A MUST-SEE VIDEO

This is a MUST SEE video from MSNBC - a chronolgy of the Bush Adminstration's use of annoucements of terror plots & threats for political cover and gain. Watch it here.

Russ' Listening Session

To read the transcript of the most recent online listening session (online chat) with Russ Feingold, click here. You'll notice that the 2nd question is from "Kristine in Pennsylvania". Yep, that would be me. :)

Senator Feingold has been doing "listening sessions"in every county in Wisconsin every year during his tenure as senator. Now he's doing them online, and nationwide. If you'd like to participate in the next one, sign-up on the Progressive Patriot Fund Website (the link is to the left, on this page). The photo above is Russ' rousing speech from the Take Back America conference in DC in on June 14.

RUSS SLAMS BUSH ON "THIS WEEK"

Wow, this man just says EVERYTHING you wish a Democrat would say to the Bush admin!! This appearance on "THIS WEEK" is a must see!

You go, Russ!!!! :)

Court Protects Constitution

Russ Fengold issued the following statement after yesterday's court decision against the President for illegaly spying on Americans:

“Today’s district court ruling is a strong rebuke of this administration’s illegal wiretapping program. The President must return to the Constitution and follow the statutes passed by Congress. We all want our government to monitor suspected terrorists, but there is no reason for it to break the law to do so. The administration went too far with the NSA’s warrantless wiretapping program. Today’s federal court decision is an important step toward checking the President’s power grab.”

Feingold Online Listening Session Tomorrow!

There's an online chat with Senator Russ Feingold TOMORROW, Friday, April 11th, 1:00pm central/2:00pm Eastern time. To sign up and participate, visit The Progressive Patriot's Fund (click here).

Senator Feingold has a new health care initiative that he's going to introduce in the Senate. It's the subject of his latest podcast, which you can watch by clicking here.

IT'S NED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a great night for progressives. Ned Lamont has defeated Joe Lieberman in the Connecticut Primary.

U.S. Senate - - Dem Primary

706 of 748 Precincts Reporting - 94.39%

	Name	Party	Votes	Pct
	Lamont, Ned	Dem	136,353	51.73
	Lieberman, Joe (i)	Dem	127,249	48.2

Thank You, Connecticut!

Thank you to everyone in Connecticut who has made today a thrilling one for the Progressive cause with their hard work on the ground. For great updates, check Daily Kos, My LeftNutmeg and MyDD.

Great article on the Frameshop, too, about what's REALLY going on in CT click here.

Feingold at Take Back America

Watch Senator Russ Feingold's speech June 14th at the Take Back America Conference in Washington, DC. Yeah, that's the speech he gave right before shaking hands with me. :)
You can probably hear me chanting "Run, Russ, Run!" from the front row. He got quite an extended ovation - only the tail end of it is heard on this video before he speaks. Click here to watch it!

Feingold goes to Iowa... and LISTENS.....

Senator Feingold has been seen in Iowa and New Hampshire, lately - a good sign! Check out this wonderful eyewitness description of the Senator's most recent visit to that early-primary-state-across-the-border (from Wisconsin). The word on the street is this: other candidate wannabees come to speechify, but Senator Feingold puts LISTENING first. Click here for the whole story.

To watch the senator's podcast from Iowa, click here.

Avedon Shooting Me!

Richard Avedon was such a fabulous talent and a wonderfully energetic, fun guy. I instantly adored him when I ended up in his New York Studio on Sunday, August 26th, 2004, the day of the "Millon Billionaire March" staged by the Billioaires for Bush, with whom I'd been peforming satirical songs in NYC during election season.

You can see me on the right hand side of the group, standing behind Melody, who is seated on the floor in the red dress. I'm wearing shades and a floppy black hat with white trim, holding a faux martini (water with an olive), and I have a white shawl dangling from my shoulder. My shawl didn't make it into the photo, but I did, just leaning into the shot, about to sip my drink. Avedon's finished photograph can be seen online at http://www.andrearosengallery.com/exhibitions/2005_1_richard-avedon/
or, of course, in the Nov 1, 2004 issue of the New Yorker. What a blast it was to meet him, and an honor to be part of his art. I am broken-hearted to think that we lost him just one month later. Richard, we miss you!

Feingold Speaks His Mind Again

I just love the way Senator Feingold always points out that Bush's Iraq debacle is DISTRACTING us from and WEAKENING us in the real struggle against terrorism.
Here's a statement from his senate website today:

Statement of U.S. Senator Russ Feingold On the GAO Report Criticizing the President’s Iraq Strategy July 13, 2006 Washington D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold released this statement today following the release of a Government Accountability Office report entitled, “Rebuilding Iraq: More Comprehensive National Strategy Needed to Help Achieve U.S. Goals and Overcome Challenges.” “The report released by the Government Accountability Office criticizing the President’s Iraq strategy is another red flag that we need to change course in Iraq. Suggesting that the Administration’s strategy for Iraq isn’t really a strategy at all, the GAO report says that the Administration has not been straightforward with Congress regarding the costs of the Iraq war and that it has failed to identify the resources for, or costs of, our indefinite military presence in Iraq. The report clearly calls for measurable benchmarks for success in Iraq and accountability for U.S. taxpayer dollars being used there. Unfortunately, the Administration continues to ignore mounting calls to change its Iraq policy, which has been both a distraction from the larger global fight against terrorist networks and a drain on our nation’s resources.” A copy of the report can be obtained at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d06953t.pdf.

