Reply #4: OK, I'm going to dissent a bit here

[MBS]

I do believe that FISA is a serious issue, and that the Dems should be ashamed that more of them didn't stand up for this. And I'm proud that Sens Dodd, Feingold, Kerry, Boxer et al have consistently stood up against the bad provisions in this bill, and that they have all made eloquent, serious, important statements on the dangers of this bill, and I wish that more Dems. had heeded their words
And I'm not only disappointed, but also mystified, that Obama didn't stand with the Dodd-Feingold-Kerry contingent on this. (I didn't find his statement all that persuasive, and it continues to feel inconsistent to me in the context of everything that he and his campaign stand for). I do think that Obama made a mistake in judgment here, and missed an opportunity to show real leadership; at this point, I can only cross my fingers that he can make up for this mistake in some way, perhaps (as Feingold suggested) by amending this bill when he's president.

I've been a firm supporter of Obama since December, and, unlike some of the people on DU, I will not withdraw my support because of his FISA vote, nor for a few of the other more minor mistakes he's made since June. (And I do think that he's made some, again, mystifying to me since his primary campaign was absolutely outstanding: he never put a foot wrong during the primaries . . ) . But I have to say that my support for Obama persists in spite of not because of his FISA vote.