On Feingold Not Running for President
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Mark Pelavin is the Associate Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. He is one of the Jewish community's leading legislative strategists, and one of its senior lobbyists. |
I know that we non-partisan types are not allowed to support or oppose candidates for office, but I think I can get away with saying that I am somewhat disappointed that Senator Russell Feingold (D-WI) has chosen not to be a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008.
John Nichols has Feingold’s first major interview since making that decision, in this week’s Nation magazine. Feingold points to his past role as a member of the Senate minority, and his new role as (fairly senior) member of the Majority:
"I was very accepting of my role as a dissenter -- and tried to do it well. I was happy to stand up for what was right. But to be able to actually fix some of this stuff, to do positive things, that's exciting to me. I know some people won't believe it, because they think politicians are always running for the next office, but what we can do in the Senate is as exciting to me as the prospect of running for president."
For some other interesting takes on Feingold’s decision, check out this post at jspot.org and my friend Rabbi Andy Bachman’s take at his blog, Brooklyn Jews.