Last week, Chris Dodd promised to filibuster any version of the FISA bill including a provision for retroactive immunity for telecom companies that helped the Bush administration engage in warrantless wiretapping.

At the time, Dodd stood alone on a filibuster, though Obama had issued a statement against immunity. Then Biden said he would join in.

Today, both Obama and Clinton issued statements offering conditional support for a filibuster.

The Obama campaign issued the following statement:

"Senator Obama has serious concerns about many provisions in this bill, especially the provision on giving retroactive immunity to the telephone companies. He is hopeful that this bill can be improved by the Senate Judiciary Committee. But if the bill comes to the Senate floor in its current form, he would support a filibuster of it."

Clinton said:

HRC: I am troubled by the concerns that have been raised by the recent legislation reported out of the Intelligence Committee. I haven't seen it so I can't express an opinion about it. But I don't trust the Bush Administration with our civil rights and liberties. So I'm going to study it very hard. As matters stand now, I could not support it and I would support a filibuster absent additional information coming forward that would convince me differently.

Obama's is clearly the stronger statement - after all, he appears to have read the bill. That said, both Obama and Clinton took an important step in expressing a willingness to support a filibuster of at least one version of the bill. The question is, will they insist on a bill that goes the distance and unequivocally oppose any legislation that provides amnesty to telecoms?

We need to make sure they stand firm rather than looking for a hedge. They're both aware there are serious issues with this bill, but no doubt they're feeling pressure from their consultants and the Beltway pundit class to make this problem go away. Let's make them feel the pressure from our side to complete this step toward defending the Constitution against George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. Both leading candidates should join Chris Dodd in firmly vowing to oppose any bill that gives retroactive immunity to law-breaking phone companies who helped Bush illegally spy on innocent Americans.