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There are, of course, political benefits to what Dodd is doing. His campaign responded to the concerns of Democratic voters, and those Democratic voters responded in turn with more than $100,000 in donations since he announced his intention to filibuster.

His principled stand has drawn more media attention than anything else his campaign has done in months.

If anything, though, those practical considerations should make other pols more likely to follow Dodd’s lead, not less.

If they won’t stand up to the Bush administration for what’s right, if they won’t stand up to the Bush administration for what they believe in, if they won’t stand up to the Bush administration for their constituents, for the Constitutional principles they swore to uphold, for the sake of this country or their own miserable souls, maybe they’ll stand up for the cameras and the money.

At this point – six years into the ongoing destruction of the rule of law in this country – I don’t think we can be picky. Whatever gets the job done.

Already, fellow Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Joe Biden and Wisconsin’s Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold have signed on to support Dodd’s efforts.

Leadership comes from unexpected places.

It would behoove the Democratic frontrunners to look behind them, back at Dodd, who may be trailing them in the polls but is miles ahead of them in doing the job he wants to be elected to do.

A.