Russ, Are You Listening?

Russ Feingold has some trademark "listening sessions" scheduled for July 15 and 16.

Feingold describes the meetings:

When I first ran for the U.S. Senate in 1992, I made a promise to hold open meetings in each of the state's 72 counties every year to listen to people's concerns and answer their questions. I have kept that promise, meeting with more than 43,897 Wisconsinites at these sessions since I was first elected.

Here's the Listening Session map.



As you can see, Feingold has scheduled a session in Grant County on July 15 in Platteville.

His Grant County listening session will be held at 9:15 a.m. in the City Council Chamber at the Platteville City Hall, 75 North Bonson Street, Platteville. The meeting will last up to an hour.

"Up to an hour"?

That's not much time. If Feingold is bothering to go to Grant County, you'd think he could devote more than just an hour to listening to his constituents' concerns.

Prior to the "up to an hour" listening session with Wisconsinites, Feingold will talk with the media. Rather than spending his precious time with the people he represents, the senator will be spitting out some sound bites and performing for the media.

NOTE: SENATOR FEINGOLD WILL BE AVAILABLE TO MEET WITH THE MEDIA FOR A SHORT TIME PRIOR TO THESE LISTENING SESSIONS.

If the session starts on time, it will be over by 10:15 a.m.

What else is on Feingold's schedule for the rest of the day?

Visiting with other Wisconsinites in another county?

Working for the people of Wisconsin? Looking into issues that matter to them?

No.

Feingold will be spending two days in another state.

You'll never guess which one.

IOWA!

Did you see that coming?

Craig Gilbert reports:

Russ Feingold will be making his second trip this year to Iowa, home of the first-in-the-nation presidential caucuses. Feingold plans to be in eastern Iowa July 15 and 16, holding a listening session and several public meetings with local activists.

It's the summer of 2006 and Feingold is already abandoning Wisconsinites for Iowans.

How convenient that Grant County just happens to be in the southwestern corner of Wisconsin!

Feingold can cross right over the border into Iowa, the promised land of presidential wannabes, before lunch time.

I wonder how many out of state listening sessions Feingold has held in the past. I really don't know. My guess is few to none.

I suppose this proves that Feingold is a maverick. He's so independent that he's freed himself from Wisconsin.

He feels free to spend his time listening to Iowans instead of his constituents, and he has no qualms about campaigning for a race that's two years off.

Remember, Feingold claims that he's not thinking about a presidential run at this stage.

Yeah, sure.

Getting the Dem Party's nomination is really a pipe dream. According to a recent poll of likely caucus-goers, conducted by the Des Moines Register:

Edwards led with 30%, followed by Hillary Clinton at 26%, John Kerry at 12%, and Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack at 10%. Feingold was tied with several others at 3%.

Feingold has A LOT of listening to do.

In a way, the three percent surprises me.

I didn't think there were that many Leftist nutjobs in Iowa.