Maddow and Feingold on FISA cave-in

Rachel, filling in for Olbermann, and Sen. Russ Feingold discuss the teeth-gnashing disappointment of the Democratic-led legalization of warrantless wiretapping [Via C&L].



I would like to think that something more than political triangulation drove the Democrats' surrender on warrantless wiretapping and telecom immunity. I would like to think that the Dems who championed and voted for this travesty were blackmailed by the Bush administration with secrets they learned from lawless surveillance. It would be nice to think that so many of them caved in not merely from political calculation, but due to desperate fear of losing their families or livelihoods. It would be no less ugly, but it would be understandable on some level. One might almost be able to sympathize.

Sadly, I have to conclude that these people really think this was the politically smart thing to do. They really believe that by caving in to Bush and gutting the Fourth Amendment, they denied the Republicans the opportunity to call them "soft on terror" in November.

Let's see how that works out.