Biden will join Dodd's filibuster

[cali]

by mcjoan
Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 03:10:02 PM PDT
Via Transplanted Texan, the news that Biden will support Dodd in filibustering any fix to the Protect America Act that includes retroactive immunity for the telecoms.

From a Washington Post chat here's Biden, in a rare display of brevity:

San Francisco: Will you join Sen. Chris Dodd's hold and proposed filibuster on any FISA bill that includes retroactive immunity for telecoms? Thanks for joining us for this chat today, Sen. Biden, and thanks for the leadership you provide the Democratic Party and America.

Sen. Joe Biden: Yes.
Biden could also use his position on the Judiciary Committee to strip those provisions out of the bill when it comes to that committee next. Hopefully that will happen, hopefully a filibuster won't be necessary.

But if it is, where are Clinton and Obama? To quote MissLaura:

But it's not enough to say they'll vote against immunity. At a bare minimum, they need to be willing to vote to sustain the filibuster. Anything less says "I am not willing to stand strong against George W. Bush's assault on the Constitution." Leadership would entail participating. If Dodd's reading from the phone book, stand up, take it from him, and keep reading.

A strong statement from Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton that either will actively work to prevent passage of any bill with an immunity provision in it would make it less likely that a filibuster would even be necessary. Their participation would make it more likely that a filibuster was upheld. Will they stand up for civil liberties, accountability, the rule of law, the Constitution?
Four presidential candidates united against this proposal could kill it. Senators Clinton and Obama, what say you?

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/10/19/18852/804