what we do between now and November that changes course.

on FISA and we'll see what happens.

Meanwhile, at least one poster who has done nothing but dump on Obama since the primaries and has had a thread locked and a subthread removed.. is using this as an excuse to shit on every thread about Obama now even it's a positive one.

house dems did, but we've haven't heard the last word from Obama on this. I'm more then willing to chill a bit and see what happens in the senate.

Let's face it, there's so much we do not know, Obama is a constitutional lawyer, very savvy pol. There's a reason for this, let him play it out, I have a great deal of confidence in him...

'The FISA thing' is a very big thing. It will give the president power that the founders never intended. It puts the president and anyone he wishes beyond the law, and no one can argue. Is that a detail? A 'small picture'?

McCain cannot win. Period.

Seriously, the factors do not add up to a republican win under any scenario.

To call on people to hold their tongues because the bogeyman is listening is ludicrous.

To give the Democratic nominee a pass on fundamental issues, which has happened time and again in the past for alleged political points, will result in a hopelessly compromised president who belongs as much to the "old system" as any.

given the Republican vote-stealing machinery, which was still in place last I heard. Obama has to win by a landslide to overcome it. And the grassroots donations have to keep coming in at the same rate too. What if the Repukes launch a Swiftboat-style smear campaign at the 11th hour and Obama doesn't have the funds to counter it effectively?

In this situation, doing the right thing and doing the politically expedient thing are ONE AND THE SAME, and the sooner Obama realizes that the better.

If he puts his money where his mouth is...so will we!

And it is a product of the Democratically controlled Congress we voted in in 2006. And now you're telling me just to bend over and take it because we need to win in 2008. Why? Because if the Democrats win in 2008 everything will be better? I'm experiencing Deja Vu.

may be missing that Barack is not! I can't recall the reference used, but apparently Barack mentioned that giving the telecoms imunity from civil prosecution does NOT prevent federal criminal charges from being brought against them in the future. If that IS his line of thinking, I can agree with supporting this FISA bill. Criminal charges not only can impose monitary charges but JAIL TIME for the offenders.

I suspect if this is his thinking, he doesn't want to publicize it now so he can gain more indipendant votes and not piss them off during a campaign.

\I'm sorry I don't remember what TV show I heard this on. Somehow the next day they all blend together in my old brain.

his line of thinking.

The danger is that there are a lot of independent votes he could lose too.

Whatever, I'm sure he'll adjust his strategy given how flawlessly they've conducted things so far.

It is in the political Video forum waiting to be viewed.

The Sit Room, then Rachel on MSNBC (she was hosting!!!!), then KO, and then The Verdict with Abrams. I guess my brain is overloaded with politics these days. I'm so glad you were able to answer the question.

info..napi.

You can't put AT&T in jail. The burden of proof is higher in a criminal prosecution than in a civil trial. You'll have Officers and employees pointing fingers at each other, and there will be a lot of expense and delay in justice. If you fine the telecoms, the money won't necessarily go to the people who were harmed (not that a class action would be much better. The lawyers usually win in those). Also, there won't necessarily be an injunction against further illegal action. It might just be my opinion, but I think a civil lawsuit is better for this type of problem.

I hope Obama, as a constitutional lawyer, disagrees with that statement and I expect him to take a much stronger opposition stand than his statement indicated.

It's positively shameful to excuse any of the people eviscerating our constitution and trying to sell us the phoney idea of a compromise. I have to stop before making a comparison between Hillary and Obama that I'll regret but it was a misstep to issue a pandering statement and expect people to get in line waiting on hope.

Will anything really change with people like Pelosi, Reid, Hoyer and all the rest of those craven opportunists holding the ball of Power and Obama calling capitulation a compromise?

Sure he's still the better choice but that's no reason to ask people to ignore their concerns and coast on hope.

It was never about not voting for him. I want to hear what he has to say when he gets closer to the vote.

As much as we want FISA to disappear, we do not need that to be the weapon used against Obama. "Soft on terror" will be resonating through many empty-headed Indies if Obama votes no. When he gets in the WH (and he will), then he can work towards the changes that we want with much greater effect. Short term loss that hopefully leads to long term gain.

He is a United States Senator. That is a position of great power and great responsibility. He can't sell out the Constitution for political expediency with the mere promise that he'll do the right thing if and when he becomes president. He's supposed to do the right thing now.

The constitution is worth fighting for.

If Obama is not accountable to the party base now, when he is dependent on our contributions and votes, you think he will be accountable after he is elected?

Really, do you?