Feingold Sheds Light on the Iraq Study Group

Sen. Feingold released a statement about the Iraq Study Group report today...

“Unfortunately, the Iraq Study Group report does too little to change the flawed mind-set that led to the misguided war in Iraq. Maybe there are still people in Washington who need a study group to tell them that the policy in Iraq isn’t working, but the American people are way ahead of this report.

While the report has regenerated a few good ideas, it doesn’t adequately put Iraq in the context of a broader national security strategy. We need an Iraq policy that is guided by our top national security priority – defeating the terrorist network that attacked us on 9/11 and its allies. We can’t continue to just look at Iraq in isolation. Unless we set a serious timetable for redeploying our troops from Iraq, we will be unable to effectively address these global threats. In the end, this report is a regrettable example of ‘official Washington’ missing the point.”

Matt Stoller of MyDD takes a sarcastic look at Feingold's statement from the point of view of the Washington punditocracy.

Senator, if you had any taste or ability, you would accomodate our desire to get together in groups and agree on Very Serious Matters of Policy, which consists of pretending that drawing pictures of ponies on reports written at think tanks on high quality stock paper and presented to the mean seven year old boy who runs the country will convince him to stop giving us swirlies, or at least stop with the chocolate ones. Or something like that. Anyway, if you don't stop your naysaying, Senator, you'll never be President and we'll never get our ponies.

Russ continues to live up to the Feingold Standard, where he is clearly articulating his position on a tough issue and not apologizing for it. It will be much easier for me (and many others) to get a candidate for President who takes a similar approach. I can get behind a candidate even if I disagree with them on a few issues, as long as they stand up for what they believe in. This is part of the problem with the DLC, where there pro-corporate agenda undercuts the core values of the Democratic Party. Give me someone who is willing to stand up for those core Democratic values.

Feingold will be on Countdown with Keith Olbermann tonight at 7 pm and 11 pm discussing the Iraq Study Group report.

**Update**
Crooks and Liars has video up of Feingold on Olbermann and here is a good look at the appearence from a diary on DailyKos.