Never in my life have I been moved to tears – of sadness, anger, passion – by a broadcast journalist’s commentary.

Until tonight.

Keith Olbermann’s commentary on the Military Commissions Act of 2006 was the ticket. Olbermann, using tones not heard on the U.S. airwaves since the days of Edward R. Murrow, fired on all cylinders: damning the Bush administration for giving the terrorists a victory in suspending habeas corpus, and damning the American people for allowing such things to happen without resistance or question.

Crooks & Liars has video and a transcript of Olbermann’s masterwork – please take the time to watch, listen, read and, above all, think.

As President Bill Clinton said today at Georgetown University, there is a marked difference between those who live by philosophy and those who live by ideology. He pointed to the danger of ideologues, who believe they “have all the answers,” and “attack those who disagree,” rather than listen and engage in dialogue. He voiced hope that a common good – where leaders listen, think, learn and then act – will take hold again, starting with the election that’s 20 days away.

Olbermann, himself near tears, pointed out that the Military Commissions Act is the natural outcome of having an ideologue in power – something that’s technically no different than having a fundamentalist zealot, or a popular socialist, or a strident fascist in power.

And as Olbermann pointed out, Bush didn’t look too far into the future when he signed this legislation, as under a future administration, he and his cronies could be detained under its auspices. Perhaps that’s why Bush just bought a big parcel of land in South America….

So please: vote for reason on November 7 – and vote for philosophy, rather than ideology.

(P.S. – and be very wary of the Dems who supported this treasonous act. If you live in Connecticut, that means it’s even more important to send Joe home, and elect Ned Lamont. And if you live in Utah, please help end the reign of Orrin Hatch, and vote for Pete Ashdown.)