RUSS DENOUNCES "STEALTH" PAYRAISE

Those rich folks in Congress are getting richer - on the sly. Check out Senator Feingold's most recent diary post on Daily KOS. You'll find it here.
The senator ponts out that congress gets a back door pay raise automatically, every year. He wants to make them vote on it (Feingold himself does not accept a pay raise except on years when he is reelected.) Tell your Congressperson and Senator to change this system, so that they must go on record and vote publicly for any pay raise!

(Photo: Senator Fiengold at judiciary committee hearings)

Iraq as "Occupation" NOT "War"

George Lakoff has written a very interesting article explaining why Democrats have fallen into the Republican's language trap, reinforcing the idea of Iraq as a "war" and part of the war on terror. Lakoff stresses the need for reframing Iraq as the "occupation" that it really is. He gives a compelling explanation, and it is a quick read. Find it on the Rockridge Institute website here.

Please See "An Inconvenient Truth"!

I have just returned from the Garman Opera House in Bellefonte, PA, a locally-owned, independent theatre that is showing Al Gore's film, "An Inconvenient Truth". As I bought my popcorn, I watched the shocked, sobered faces of those filing out of the earlier showing, and I could see that it was going to be an impressive and unnerving film. It did not disappoint. Please see this movie. If you don't know already, please learn about the speed at which we are rocketing toward global disaster. Unprecedented catastrophies will occur in the next 50 years if we don't hit the streets and raise hell and elect leaders who are not owned by Big Oil. To learn more or find a theatre that is currently showing the film, click here.

WORLD's GUTSIEST DEMOCRAT!!

Progressives, YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS!! Senator Feingold was TRULY MAGNIFICENT this mornign on Meet the Press! Oh, my, if you want to see the unbelievable: an elected Democrat saying EVERYTHING you wish EVERY Democrat would say about George Bush and Dick Cheney, about Iraq and censure, you MUST WATCH THIS! The link to the Meet the Press video is below. Oh, my the GUTS of that man! YOU GO, RUSS!!!!!

(This is my last post of this week - I'm off on vacation with no laptop. Have a great week, everyone!) Watch Meet the Press Here:
http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?f=00&t=m5&g=e10461f7-89e1-415c-aa58-80d1b6f8066e&p=angietest

Feingold Diary on Daily Kos

(Photo: Feingold with supporter in Wisconsin).

Senator Feingold has a diary on Daily Kos. His most recent entries slam the Republicans' amendment against gay marriage. Read the senator's diary here:
http://www.dailykos.com/user/Senator%20Russ%20Feingold/diary

Watch Fiengold Podcasts!

I watched a great podcast of Senator Feingold talking about how Democrats need to stand up for what they believe. It's only about 4 mintues long, and very well done. Well worth a look. You can find several podcasts of the senator here:

http://www.progressivepatriotsfund.com/content/353

I just now heard Senator Feingold's unmistakable Wisconsin accent as the opening sound bite of NPR's "All Things Considered" this afternoon. He was saying words to the effect of Senator Kerry and I know that we are on the side of the majority of Americans (not an exact quote). FINALLY, Democrats who are standing up for what they believe in in the face of Rovian roasting! Do you remember that old schoolyard saying, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me." It's TRUE, you know! Why can't we Dems just say that to the Republicans when they try to scare us with the old "cut and run" bogeyman. Come on, let's be sure of ourselves and forge ahead. The American people are on OUR side! Senator Feingold, just keep on leading the way!

Kris

I haven't figured out how to put permanent links on my blog yet, but here's a link to a very good Russblog that I just found: http://russfeingold.blogspot.com/

In his most recent post, Dan K. has a transcript of the last couple paragraphs of Senator Feingolds remarks, which I will reproduce here, because they make a point that Democrats have not had the insight to make:

"And so to conclude, I would urge you, as you go out this year and do all the wonderful things you're going to do in the various venues that you work in, to make the point to people that you care as passionately as anyone about the tragedy of 9/11, you care as passionately as anyone about protecting our kids, that you have your memories of what happened on 9/11 and how it made you feel about your future and your kids' future and your grandchildren's' future."

"But as you say that and as you share your own memories with people, make it clear that there is no greater victory for these terrorists than if they can get us out of fear to alter our great system of government. They would have no greater victory than to be able to do that to us. (Applause.) Make the argument -- make the argument based on the fact that the American people want to be focused on making sure that we're not attacked again. They do not want to fear that their own government is doing something inappropriate to them. That's a distraction that makes it harder for us to do this." - Senator Russ Feingold, at the Take Back America Conference in Washington, D.C., June 14, 2006.

After the speech, I shook hands with Senator Feingold, and in the nanosecond I had to speak to him said, "Please Run for President!" They were simple words, deeply felt.

(in the photo, Russ Feingold talks with students in his home state of Wisconsin, where he holds listening sessions in EVERY county, EVERY year). If you'd like to sign a petition drafting Senator Feingold to run for president, you'll find one here: http://www.petitiononline.com/feing08/petition.html
Let's get this guy to run! The sole vote in the Senate against the so-called "Patriot" Act!! Now THAT's what I like to see in a Democrat! Guts!! Run, Russ, Run!

Kris