Dodd Sets Pace on Dunking Mukasey

Kudos to Chris Dodd whose third-tier-nothing-to-lose presidential campaign has sprouted him a robust pair of cojones. Dodd became the most prominent Democrat, and the first among
the presidential candidates, to declare he will vote against Bush nominee Michael Mukasey's confirmation as Attorney General.

Angered by Mukasey's Senate testimony last week in which the former federal judge and prosecutor floated a legal "theory" that the President of the United States could, indeed, stand above constitutional statutes, Dodd declared on Monday:

"That is about as basic as it gets," Dodd said. "You must obey the law. Everyone must."

Dodd, along with a slew of other legal and political observers were also dismayed when Mukasey dodged Senators' questions last week about whether or not so-called waterboarding was, in fact, a form of torture. After eluding any straight answer, Mukasey wound up making the incredulous statement that he wasn't quite sure what was meant by the term.

Over the weekend, some leading Senate Democrats ranging from Dianne Feinstein of California to Carl Levin of Michigan engaged in their own form of equivocation, warning they might vote against Mukasey if he doesn't properly clarify his views when he responds to written questions from the Senate later this week.

But Dodd's bold stepping-out on this issue, rejecting any mulligan for a nominee who refuses to call torture by its proper name, seems like it might force the hand of fellow Democrats who might start looking rather silly if they don't turn thumbs down on the newly proposed AG. Within hours of Dodd's statement, fellow candidate and Delaware Senator Joe Biden also said he had made up his mind to vote nay. Campaign spokesmen for John Edwards and Bill Richardson also joined the chorus. And by late Monday night, the campaign of Barack Obama piled on, telling The New York Sun:

"Judge Mukasey has failed to send a clear signal that he understands the legal and moral issues that are at stake for our country, and so I cannot support him." Mr. Obama said even a clarification from Judge Mukasey would be insufficient. "No nominee for attorney general should need a second chance to oppose torture and the unnecessary violation of civil liberties," he said.

After this barrage, Mukasey's nomination might be dead in the water -- if you'll excuse the pun.

Comments

[BabyBoomer]

Thank God for Dodd. How about it patriots. Do you really want to see our country go down? Do any of you remember when our country looked and acted like a democracy? Let's support the guy with the cajones. Boy, and they impeached Clinton for lying. With this bunch, every day should be impeachment day. I, for one, can't stand all the lies anymore. Every nominee they put before Congress lies through his or her teeth. It's disgusting. Let's get behind Dodd for pete's sake. I want my country back. I want my children to experience the America I experienced growing up. I don't want the best of America to be behind us. Our biggest threat is from within folks. Time to get hip to that.

[MissingAmerica]

Thank you, BabyBoomer! I couldn't have said better myself, although many have been saying this for years. I, too, want my country back. We need to find a way.

Kucinich is introducing the impeachment of Cheney as a Privileged Resolution before Thanksgiving. We must ALL get on board the freedom train and support this movement. I have grandchildren who have no idea how great life in this country used to be, and I fear that if we don't save our country now, there will be none to save.

We've had so much disturbing news that it makes even me, one of the calmest people in the world, a wreck. I don't have nightmares about AlQueda, but I do about Bush and Cheney! They are stacking the system against the U.S. and building their own little legion. If they bomb Iran, Bush could declare a national emergency and, as a War President, call off the elections. That would be the end.

We must act now. Notify Congress that we want impeachment back on the table, and WE WANT IT NOW. Let's keep the message loud, and keep the message going until we are heard!

[HobbyWizard]

This decides it, I'm casting my primary vote (in Mass, sorry!) for Dodd, not Kucinich! The only hope this country has is for Demos to stand up, get in their face, and tell the neandercons in no uncertain terms, "NO MORE!"

If the rest of our sorry lot would take Dodd's cue and get tough instead of tiptoeing around idiots like Bush, McConnell, Boerner, et. al., I guarantee they'd win a sweeping victory across the board vs. the 'pugs in 2008.

[ResidentChimp]

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. President Bush should appoint Mukasey if Congress fails to act.

[knowhelpnow]

I believe that the Dem's should never leave the chambers empty, they need to keep this president in check, he will pu Mukasey in if they leave, so until this president is impeached they should keep enough members their so he can't get around Congress again.

[FaaLaveLave]

YEEEAAAAH. We know where you stand...for torture and breaking the laws of our Constitution.

"First they came for the Communists, and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn’t speak up,
because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left
to speak up for me."
(Americanized version of poem by Pastor Martin Neimoller(1892–1984) about the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power and the purging of their chosen targets, group after group.)
YOUR TIME WILL COME,HERR ResidentChimp!

