So says an American Research Group poll taken March 13-15. The question is: what percentage of Senate Dems will support it?

I called DiFi's office again this morning to find out, more on that below.

This is huge because it's a public perception that was influenced by the Blogs and Air America Radio (Big Ed Schultz has been all over this) without any help from Beltway Dems or Corporate Media. It shows that the progressive roots can be effective even without cooperation from the other two sides of Daou's Triangle. As I argued previously, we don't need them.

Only one single, solitary, kickass Senator was involved and Corporate Media has been hard at work portraying this as, in Glenn Greenwald's words, "a great political boon to Republicans, massive self-destruction by Democrats, the greatest political blunder in 100 years, and the life raft that will single-handedly save George Bush's drowning presidency".

This is the dynamic I'm seeing: a Senator takes a risky, principled stand based on widespread public sentiment (even without blog influence, Americans are rightfully concerned about having their 4th amendment rights violated) as opposed to Beltway Conventional Wisdom. Progressive bloggers and AAR jump in to support him and spread the word. Polls then show that Public Opinion is behind the principled stand. Calls to other Senators' offices put pressure on them to support the measure.

[I select "DiFi" on my cell phone's speed dial]

Shystee: Hi, I wanted to ask if Senator Feinstein has taken a position yet on the Censure resolution?

Staffer: The Senator feels it is premature to make a decision before the investigation is complete.

Shystee: The Intelligence Committee investigation? I've read that it's not going to be a real investigation because they won't tell the Committee what the program really is...

Staffer: Yes, they have told them what it is. It's an investigation that the Senator has joined...

[I was unprepared for this, I didn't know there was an investigation that was not taking place in the Intelligence Committee. The staffer, I think it was the same nice young lady I spoke to on Monday, went on about this for a while so I kind of interrupted her.]

Shystee: Can I just pass on a couple of points that might help the Senator in her decision?

Staffer: Please go ahead, sir.

Shystee: Senator Feingold has said that there is no question that Bush went outside of FISA on this, so there is really no question about the legality.

Staffer: Yes.

Shystee: Also, there is a poll that came out yesterday saying that 70% of Democrats support censure. It's an American Research Group poll.

And I read that Senator Feinstein introduced a motion to censure President Clinton back in the day. So censure shouldn't be that big of a deal.

Staffer: [silence]

Shystee: That's it.

Staffer: Have a nice day, sir.

Shystee: Thank you, you too.

[I hang up]

Shystee: Tee hee hee. That was fun.