Censure of Bush Is Debated

Democrats distanced themselves Monday from Sen. Russell D. Feingold’s effort to censure President Bush over domestic spying, preventing a floor vote that they fear could alienate swing voters.

A day of tough, election-year talk from the Wisconsin Democrat and Vice President Dick Cheney ended with Senate leaders sending the matter to the Judiciary Committee.

“I look forward to a full hearing, debate and vote in committee on this important matter,” Feingold said in a statement late Monday. “If the committee fails to consider the resolution expeditiously, I will ask that there be a vote in the full Senate.”

Vice President Dick Cheney told a Republican audience in Feingold’s home state that “some Democrats in Congress have decided the president is the enemy.”

“The outrageous proposition that we ought to protect our enemies’ ability to communicate as it plots against America poses a key test of our Democratic leaders,” Cheney said. “The American people already made their decision -- they agree with the president.”

But on the Senate floor, Feingold said, “The president has violated the law and Congress must respond.”

He added: “A formal censure by Congress is an appropriate and responsible first step to assure the public that when the president thinks he can violate the law without consequences, Congress has the will to hold him accountable.”

Even as he spoke, Democratic leaders held off the immediate vote that Majority Leader Bill Frist had requested. Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) said he didn’t know whether there ever would be one. Durbin said he thought that Feingold sought to use the censure resolution “as a catalyst” for thorough hearings and investigations.

The referral averted a debate and a vote that Democrats privately worried could alienate voters. Feingold’s fellow Democrats said they understood his frustration but they held back overt support for the resolution.