Finding Feingold

Sometimes you get a presidential candidate and sometimes you get Feingold. This week's column in the Waukesha Freeman looks at how sometimes even when Feingold wins he loses.

Unfortunately for Feingold, with the Democrats becoming the majority party in both the House and the Senate, the Democrats will now be partly responsible for the war on terror from this point forward. As a senator in a narrow majority, Feingold will either have to support his party's proposals or be responsible for rendering the Democrats in the Senate impotent. It's not exactly an attractive choice for someone wishing to run as a "maverick" for president.

Worse for Feingold's aspirations, should the Democrats succeed in forcing a withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq, Democrats might be inclined to look at other issues like his vote against ending the impeachment process of President Clinton or Feingold's past support for Bush nominees John Ashcroft and John Roberts.

Unfortunately for Feingold, Senator Kerry effectively ruined the "I voted for them before I was against them" defense.

Next week, look for my column on Wednesday instead of Thursday. The Waukesha Freeman will not be publishing on Thursday.