National news media discover Feingold

The national mainstream media have discovered Russ Feingold, and have learned that his first name is Russ, not McCain.

Chris Cizzilli, in his Washington Post blog, asks: Feingold: Liberals' Ideal 2008 Candidate? and says:

As President George W. Bush seeks to tamp down the furor caused by revelations of a secret domestic spying program, his primary adversary is not a high-profile senator like Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) or Harry Reid (D-Nev.). Instead, it's Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, who entered his third term in the Senate this year.

Feingold has emerged as the most outspoken critic of the Bush administration's decision to do an end-run around the courts and order the National Security Agency to monitor overseas calls and e-mails made by U.S. citizens with suspected terrorist ties. "The President does not get to pick and choose which laws he wants to follow," said Feingold in a statement. "He is a president, not a king."

Feingold's comments on the spying program came just one day after he led a successful effort to block the renewal of major provisions in the Patriot Act before they sunset at the end of the year. "Nobody wants these parts of the Patriot Act to expire -- we want to fix them before making them permanent by including important protections for the rights and freedoms of innocent American citizens," said Feingold.

In a press conference Monday, Bush repeatedly called the filibuster threat "inexcusable," adding: "I want senators from New York or Los Angeles or Las Vegas to go home and explain why these cities are safer."

Feingold's history as the lone "no" vote against the Patriot Act in 2001 has become a regular talking point as he begins to lay the groundwork for a presidential bid in 2008. In October, Feingold received a standing ovation from a New Hampshire audience when he was introduced as the only senator to oppose the controversial law.

In addition to his outspokenness on privacy issues, Feingold also voted against the resolution authorizing the use of force in Iraq -- the only one of the five Senate Democrats considering a presidential bid to do so. He was also first Democratic senator to propose a specific timetable to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq. Altogether, these stands provide Feingold with a campaign pitch likely to have real appeal to the party's liberal wing.

The key to Feingold's viability as a presidential candidate is whether he can raise the millions necessary to stay within financial shouting distance of people like Hillary Clinton, Virginia Gov. Mark Warner and Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh. If Feingold can tap into the Internet fundraising effort that powered Howard Dean's 2004 campaign, he could be well on his way to becoming a serious factor in the Democratic nominating process.

For further reading on Feingold, read this George F. Will column and Michael Crowley's New Republic profile.