The last two Democratic candidates for President have been decidedly underwhelming. Al Gore and John Kerry, despite proven track-records as effective legislators, were respected inside the Beltway but lacked the charisma and warmth needed to rally the American people to their side. When push came to shove, more people voted against President George W. Bush rather than for Gore or Kerry, a fatal distinction. The Republicans carried the day by slim electoral margins in both 2000 and 2004.

These recent experiences have left many Democrats nervous as the party continues its post-Clinton search for a new standard-bearer. The Republicans, it seems, have more than their fair share of competent and impressive personalities: former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, Arizona Senator John McCain, Virginia Senator George Allen, and Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney are all adept, experienced leaders as well as articulate spokesmen for the conservative agenda. Other than Hillary Clinton, who may have a difficult time swinging moderate conservatives to her side as she wrestles with demons from her husband’s Presidency, no Democrat has come to the forefront as a legitimate national challenger.

Until now.

Picture the perfect candidate. He's relatively young (only in his early 50's) and speaks with charisma and energy. He's smart – like Bill Clinton, a former Rhodes Scholar. He's personable. He's warm. He can identify with voters whether they live in New York, New York, or Small Town, USA. He has built an excellent record working on state and national levels, and has been re-elected multiple times after defeating incumbent Republicans for both State and U.S. Senate seats. His name is on major, bi-partisan legislation. And, despite his intelligence, he's not a preppy, upper-class Ivy League snob -- in fact, he's a Wisconsinite born and raised, with down-to-earth Midwestern values.

His name is Russ Feingold, he is the junior U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, and he is going to be our next President.

Senator Feingold visited Dartmouth on October 1st, for one of his well-known “Listening Sessions”, where he takes a couple hours to answer questions from anyone and everyone in the audience. When he initially ran for the U.S. Senate in 1992, Senator Feingold promised to hold one of these meetings each year in all seventy-two Wisconsin counties. Remarkably, he has made good on his promise; to date he has held more than 900 such events. The Dartmouth version was held in the Hinman Forum of the Rockefeller Center early Saturday morning with a few hundred students, faculty, and locals in attendance.

Feingold fielded inquiries on a wide array of issues, from an exit strategy in Iraq to Social Security to health care. Most of the questions were political softballs that he answered deftly. By the end of the session, it was clear that the audience was his; he left to a standing ovation, shaking dozens of hands on his way out.

After the forum was over, I interviewed the Senator in a private meeting along with correspondents from two other campus newspapers, The Dartmouth and The Dartmouth Free Press. The Senator was relaxed and friendly, unmistakably in his element. Again, most of the questions were softballs, with the one exception of the classic “are you running for President in 2008?”—he grinned broadly and told us he will make a decision on it in 2006—and again he took them in stride. He spoke about how to lessen Republican majorities across the nation, his vote to approve John Roberts as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. He later examined the Bill of Rights and defended the campaign finance reform bill he worked on with Senator John McCain. Other topics he touched on included Wisconsin Politics, oil prices, energy policy, and the U.S.A Patriot Act – proudly describing how he was the sole Senator to vote against the bill. He also set forth a vision for the future of our nation.

But of all the questions he answered, one stands out from the rest. “In Wisconsin,” he told us, “they don’t vote for you based on your positions. These are regular, down-to-earth people, and they care about values. The important thing isn’t party; it’s the measure of your character.” To date, Feingold has won half-a-dozen consecutive elections in his home state, the last one by double-digits.

Imagine that—a Senator who’s good on the issues, but cares more about character than partisan politics. A national figure who still pays attention to the little guy. A Democrat who is not only brilliant, but also the kind of guy you want to drink a beer with. Now that’s a candidate you can vote for.

I think the Democrats just found a new standard-bearer.