Feingold talks to the netroots

Sen. Russ Feingold is featured this week on TPM Cafe, an offshoot of the Talking Points Memo blog. He discussed the Patriot Act in some detail yesterday, with lots of comments and back and forth.

It's the latest example of Feingold's new national media role or roll, if you prefer.

Some of the behind-the-scenes credit must go to John Kraus, who has helped raise Feingold's national profile this year, increase his presence in the blogosphere and building support with what DailyKossacks call the netroots, and helped shape Feingold's message and policy on Iraq.

Kraus, who handled communications on last year's Feingold reelection campaign, is leaving Feingold's DC Senate office at the end of the month. It sounds like he's headed back to Wisconsin, and is looking at opportunities both in and outside of politics.

Down the road, that could include a 2008 presidential campaign job. Kraus didn't want to make the leap now to Feingold's political action committee, which is helping to lay the groundwork in case Feingold does get into the race for real. Kraus was state director for John Edwards' presidential campaign in Wisconsin last year, so having a good relationship with two possible candidates isn't a bad spot to be in.