Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold is on a tear to win the whitehouse and he’s doing it diplomatically at times but has shown he carries a big stick when needed.

He’s tired of Democratic leaders and strategists who want to push safe Republican-lite ideas only to find themselves getting quashed. The Daily Show host, John Stewart jubilantly pointed out that Feingold was “kickin’ it old school” meaning he’s not afraid of a fight and the Jr. Senator from Wisconsin has some political cahones.

Now he’s getting noticed elsewhere. Contrasting Feingold’s run for the whitehouse to former Vermont Governor Howard Dean’s, Washington Post blogger Chris Cillizza says “Feingold, one could say, is Dean 2.0 — more substance, less growling”.

Look for Feingold to be the top pick of people tired of Republican-lite. Not only will Feingold gather former Deanies, he’ll pull in more of the moderates with the party who will admire him for his political courage. While there are still strategists wasting their keystrokes promoting the candidacy of Hillary Clinton, Feingold is out meeting people and drawing together a base.

After all, while Hillary is out glad handing and trying to reach out to Republicans who don’t want her anyway, Feingold is talking to real Americans who are suffering under the failed policies of the Bush administration. He’s kicking ass and naming names.

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Links: The Fix with Chris Cillizza; Russ Feingold: Bucking Convention All the Way to the White House?