WASHINGTON, March 20 (UPI) -- A U.S. senator's call for a censure of President George Bush is hampering Democratic efforts to win control of the U.S. Congress, party members claim.
Some Democrats believe the president's political problems play into their hands heading into the November elections. But efforts by Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., to have Bush censured regarding a terror spying program is hurting those chances some party members said in a Washington Times report Monday.
"I have no idea why anybody would censure someone before they have an investigation. Why doesn't everybody just channel their energy into winning the election?" House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., asked last week.
"Every time we get in a great strategic position, we manage to energize the Republican base, Rep. James Morgan, D-Va., told the Times. "The idea of censure which is going to go nowhere is not just quixotic but is somewhat self-serving."
Some members of Congress claim Bush broke the law by authorizing a program that includes spying on communications by suspected terrorists without warrants. The White House contends the program is important to the war on terror and points out several members of Congress have been briefed on the program.
