It seems that Majority Whip Steny Hoyer is starting to worry that the Blue Dog Democrats are getting soft on FISA. From TheHill.com:

Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (Md.), the House Democrats’ point man in negotiations on an overhaul of intelligence surveillance law, is keeping his eye on conservative Blue Dog Democrats who might defect on the issue under Republican pressure.

Conservative and freshman Democrats are growing skittish. These lawmakers expect campaign opponents to accuse them of imperiling national security if Congress does not enact new intelligence surveillance legislation.

Retiring Alabama Congressman Bud Cramer (D-Huntsville) is a founding member of the Blue Dogs. (Read more about the coalition here.) Cramer also serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, so his perspective on the need to reauthorize or tweak its provisions will carry heavy sway with fellow Blue Dogs whom Hoyer is scrambling to keep in line.

I’d be interested to know what conversations about FISA Hoyer has had with Cramer, if any, and what those conversations entailed. It will be interesting to watch how Cramer, who has no reason to toe the party line, influences this debate over the next few months.

Also of note is the impact this issue will have in the campaign to replace Cramer. How will the six Republicans and two Democrats—State Sen. Parker Griffith, in particular—handle FISA and the Democratic Party leadership’s opposition to expansion and reauthorization of the Bush Administration’s warrantless wiretapping program?

No one wants to be accused of being soft on national security—especially in an election year.