[gappytoofcondi]

No doubt they need him to be appointed to start the scorched earth policy of the documents that remain in the DOJ. Heaven forbid if we were to find out all of the circumvention of our constitution all in the name of making us more secure in a post 9/11 world.

[Nezua]

What's THIS? The people enjoy integrity???? How....odd.

[WilliamWallace]

Thank you very much, Sen. Dodd. America wasn't designed to be a dictatorship, with "yes man" legal officials.

[WilliamWallace]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjALf12PAWc

[vippy]

We are a rogue nation. Long gone is our
prestige around the world and our worthless
dollars are proof that we are no longer a force to be reckoned with. The top 3 candidates
don't address what is wrong with this country
only more of the same squabble like abortion, religion, etc. which have absolutely no place
in politics. Look around you and see what needs fixing and their plans to progress!

[PeteChrisman]

Dodd deserves credit here to be sure

As to the presidential race--check out this pulse poll--from Dem supporters and for fundraising--similar to the lies from the GOP and media about the strength of Ron Paul's candidacy--here, if the election were held today, Gore would edge out Kucinich, Hillary has 4% and poor Dodd is at 1%--it goes to show you that the MSM and the parties are lying about and controlling who the choices will be

http://www.democracyforamerica.com/

[jdm58]

Originally I was annoyed that the campaigning for '08 started so early. Now I am increasingly appreciative, as it has given the candidates opportunity to SHOW the people from their actions where they stand. My favorite has changed over the course of the summer, and I am keeping my committment open for now. If the events of late are any indication, we'll see the so-called "front-runners" fall away, and candidates like Dodd and Kucinich, who are actually working in Congress while they are running for office, will progress. The campaign trail is not where a sitting Congressperson will get anything done to help fix this nation.
Unfortunately candidates like Edwards and Richardson will have to just cheer on from the sidelines, but if they keep up the pressure, as Edwards has done calling out Hillary for pandering to Lobbyists and accepting contributions from those whose interests are to keep the status quo, then they too will have a better chance. This race is FAR from over!!

[olivia]

Kudos for Dodd. Maybe he can teach Pelosi a thing or two about courage and integrity in the face of power.

[gappytoofcondi]

Nancy P. is beyond help at this point. She has put on the strap-on and f'ed all of us where the sun doesn't shine. She needs to go along with Bush and Cheney.

Saw a post that stated the Senate should remain open during the holdiays so Bush can't do another recess appointment. Couldn't agree more. The madness has got to be stopped.

The defining moment of the 110th congress is at hand. If they cave on this and on the funding of the war, Bush will have enough money to keep the war going until January, 2009 and will have an AG that will condone torture, wiretapping and continue the dismanteling of the constitution.

Chimpy will then be emboldened enough to bomb Iran without the vote of congress. After that, he WILL suspend elections and not vacate the throne. CHECKMATE!

[captnEarl]

Senator Dodd gets my VOTE and my contributions. The other Johnnie come latelys can kiss off, Several other comments have suggested waterboarding the AG canidate I concur

[helonias]

I can only imagine his non answers on more difficult constitutional questions

[drkazmd65]

Good,....

It is FINALLY nice to see the Senate doing its jobs on oversight (maybe), and on properly vetting Cabinet-level appointees to make sure that they like the existing laws and Constitution of the United States.

Tell Mukasey to head back quitely into retirement.

And then hand the President a list of Moderate, Law-abiding Former Judges or JD Lawyers that would be appointable.

And then, tell him to screw himself if he starts bitching.

[konchster]

Sounds to me like a demonstration of water-boarding is in order using Mukasey as a subject would be interesting to hear his take then

[easyrider1969]

That does it. I'm voting for Dodd.
What sat you, Hillary? Figure out which way the wind's blowing yet?

[matahari888]

Im with you.....

[JSquercia]

Me too !!!!!

[SaintZak]

He's got my vote in the primary. Sadly, there's no way he could get the nomination, but I'd love to see him as Senate Majority Leader.

I can't help but think Clinton will begin to fade. How much longer can she get by on just being "Hillary Clinton"? The others are taking pretty bold stands on alot of these issues, but she remains silent or at best sends out a murkey stew of meaningless double talk.

[davidam]

Dodd has my vote also............and I'd like to think that it is not too late to draft him for the nomination if we all talk to our friends, family, etc. I may be naive but there is still time.

[PeteChrisman]

Before you all go running into the Dodd camp--a word of caution

Dodd is responsible for the law that enabled the voting machine corporations to infect themselves into our democracy--no paper trail, internal, secretive programs, hackable--he said it was the best he could do--well, his best gave us stolen elections and Bush as our illegit 'leader'

he's acting correctly on this issue however