Pulling up from the brink

Whaddaya know? Sen. Reid blinked.

I still can't figure how he would advance such a bill, or how his local newspapers wouldn't crucify him for doing it - but at least there's another month for opponents of telco immunity to gear up.

In January, I expect this same stupid bill to do the rounds again - if only because there appears to be some sort of Democratic reflex arc when the President says jump.

"How high? Mr. President, sir?"

Sen. Dodd will claim credit - and he's welcome to it.

Late Edit: From Sen. Dodd's remarks in the Senate via GG and ThinkProgress:

in place of the forthright argument and judicial deliberation that ought to be this country’s pride, two simple words from our president’s mouth: “Trust me.”

I cannot speak for my colleagues–but I would never take that offer, not even in the best of times, not even from a perfect president. I would never take that offer because our Constitution tells us that the president’s word is subject to the oversight of the Congress and the deliberation of the courts; and because I took an oath to defend the Constitution; and because I stand by my oath.

“Trust me.” It is the offer to hide ourselves in the waiting arms of the rule of men. And in these threatened times, that offer has never seemed more seductive. The rule of law has rarely been so fragile.

“It is a universal truth that the loss of liberty at home is to be charged to the provisions against danger…from abroad.” James Madison, the father of our Constitution, made that prediction more than two centuries ago. With the passage of this bill, his words would be one step closer to coming true. So it has never been more essential that we lend our voices to the law, and speak on its behalf.

On its behalf, we say to President Bush that a nation of truly free men and women would never take “trust me” for an answer, not even from a perfect president — and certainly not from him. […]

If this disastrous war has taught us anything, it is that the Senate must never again stack such a momentous decision on such a weak foundation of fact.

Rock on, Senator. Wish I lived in a state with a meaningful primary - I'd gladly vote for you.

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Whatever machinations caused Sen. Reid to pull the plug - I'm hoping the media can shine an uncomfortably bright light on him in the interval.

Questions I'd like him to answer:

Sen. Reid:

• You had two versions of this bill - one with immunity and one without. Despite widespread opposition within your own party - you've advanced the bill that includes the immunity provision - how do you justify this decision?
  
  
• Your party was swept into power by an electorate that was clearly disillusioned with this administration. How do you respond to your constituents who question your willingness to acquiesce to a request from this same administration?
  
  
• You've upheld the holds on legislation for numerous GOP senators, how do you explain why you brought this bill to the floor, despite Sen. Dodd's publicly declared hold on the bill? Can you list another occasion when you've overridden the hold of a fellow senator?

With any luck, Sen. Rockefeller will get a similar grilling - as to why he's been such an advocate for immunity and the position of this administration.

I mean, with friends like these....