By Robert Mentzer
Wausau Daily Herald
rmentzer@wdhprint.com
The fight for the Democratic nomination for president has gotten personal in recent days, but U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold is urging calm.
"I'll tell some of the (Barack) Obama supporters here today: Cool it," Feingold, D-Middleton, said Wednesday to a group of about 50 people at the University of Wisconsin Marathon County. "Take it a little easy."
The campaigns of Sens. Obama of Illinois and Hillary Clinton of New York have exchanged blows in recent weeks, and aides to each campaign have resigned after making controversial statements. At UWMC, Feingold aimed his censure at Obama supporters, saying their purpose should not be to "crush" Clinton, but at other times, he seemed to take aim at both campaigns' rhetoric.
"People are frustrated by the length of this political season," Feingold said. "When that starts to get personal, it is to the benefit of the Republican candidate. I believe there's plenty of time for this to be over. But it needs to stop pretty soon."
Feingold has said he voted for Obama in Wisconsin's primary and that he is "highly inclined" to support him as a superdelegate at the Democratic convention. Following the constituent listening session, he told the Daily Herald that he thinks Democratic party leaders should try to influence the tone of the campaign, but that it is not yet time to step in to force an outcome.
"The more leaders say, 'Look, this (tone) isn't welcome,' ... I think people hear me say that, and I hope they'd say, well, you know, maybe he's right," he said. Feingold said he still does not think superdelegates will decide the nominee, implying that the contest will be wrapped up before the Democratic convention in late August.
Discussion at Wednesday's listening session ranged from constituent concerns about veterans benefits, central Wisconsin plant closings and the possibility of war with Iran. Feingold holds listening sessions in all 72 counties in Wisconsin each year.
http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080327/WDH0101/803270649/1581/WDHnews:hide: I just wrote and asked him to hurry up and endorse Obama. :hide: