He's a Rhodes scholar, a Harvard Law School graduate, an Oxford man, a Badger alumnus and today he's a birthday boy (Happy 53rd, Senator). But the question remains, will U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold be a 2008 presidential candidate? Feingold seems poised to pursue the Democratic endorsement, but his popularity is generally limited to Wisconsin voters.
Feingold experienced this situation first-hand when he visited Iraq and Afghanistan with fellow presidential potentials Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. and Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y. In Vogue's February 'Man of the Moment' feature story, Feingold recalled, 'When we landed, all the soldiers ran up to Senator McCain, and all the women ran up to Hillary. And I stood there alone, holding my bags.'
However, Vogue's attention to Feingold lands him on the cusp of political haute couture. Whether the media portrays candidates as demi-gods or diabolical bureaucrats, it serves as the gatekeeper of public recognition and opinion. In the case of Feingold, Vogue painted him as a man with Ivy-League intelligence, humble common-man roots and 'vulpine good looks.'
In the past two elections, Democrats have made futile attempts to please the public with artificially centrist, enthusiastic candidates. If Clinton gets the Democratic endorsement, the renowned waffler will oblige her party to wage yet another defensive election. Less stoic and indecisive than Kerry and Clinton, yet more professional and intelligent than President Bush, Feingold represents a compromise between extremes.
'He may have more appeal across the political spectrum than you might think at first glance,' said UW-Madison political science professor David Canon. 'Feingold can appeal to someone who is very conservative on a lot of issues because he has that libertarian streak to him on other issues. He's not a pure liberal in the old left-right sense.'
Despite the pessimism of political pundits who view a Feingold triumph over Clinton as unlikely, one must look only as far as her husband to see that rising from obscurity to the presidency can happen.
'If you look back at someone like Bill Clinton, he wasn't that well known either before his presidential election in '92, and certainly Jimmy Carter was virtually unknown before he was elected in '76,' said Canon. Thus, at this stage, name recognition is not vital.
Some experts also argue that Feingold's two divorces will damage his credibility with voters, especially conservatives. But if Feingold, ?? la Ronald Reagan, can downplay divorce and prove his fidelity to his platform and constituents, it may not adversely affect his candidacy. Feingold may also follow in the footsteps of John F. Kennedy, who first challenged the Protestant-president paradigm in 1960 as a Catholic. If Feingold enters the race for Democratic endorsement in 2008, he will become the first Jewish candidate to seek the Oval Office.
In spite of the critics, bloggers rank Feingold as the No. 1 Democratic presidential potential. As an increasingly important force in elections, the Internet may allow him to raise enough funds and recognition to competitively enter the race. Feingold must remember the limits of the Internet, however, lest he meet the same fate as former blogosphere sweetheart Howard Dean (he should also remember not to scream at campaign rallies).
Once Democrats nationwide discover Feingold, with his impressive legislative history and personality fit for the presidency, he will emerge as a challenger worthy of the 2008 Democratic ticket.
'I think he has a good set of personal and political characteristics now, and he just needs to be able to convey that to the people,' said Canon.
