Diane Feinstein, the senior U.S. Senator from California, has been caught a few times now trying to be a little more moderate than many members of her party. It’s odd in an era where the Democratic Party seems to be trending more and more to the Left, but it’s happening.

The latest instance of this was on MSNBC’s Meet The Press Daily. Via the Washington Free Beacon:

Chuck Todd, host of MSNBC’s “Meet the Press Daily,” asked Feinstein straight: “Was DACA legal?”

“DACA was executive order,” Feinstein said. “Legal is the law of passage of something. I, you know, there are ten attorneys general that are prepared to sue. I don’t want to get into that.”

Feinstein then argued that DACA’s legality is now irrelevant.

“The point is, DACA is here. And we’ve got 800,000 young people who depend on it,” she said.

Todd, clearly not satisfied, tried again.

“Your answer indicates, though, that it’s on shaky legal ground,” he said.

“It is. That’s why we need to pass a law. And we should do it,” Feinstein said.

Here is Feinstein being smart. She did not say DACA was bad, but she clearly either understands that we have a separation of powers or (perhaps more likely) she has advisers who do and realize there are greater political considerations at stake.

You don’t see many Democrats doing this publicly because the political ground beneath them is so volatile. One wrong move or quote and the masses could rise up against them.

So, Feinstein is treading on thin ice. The fact that she is doing so, however, indicates that Democratic operatives are becoming smarter, which is not the most hopeful sign for the GOP. Luckily, there are still plenty of Democrats shooting from the hip that is furthest to the Left, so we’re all good for now.