Sen. Russ Feingold demagogues NSA surveillance ‘scandal’

I know, it’s not exactly news that a Democratic Senator would demagogue the NSA surveillance ‘scandal’ but a new ad put out by Sen. Russ Feingold’s Leadership PAC takes the absurdity to new heights:

Advisor: So Mr. President, how’s our commander in chief feeling these days?
President (off-screen): Yeah, I’m fine, fine.
Advisor: Oh, you’re a lot better than fine. The war’s over like you said. Missions accomplished Georgie baby.
President (off screen): Huh?
Advisor: I’m sorry, that probably doesn’t seem appropriate for the king of the United States. Yes I said “King.” Think about it. You don’t have to settle for just being President GW. The war still got everyone running scared. They’ll go along with whatever you say. Forget the rules and quit treating the Constitution like it’s set in stone. For starters, we should be eavesdropping on anybody who has the nerve to disagree with you – court order or not.
President (off screen): What?
Advisor: It’s not domestic spying George. It’s terrorist surveillance.
President (revealed as George Washington): Break the law? Ignore the Constitution? What you propose goes against the very things we stand for. As President of these United States, I would never condone that.
Feingold (voiceover): Our country hasn’t stood for this kind of abuse of power for over two hundred years. Let’s not stand for it now. Support the Progressive Patriots. We can fight the terrorists without breaking the law or sacrificing our freedoms.

Make sure to read FactCheck’s analysis of the ad for a ‘play by play’ of the ad itself and what it *falsely* implies.

Guess he couldn’t drum up enough support from his colleagues in the Senate on the call for censure so now he’s taking the demagoguery to his constituency.

I’ve had friends, some of whom are Republicans, tell me that Sen. Feingold is one of those rare Congressmen who stands on principle on the issues he brings before the Congress and his constituency. I respectfully submit this post to them (and anyone else who believes that) as an example of just the opposite.

Also blogging about this: Blogs for Bush, Leaning Straight Up

Related Toldjah So posts:

• It doesn’t get any better than Jeff Goldstein (re: Feingold’s stunt)
• Senator Russ Feingold calls for censure of Bush
• House approves Patriot Act, Senate panel rejects broad NSA inquiry
• NSA Surveillance Program ‘scandal’ – update
• Congressional probe of NSA surveillance may not happen afterall
• Admin briefs Congress on NSA surveillance
• Thomas Sowell on the NSA ‘scandal’ controversy
• NSA ‘scandal’ fallout: convicted terrorist conspirators wanting cases thrown out
• Intelligence officials: NSA leak has undermined ability to fight terrorism
• On politicizing the Patriot Act and the NSA ‘scandal’
• NYT: NSA scandal is worse than WWII Japanese internment camps
• Link between disposable phone sale surge and NSA leak?
• Whistleblower or leaker?
• Joe Klein: How to Stay Out of Power (and undermine the war in the process)
• Why it was important to keep the cat in the bag
• The Rep. Jane Harman flip flop
• NSA initially acted on its own after 9-11
• Investigations begin into the NSA eavesdropping leak
• “… the only thing outrageous about this policy is the outrage itself”
• Michael Barone on the MSM’s ‘eavesdropping’ coverage
• Brief history of warrantless searches
• Past presidents and the NSA
• Bill Clinton and the NSA
• WSJ: “Thank you for wiretapping”
• The Prez fires back
• Prez essentially says ‘let me do my job’