With Bush stiff-arming Congress with one specious claim of executive privilege after another, impeachment is more imperative than ever.

The people understand this. It’s the politicians, even most Democratic ones, who are lagging so far behind.

A poll came out in early July that showed 45 percent of the public in favor of impeaching Bush, and a whopping 54 percent in favor of impeaching Cheney.

What makes these numbers even more amazing is that they are so high when no senior Democrat has been promoting the cause, and the mainstream media has been shortshrifting it (until Bill Moyers just interviewed John Nichols and Bruce Fein on the subject).

This may be changing for the better, though.

Senator Barbara Boxer was on the Ed Schultz Show last week, and she did not agree with Nancy Pelosi that we should keep impeachment off the table.

“I don’t think you can take anything off the table,” Boxer said. “Because, in fact, the Constitution does not permit us to take these things off the table.”

Boxer, at least, recognizes the gravity of the Bush crimes.

“This is as close as we’ve ever come to dictatorship,” she said.

But the Democratic Presidential candidates, with the exception of Dennis Kucinich, are laggards on this one.

Only Dennis Kucinich has come out for the impeachment of Cheney.

Barack Obama, to his discredit, said on June 28 that he opposes impeaching either Cheney or Bush.

“I think you reserve impeachment for grave, grave breaches, and intentional breaches of the President’s authority,” Obama said.

Well, let’s take a look here.

Lying to Congress and the American people about weapons of mass destruction so as to justify a war of aggression is not a grave or intentional breach?

Come on, Obama.

Eavesdropping on Americans here at home without a warrant, when the law says clearly that the “exclusive means” for authorizing such eavesdropping is via a warrant, is not a grave or intentional breach?

Come on, Obama.

Disappearing detainees and torturing them isn’t a grave or intentional breach?

Come on, Obama.

Using the U.S. attorneys to file flimsy charges against Democrats in an attempt to alter the outcome of an election, and firing those who wouldn’t play Bush League ball, isn’t a grave or intentional breach?

Come on, Obama.

Using signing statements more than 750 times to unfaithfully execute the laws of the land isn’t a grave or intentional breach?

Come on, Obama.

Outing a CIA agent to silence criticism of this hideous war, and then commuting the sentence of the guy who obstructed the investigation of the matter, isn’t a grave or intentional breach?

Come on, Obama.

And now depriving Congress of the documents and witnesses it needs to explore a whole range of Bush Administration malfeasance—this, too, isn’t a grave or intentional breach?

Come on, Obama.

And come on, John Edwards.

And come on, Hillary Clinton.

And come on, all other aspirants to that office.

And come on, Nancy Pelosi, too.

The impeachment train is leaving the station.

All aboard.