Glenn Greenwald has the full breakdown on how Chris Dodd (at the very least) significantly delayed the FISA bill. Reid wanted it passed quickly, ignoring long-standing Senate procedures and traditions to do it. You can see why: holding it up would provide a bludgeon for the Republicans against purple-state Dems, and having it be visible for any longer than necessary would increase the likelihood that the Dem base would notice it and go absolutely berserk.
Well, more so.
Still, sometimes you have to let principles trump political maneuvering. That's exactly what Dodd did here. It's sad that this probably made it impossible for him to be a serious presidential candidate, as the very people who loved this bill still define "serious" in the eyes of beltway Dems, but he still did something positive, and useful, and gave a rare win to a team that was getting dispirited by all the defeats snatched from the jaws of victory.
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