It seems obvious now that Judge Mukasey, despite his refusal to call waterboarding torture, will be confirmed due to yet another capitulation of the Democratic Congress.  I'm surprised there isn't the online movement for a filibuster that we saw with the Telecom Retroactive Immunity bill last month.

I think it's time to create some pressure on the Democratic candidates to filibuster Mukasey.  Torture is abhorrent to the constitution, American values and human rights.  A capitulation on this is inexcusable.

Dodd is probably the go-to guy on this one.

(202) 224-2823

In case Obama feels like leading, his number is below as well.

(202) 224-2854

Edwards recently spoke before the Council on Foreign Relations last week.  From what Katrina Vanden Huevel wrote, the speech wasn't nearly as interesting as an answer Edwards gave on nuclear policy in the Q&A. This was on "The Nation" online today:

link - http://www.thenation.com/blogs/edcut?bid =7&pid=200721

Cora Weiss: in keeping with your expression used today that there should be no excuse to abandon international law, and in keeping with the international court's unanimous opinion that all countries should eliminate their nuclear weapons, and in keeping with Mr. Kissinger, Sam Nunn and Schultz' op-ed in The Wall Street Journal calling for the elimination of nuclear weapons, when you are president, what will you do about nuclear weapons given that Mr. Bush has just announced the complex 2030 plan to redesign and develop a new generation of nuclear weapons?

I suspect that most of us would expect an answer about "maintaining our nuclear deterrent" and "protecting our national security."  However, Edwards didn't back off:

John Edwards: Well, let me say first, I think I would want to associate myself with the concepts that are conveyed by Kissinger, Sam Nunn and others in the op-ed piece. I thought it was very thoughtful. And I think essentially what they said if I remember -- I don't remember the precise language -- was that we should aspire to a nuclear-free world. I agree with that. Now, there are a lot of steps that have to go between here and there. Some of them are pretty obvious, which is America should not be building new nuclear weapons. And then I think America should be doing things like leading an international effort to close the holes in the NPT. There are clearly serious flaws in the NPT. And I think America, leading an international effort to reduce the supplies nuclear sense in the world -- all aimed at the general goal that's described in that piece that you just spoke about.

This is genuine progress in the battle to draw back the National Security State that Stoller has blogged about.  I haven't heard anything from the other candidates on U.S. nuclear policy, but Edwards has articulated a strong vision.  The more I hear from Edwards on foreign policy, the more I like.