In a 27-minute keynote speech at Netroots Nation here, Feingold pressured President Barack Obama to make overturning the Citizens United Supreme Court decision – which allowed corporations and unions to fund independent election ads – a central part of his 2012 campaign.

„It shouldn‘t be checking a box,“ he said. „It should be in every speech, every statement. It is the bottom line for our democracy.“ ..

„I fear that the Democratic Party is in danger of losing its identity,“ Feingold said. „Creating those kinds of Super PACs is wrong . People will see us as weak. People will see us as Corporate Lite. It‘s not just wrong. It‘s a dumb strategy.“ ..

In reference to the 2010 Supreme Court ruling on campaign finance, which reflected the view that campaign cash restrictions infringe on free speech, he said: „Speech doesn‘t corrupt. Money corrupts, and money isn‘t speech.“