Politics My Brief Interview w/ Sen. Feingold
“Did you ask him about the war?”
The question was a sarcastic barb from some Cantwell diehards after I had followed Sen. Russ Feingold out to his van and managed to score a brief interview with the Wisconsin Senator and anti-war hero. Feingold was the guest speaker today at a Maria Cantwell rally in Ballard at Whittier Elementary—a splashy kick-off for an afternoon of Cantwell doorbelling.
Feingold’s speech had (glaringly) made no mention of the war. He talked about: campaign finance, the budget deficit, the environment, and energy independence. This from the Senate’s leading opponent of the war? Indeed, less than a month ago, Feingold dramatically introduced an amendment to the appropriations bill that would have required the redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq by December 31st, 2006.
Cantwell supporters didn’t want the war to come up today. Cantwell has been notably unapologetic about her 2002 vote for the war, and it’s hurting her with Democratic activists. Cantwell wanted the Feingold visit to put the progressive stamp of approval on her campaign—without complications. (No signs were allowed in the building.)
However, today’s “cheap stunt”—as one activist standing outside with an anti-war placard called the Feingold drive by—only heightened Cantwell’s Iraq problem.
There was Feingold, an obvious hero to the 200 or so Democratic activists in the room, up on stage and not talking about the issue that’s motivating Democratic activists right now: “The immoral war” (as the afternoon’s emcee, local Dem chair Peter House said by way of introducing Feingold.)
So, yes, I did ask Feingold about the war. In fact, it’s all I asked him about. It was the question that was on everyone’s mind. And it’s all they gave me time for.
Q: Why didn’t you talk about the war in Iraq today? Feingold: I’ve been very clear about my position on the war. I want the troops out by the end of the year. Q: Yes, Senator, you have been clear. I ask because this is a Cantwell rally and Senator Cantwell hasn’t been very clear about her position on the war… Feingold: I’ll let Senator Cantwell speak about her position on the war. I want to focus on the things that she’s a leader on… like the environment and energy independence.
I’ll file a longer story on this in next week’s Stranger, but glancing at my notes here’s one bit: After Feingold compared Wisconsin and Washington—calling both states purple, rather than blue—he told the crowd that despite that fact, he was able to win handily because people were willing to go out and do the grunt the work, the doorbelling. (Feingold got 55% in WI, while Kerry got 50%).
“That’s because you stand for something!” someone in the back of the room called out.
In Connecticut, some Dems were able to get a progressive on the primary ballot to challenge 'Republican in disguise' Joe Leiberman. Why can't the Dems in Left-Opia Washington come up w/ a viable alternative to Cantwell?