Time to Stand Up AGAIN for the American Way (w/poll)

George W. Bush, Dick "Darth" Cheney and David Addington are the gift that keeps on giving to our Democratic Presidential candidates when it comes to determining where they stand on bedrock American principles.

Torture?

Can anyone seriously be considering voting to confirm an Attorney General who will not declare waterboarding -- a technique considered to be torture by everyone since the 1800s -- illegal?

The answer is sadly yes.

The question is, who will be the Democratic Presidential candidate to both speak eloquently to demonstrate how out of the mainstream this position is, AND also exercise his/her power as a leader of the United States to stop it.

By that, I mean, a hold.  And then, a filibuster.  This Attorney General cannot be confirmed if we are to retain our respect among our fellow human beings and our forefathers and mothers.

Given my new sig line, one might think that this is merely a diary shilling for Chris Dodd.  

For me, my mind was made up when Chris Dodd stepped up to the plate on the FISA issue.  He not just spoke eloquently about the reasons why spying on Americans without warrants is unconstitutional, he TOOK ACTION and used his POWER as a LEADER to stop it, or at least slow it down.

That is the kind of LEADER that this country needs.

And I know that he believes in our constitution and the American way because he is willing to both take principled stands, and EDUCATE and LEAD people as he tells them why he is standing up.

However, this is not just a diary about why Chris Dodd should be president.

It is also a call to action for the other Democratic candidates.

Because we can't win the battle to return our country to normalcy, to reality, to its core bedrock principles with just one man.  It is going to take many such leaders in all areas of US political life to repair the damage that has been wrought by Bush, Cheney, Addington, Libby, Rove and all the rest.

All of us as a community should be willing to ask our respective candidates for both an eloquent defense of our Constitution, a renewed commitment to the American way, and ACTION using POWER to LEAD our country back from this precipice.

It is time for these outrages against the people, our values and all those who have died to uphold them to stop.

NO TORTURE. NOT NOW.  NOT EVER.  

If a candidate for the highest legal officer in the land cannot renounce torture, and that is what waterboarding is, and do so unequivocally, then EVERY ACTION must be taken to prevent him from assuming that powerful position.

Will you ask your candidate to do this?

You are the solution.  You are the power.  Demand that your candidate reject torture.  Reject Mukasey.  And ask your candidate to commit to do everything in his/her power, whether hold, filibuster or other option, to stop this defamation of our Constitution and American values.