I’m sure a campaign for President would have been a great adventure and helpful in advancing a progressive agenda. At this time, however, I believe I can best advance that progressive agenda as a Senator with significant seniority in the new Senate serving on the Foreign Relations, Intelligence, Judiciary and Budget Committees. Although I have given it a lot of thought, I cannot muster the same enthusiasm for a race for President while I am trying simultaneously to advance our agenda in the Senate. In other words, if I really wanted to run for President, regardless of the odds or other possible candidates, I would do so. However, to put my family and all of my friends and supporters through such a process without having a very strong desire to run, seems inappropriate to me. And, yes, while I would strongly prefer that our nominee in 2008 be someone who had the judgment to oppose the Iraq war from the beginning, I am prepared to work as hard as I can through the Progressive Patriots Fund, and consistent with my duties in the Senate, to maintain or increase our gains from November 7 in the Congress and, of course, to elect a Democrat as President in 2008.
True progressives just lost their best hope for the presidency. I suspect Russ saw the all the oxygen that Obama sucked up with the mere speculation in the media that he might run, and also the formidable Clinton wing of the party rallying behind Hillary, and made a decision not to subject himself to the stress of a presidential run where he would have been running a shoestring campaign at best. Trust me, this is a victory for the DLC crowd today, and a blow to all the rest of us seeking real change in the direction of our country.
UPDATE by Jerome: check Senator Feingold’s very own diary here on BT on the topic.
