Senator Christpopher Dodd (D-CT), a candidate for President, heeded the siren call of the netroots yesterday when he placed a "hold" on the Intelligence Surveillance Bill approved by the Intelligence Committee in a compromise with the White House.

It seems that the hard left was incensed that the Telecom's who helped the government spy on terrorists overseas were going to be granted immunity from lawsuits arising out of the capture of domestic communications in the digital dragnet. Of course, anything the government does to ferret out terrorists in our midst can't be allowed - it's too politically popular for the President.

So Dodd decided to block consideration of the bill for the time being and has even threatened to filibuster the measure if it comes to the floor. This has made him a hero on the left - and given his presidential ambitions a shot in the arm:

Senator Dodd's campaign communications director Hari Sevugan tells me that $150,000 in small contributions have poured into Dodd's campaign in the past 24 hours, since his announcement that he will put a hold on--and may even filibuster--a foreign intelligence surveillance bill approved yesterday by the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Dodd objects to a provision that would grant immunity to the telecommunications companies that turned over their customers' phone and e-mail records to the government's warrantless surveillance program. The companies have been hit with 40 pending lawsuits charging them with privacy violation.

Dodd has raised more small-dollar contributions in the last 24 hours than he did in the previous month. Sevugan also says the number of visits to his website is up tenfold, as is the number of people registering their e-mail addresses there.