by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Apparently, Sen. Feinstein is asking Hillary Clinton for her primary "game plan".

"I, as you know, have great fondness and great respect for Sen. Clinton and I'm very loyal to her," Feinstein said. "Having said that, I'd like to talk with her and [get] her view on the rest of the race and what the strategy is."

Clinton, who eked out a win in Indiana Tuesday night but lost big to front-runner Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) in North Carolina, has not responded to Feinstein's phone call, the California senator said.

"I think the race is reaching the point now where there are negative dividends from it, in terms of strife within the party," Feinstein said. "I think we need to prevent that as much as we can."

Interesting.  What I'd like to see is Feinstein show some leadership on the Rules Committee and block Hans von Spakovsky's resurrected nomination to the FEC.  But I'd say DiFi is as good a bellweather as there is of the emerging CW on the Democratic nomination fight.

In other news, California superdelegate Inola Henry committed to Obama today.

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

I guess it's a happening day in DiFi's office today.  Back in October of last year, Fiona Ma wrote to thank those who helped her ban toxic toys containing phthalates in California. Today, it looks like Sen. Feinstein has copied her by getting the phthalate ban through the Senate in the Consumer Products Safety Commission enabling act.  

Our senior senator also included a law aimed at regulating second-hand cribs in the legislation. Too bad the CPSC is being denied funds by the Bush administration and will be strapped in the enforcement of the legislation.

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

by greggp [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

If you're like me, you were upset about the thought that the Congress would give telecom companies immunity for participating in a warrantless wiretapping program set up by the Bush Administration.  If you're from California like me, you were upset that your Senator, Diane Feinstein, would actually have considered supporting such a horrendous idea.  And, if you're like me, you contacted Senator Feinstein about it.

It seems like it was a long time ago that I wrote to Senator Feinstein, and I frankly expected that she would blow off all of us.  But tonight, I received a response from her via email.

(This is cross-posted at Daily Kos.  People there suggested I post here.  That was a great idea.  I should come here more often.)
Here's the text of the letter I faxed to her office (yes, I use the fax, because it is much more likely to get attention these days, it can't easily be filtered like email, and while it exists on paper like a letter, it won't languish for weeks in the Senate basement waiting to be electrocuted).

Now that I'm looking at the letter, it turns out it was a long time ago.

October 20, 2007

Senator Diane Feinstein

United States Senate

331 Hart Senate Office Building

read more »

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]