I am now posting at leftofthehill.blogspot.com.

I wrote a post yesterday which mentioned how I believe the Supreme Court’s ruling in regards to detainees at Guantanamo Bay provided us with a prime example of why our next president would be so important. To provide a little more information for you, I’ve posted Sen. Barack Obama’s reaction to the decision below.

Today’s Supreme Court decision ensures that we can protect our nation and bring terrorists to justice, while also protecting our core values. The Court’s decision is a rejection of the Bush Administration’s attempt to create a legal black hole at Guantanamo - yet another failed policy supported by John McCain. This is an important step toward reestablishing our credibility as a nation committed to the rule of law, and rejecting a false choice between fighting terrorism and respecting habeas corpus. Our courts have employed habeas corpus with rigor and fairness for more than two centuries, and we must continue to do so as we defend the freedom that violent extremists seek to destroy. We cannot afford to lose any more valuable time in the fight against terrorism to a dangerously flawed legal approach. I voted against the Military Commissions Act because its sloppiness would inevitably lead to the Court, once again, rejecting the Administration’s extreme legal position. The fact is, this Administration’s position is not tough on terrorism, and it undermines the very values that we are fighting to defend. Bringing these detainees to justice is too important for us to rely on a flawed system that has failed to convict anyone of a terrorist act since the 9-11 attacks, and compromised our core values.

In a decision that was released earlier today, the Supreme Court provided us with a primary example of why deciding who is our next president is truly so important. According to the Washington Post, the Supreme Court ruled in a 5 to 4 decision that the procedures established by the Bush Administration to deal with detainees at Guantanamo Bay was simply unacceptable.

“The laws and Constitution are designed to survive, and remain in force, in extraordinary times,” Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote. “Liberty and security can be reconciled; and in our system they are reconciled within the framework of the law.”

With some detainees being held for six years without receiving a hearing, Kennedy was right to remind Americans that we must follow the Constitution even when we’re “in extraordinary times.” Our founding fathers set forth a plan that has worked for hundreds of years and it cannot simply be abandoned when a president decides he needs to scare the public into believing that liberty is no longer important.

Despite the fact that Kennedy and four other Justices were able to see the importance of maintaining our Constitution, there were still four of those who believed the Constitution could simply be cast aside. With the possibility of some of the Justices retiring during the term of the next president, it is important that there continue to be a majority of Justices who believe in liberty and the American way. This is where there is a clear difference between Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain.

When you consider that McCain represents a third Bush term and that Bush’s two appointments voted against this decision, a potential McCain nominee would put that majority at risk. This is extremely discouraging when you combine it with the fact that McCain has made it clear that he has no qualms about continuing Bush’s failed policies for at least another 100 years. Although a Supreme Court Justice probably wouldn’t serve for 100 years, many of them do serve for decades. This essentially means that McCain would have actually have an opportunity to ensure McCain/Bush way of thinking will have a negative impact on our country for decades to come.

Barack Obama, however, has made it clear that he disagrees with the negative policies that have been promoted by President Bush and wants to restore the  liberty here in America. He can be trusted to put forward a candidate who would truly remain true to those values that make America special. In other words, an Obama appointment will not risk the destruction of our Constitution like a McCain appointment would.

I would like to take a brief moment to congratulate Gerry Connolly, Judy Feder, and Jim Moran on their victories yesterday. Although turnout wasn’t very high, this campaign season most definitely saw people become very passionate about the candidates they were supporting. Hopefully that passion will continue into the fall and will help inspire some Democratic pickups in November. I will be putting up some more detailed analysis about the results of the various primaries over the course of the next few days so keep checking for updates.

Even with a great candidate like Glenn Nye, it most definitely helps a challenger to have a current Member of Congress endorse his/her candidacy. When that Member of Congress is also one of the people being considered as a possible Vice Presidential candidate, that would be extremely beneficial. That is why I’m glad to see that Jim Webb has endorsed Glenn Nye for Congress.

“I am pleased to endorse Glenn Nye for Congress in Virginia’s Second Congressional District. I believe Glenn is dedicated to service and has a commitment to patriotism over partisanship. Glenn’s experience working overseas in conflict zones has provided him with a unique vantage point with which to approach the challenges our nation faces. I urge you to join me in supporting Glenn Nye for Congress,” said Senator Jim Webb.

“I am honored to have the endorsement of Senator Jim Webb. Providing veterans with the benefits they deserve is one of my top priorities in Congress, and I am glad to have an ally in Senator Webb. Senator Webb’s GI Bill will provide hard earned opportunities to many veterans in our district. Senator Webb has proven himself in the United States Senate as a champion for bringing real results to Virginians and all Americans, and his backing is a ringing endorsement of my commitment to independent leadership.”

Senator Webb’s endorsement is the latest in a line of important developments for the Nye for Congress campaign, which on Tuesday was rated as one of the top races in the country by the non-partisan Cook Report. Senator Webb’s support follows important endorsements from Congressman Owen Pickett, State Senator Ralph Northam, Delegates Lynwood Lewis, Joe Bouchard and Bobby Mathieson among many other elected officials and community leaders.

Glenn Nye is the Democratic candidate for Congress. Nye is a fifth-generation Hampton Roads resident and former Foreign Service officer. Nye volunteered to serve in conflict zones in Afghanistan, Kosovo and Iraq. He received the State Department’s Superior Honor Award for leading a rescue of 26 American citizens and negotiating the release of an American hostage. In Iraq, Nye led operations to create jobs for Iraqis as part of the counter-insurgency effort.

