Can we get our Presidential candidates to support habeas?
Sun Apr 29, 2007 at 05:37:30 AM PDT
Chris Dodd has introduced S.576, which restores habeas corpus rights and removes the worst of the Military Commissions Act.
No cosponsorship or support yet from Clinton, Obama, or Biden, all of whom are in the Senate.
Kucinich, of course, has been a strong and consistent defender of habeas corpus.
(http://kucinich.us/node/3560)
Gravel came out clearly for prompt restoration of habeas corpus. ( http://www.gravel2008.us/... )
Nothing at all from Richardson, which is quite possibly the worst record on this.
I've heard no recent word from Edwards either, but he opposed the MCA before passage because it gutted habeas.
( http://blog.johnedwards.com/... )
Obama hasn't cosponsored S.576 yet, but he did give a strong speech supporting habeas ( http://www.netscape.com/... ) shortly after the MCA was passed.
Clinton and Biden voted the right way, against the MCA, but have made no public statements about habeas before or since.
Dodd, Kucinich and Gravel are more credible on this absolutely vital issue than the others. What does that say about our Presidential primary?
While I certainly think all of them are likely to restore our constitutional rights -- more likely than the Republicans, all of whom are cheerleaders for locking people up without trial forever -- this is disappointing in the extreme. How can we keep the pressure on? It is unacceptable that several of our Presidential candidates, including the "leader", seem to think this is an unimportant issue. Before the primaries, I want them all guaranteeing that as President they will restore habeas corpus if it hasn't been done already.