Jim Webb is dead to me.

Sen. Webb's vote for the horrible "Protect America Act" last August made me decide not to waste any more effort in electoral work. It was a direct betrayal of what he'd promised on the campaign trail, when he made reining in the out-of-control executive branch one of the three major points of his message.

After the intial wave of rage and revulsion receded, I held out a tiny hope that by the time the Senate revisited the issue, Webb might recognize that vote as a mistake. That hope was sustained during last week's deliberations when he seemed to be voting the right way, even making floor statements in support of those fighting the good fight to preserve the constitution. His office told constituents he was opposed to immunity for the telecom corporations who broke the law to carry out warrantless eavesdropping for this lawless regime.

But today he cast an unforgivable vote for telcom immunity -- all the more unforgivable for being unnecessary and un-bought. Glad to have that cleared up. I'm walking away with no nagging regrets.

Update: Feb 15 3:00 pm - Pretty sad day when Silvestre Reyes is a profile in courage and Jim Webb is the calculating weenie. Reyes' letter to the president announcing the House's refusal to be stampeded into making further bad law is a refreshing read.