This election will be one which is extremely important for deciding the direction of our country and the decision to endorse candidates should not be taken lightly. I have thought long and hard about which candidates will truly make a good public servant. With the primary less than a week away, I am proud to be joining several of my fellow bloggers from Northern Virginia (Raising Kaine, Leesburg Tomorrow, Not Larry Sabato, and Anonymous is a Woman) in making the following endorsements.

Jim Moran - 8th
While the corporate media only seems to focus on Jim Moran when he makes a misstatement or a mistake, the truth is that Jim is working hard for Northern Virginia and the nation on a wide variety of issues everyday. Jim was an early vote against the war in Iraq and has continued to oppose the war, even moving away from his former DLC allies over this and other issues (e.g., “free trade” vs. “fair trade”). Jim has been a strong voice for Northern Virginia on the House Appropriations Committee, has done great work on the BRAC issue, and is a strong environmentalist. In addition, Jim and his office have been great friends of the netroots and the Virginia progressive blogosphere. In contrast, Jim’s opponent is an unknown who has made no case for replacing the 9-term incumbent. Elections are not about achieving the perfect, they are a choice between the candidates on the ballot. In this match up, it’s Moran by a mile.

Judy Feder - 10th

The 10th CD primary offers Democrats an easy choice. In 2006, Judy Feder gave Frank Wolf the toughest race he’s seen in more than a decade. This year, Judy is building on what she accomplished the last time around. For 2008, she has started earlier, is raising more money, and has built a highly capable campaign team — all in a district that is trending blue and in a year which has seen record Democratic turnout across the country. Needless to say, the Republicans are worried, and justifiably so; perhaps that’s why they’ve already begun attacking Judy.

Electability is essential, but Judy offers much more. First and foremost, she is one of the leading experts in this country on health care. This could prove to be a tremendous asset to President Obama as he works to ensure that all Americans have access to high-quality, affordable, universal health care coverage. In addition, as a veteran of the health care battles of the 1990s, Judy will help President Obama and the Democratic Congress avoid past pitfalls in getting this done.

In addition to health care, Judy believes in balancing the federal budget, paying as you go, getting out of Iraq responsibly, ending our oil addiction, and protecting our environment. As a member of Congress, she will bring her tremendous work ethic and intellectual rigor to these and other issues. We strongly and enthusiastically endorse Judy Feder for Congress!

Leslie Byrne - 11th

We join Jim Webb, Chap Petersen, Donald McEachin and many others in enthusiastically endorsing Leslie Byrne for Congress. Leslie is a proven winner, having carried the 11th district in 2005, with 55% of the vote. Leslie is a strong progressive, something she has proven her entire career. Leslie is effective, having introduced and passed more legislation than any other freshman representative while in Congress. Leslie has principles; in 1993, she voted against NAFTA out of concern for labor rights and the environment. Leslie has guts; she did the politically risky thing and voted for President Clinton’s tax package. Several Democrats lost their seats because of this vote, but it was the right thing to do, leading to balanced budgets and contributing to the years of prosperity in the 1990s. Finally, Leslie has her priorities straight, fighting for working people as opposed the powerful special interests and the super-rich. We strongly urge all Democrats in the 11th CD to vote for Leslie Byrne on June 10.

After it was reported that Sen. Ted Kennedy’s brain surgery was declared a success, most people were extremely relieved to hear the good news. Unfortunately, it looks like Kennedy isn’t the only Senator who is currently facing some health concerns. According to the AP, West Virginia’s Sen. Robert Byrd was taken to the hospital after being extremely lethargic, sluggish, and suffering from a fever.

Press secretary Jesse L. Jacobs said the West Virginia senator would be in the hospital overnight for observation.

Byrd, who is the longest-serving senator in history, voted during a 5:30 p.m. roll call Monday, then went home. Jacobs said the senator began to feel ill less than an hour later.

He was found to have a fever, and at his doctor’s request he was taken to a nearby hospital.

I believe I join in most Americans by saying that I hope Sen. Byrd’s condition doesn’t prove to be serious. As NLS would say:

Developing…

Since we are in the middle of a presidential election and the War in Iraq, there has been a lot of discussion about our military in recent months. On this Memorial Day, however, I believe that we should all take some time to truly honor the memory of our fallen troops and do what we can to reach out to the members of our military and their families. At the very least, try to say “thank you” to a member of the military or their family. I most definitely want to take this opportunity to send my best to all of our men and women in uniform.

There has been a lot of discussion in the blogosphere over the last few days about Gov. Tim Kaine’s decision to endorse Gerry Connolly in the 11th District’s Democratic primary. Since many aspects of Gerry’s platform run contrary to the progressive values held by the netroots, it shouldn’t be too surprising that a lot of bloggers are disappointed with the governor’s endorsement. At the same time, I think the best way to express their disappointment with Kaine’s endorsement would be to remind people why they should be voting for Leslie Byrne.

Gov. Kaine’s appearance on WTOP (103.5 FM in the DC area) at 10am on Tuesday morning will provide a perfect opportunity for people to do just that. During this “Ask the Governor” session, I think it could be worthwhile for callers to ask Kaine some questions about his decision to endorse Connolly. Here are a couple questions I’d be interested in hearing the governor answer:

• Since Kaine has been a big supporter of Barack Obama, one would think that he supports bringing about the change that is so desperately needed right now. So why did he endorse the candidate who seems to represent a continuation of policies that are out of touch with the general public?
• Kaine said he thought “this race has attracted four worthy and capable candidates.” What are some of the reasons he might have considered supporting Leslie Byrne?

Of course those are just two questions that quickly come to mind and there are many more that could be asked. Feel free to talk about potential questions in the comment section of this post and don’t forget to call into WTOP’s “Ask the Governor” on Tuesday at 10am with some questions.