Feingold Gives Obama A "D" On State Secrets

ABC News:

President Obama is receiving a "D" for his handling of state secrets in a "rule of law" report card prepared by fellow Democrat Russ Feingold, a Wisconsin senator who heads a subcommittee on the Constitution.

"One hundred days into this administration, it's appropriate to assess how well the president has done so far," Feingold told ABC News. "I recognize that some of these issues will take time, but given how important these issues are to the country, Americans deserve a fair assessment of the administration's progress."

Read the whole story: ABC News

Comments

[Crissy Patters]

I don't agree with the grade of "D" but how neat is it to read a politician disagrees with the POTUS and articulate why he disagrees and what the POTUS should do in his opinion to get a higher grade. Wow this from a politician, no less.

[johnr49]

Two reasons for that:

1. Unlike Reps., Dems do not march in lock-step

2. The White House isn't claiming that all criticism of the President is un-patriotic, un-American or tantamount to treason (even thought the behavior of people like Glenn Beck and Michele Bachmann might well qualify for that description)

[vinny]

Dems have been marching lock-step on many issues.

[brandnewstuff]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9?v=e9CF66auCXc
rethugs and the CIA is mainly rethug males doing rethug crimes- This will backfire-into prosecution

[wijg]

Keep 'em honest, Sen. Feingold.

[simplify]

more misleading headlines from HP

[simplify]

..and I give HP an F for this non stroy

[brandnewstuff]

Some things have nothing to do with State Secrets - Trying to Cover up a Constitutional Crime can backfire- case law says so and in the end it reflects ob those Public Officals

Everyone and thier dog knows Texas is full of SH*T and so are all the Public Bush Appointments

[bilmardre]

Then he must get an "A" on transparency.

[Grunty1]

Unfortunately, that is NOT what Feingold is saying. Calling it "State Secrets" is poor terminology on his part.

[FGDinVA]

"Restoring the rule of law is not a partisan issue." Is everyone paying attention?

[IcedTee63]

So if we didn't know that the Bush Administration tortured prisoners we would be better off huh Russ?

[PATina]

He's actually saying the opposite. He's saying that Obama has invoked the state secrets privilege, as George Bush did, when he should have allowed the information to be released.

[Esot3ric]

That is not what the commenter is suggesting. They are highlighting the irony in giving him a near failing grade when the administration did release torture docs from the previous administration which could have easily stayed classified. While that does not apply to this administration, it indicates a willingness to release some information into the public domain.

*Sidebar*

So is it a coincidence that Feingold has State Secrets legislation on the table that he is pressuring others to support? This smells like a leverage tactic.

[dwright]

I agree with a comment someone made on the posting site to the actual article. When you actually get into office, I believe that things are not always as they appear. I am sure Obama has been threatened with his life to a great extent than Russ would be privy to. I am sure that there are forces and issues that Russ has no idea about. So, Russ please give our President, who is by the way a Constitutional scholar, the time to weave through this mind field before you grade prematurely. In addition, why are you fueling the Rush Machine and his minions? I have no problem with critique, but I will not feed the wing nut fringe.

[Helzapoppin]

Good on you, Russ

[ebleyes]

Feingold is giving his honest opinion, he shouldn't sugarcoat is because the president is a democrat, I'm sure he would've given Bush a far worse grade.

[harriscrl3]

What's sad is that a D is a step above an F. So basically he is saying that Obama is like Bush on that score. It took Bush EIGHT YEARS to get an F and Obama gets a D in 100 days. So tell how is that someone to take seriously.

Carol

[ebleyes]

I agree with you that his grading is premature, democrats always had the courage to eat their own and it wasn't until recently that they started to have a taste for republicans.

[simplify]

Soooooo, and your point is?

[clearthinker2008]

I doubt it.

[KMan1]

Darn, there goes honor roll. :(

[OMG1109]

Maybe "RUSS" can help CNN on their 100 day report card! Let's see, I give CNN an "F" for stupidity for the Situation Room and RUSS, you get a "F" just for the, He$$ of it...

[freedomitchy]

The Obama presidency, most transparent presidency in history? No, information is released based on politics.

[clearthinker2008]

How do you know?

[Grunty1]

Because some ditto head leader told him so.