Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s Career: Illustrious, but Too Long?
Summary from AllSides News Team
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) passed away Thursday at age 90, drawing many media opinions about her legacy.
One Key Flaw: An opinion from CNN (Left bias) praised Feinstein, calling her “an incredible breaker of glass ceilings (and) a pioneer for women in politics.” It touted her for being a “force” behind the now-defunct federal assault weapons ban, and a 2014 report that revealed CIA abuses during the Bush administration. However, the writer said Feinstein’s biggest flaw was her unwillingness to retire and that its effect on her legacy is a “shame.”
A Classic Jew: An opinion for the Jewish think tank The Forward (Center bias) examined polarization, saying Feinstein was “a centrist, not a left-winger,” and highlighting her willingness to work “across the aisle.” It questioned if Feinstein was “the last of her kind,” mentioning that “most American Jews” used to be “socially liberal but often more conservative on criminal justice issues.” The writer said American Jews now “seem more fragmented,” suggesting Feinstein’s brand of liberalism may be a thing of the past.
The Gerontocracy: Jim Geraghty (Lean Right bias) writing for National Review (Right bias) praised Feinstein’s career for being “packed” with accomplishments, but said her death should trigger “serious discussion” about age and politics. Geraghty mentioned several elderly Democrats and Republicans, including President Biden and former President Donald Trump, saying it could be tough for older politicians to know when to retire. He also said he doubts “a single fan of Dianne Feinstein thinks this was the ideal end to her long career.”
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Dianne Feinstein was tenacious and contradictory — just like American Jews
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who died yesterday at age 90, will be remembered for many things: Her rise to power following the assassinations of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk, the gay rights pioneer; her 30 years of service in the Senate, where she was the architect of the 1994 federal assault weapons ban and the 2014 report on torture in the Bush administration; and her shattering of numerous glass ceilings on what women, and Jews, could achieve in our country.
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Trailblazing Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the longest-serving female senator in US history, died on Thursday night, according to a family member. She was 90 years old, and had been facing calls to step down, given her fragile health and declining memory.
While in the Senate, she became the first female member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. She was also the first woman to chair both the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Senate Rules and Administration Committee. She was the force behind the unfortunately now-lapsed federal assault weapons ban, and the 2014 torture report that...
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Senator Dianne Feinstein, rest in peace. Whatever you think of her and her 31 years in the Senate, she was loved by a lot of people, and those people are hurting right now. We should all hope that God eases the grief of Feinstein’s friends, family, and supporters; perhaps they can find solace in the fact that Feinstein packed so many accomplishments into her 90 years. We only get one chance at life, and Feinstein made the most of hers.
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