NYT: Lamont Defeats Lieberman (Edwards, Clinton, Dodd, Dems back Lamont) [View All]

[chimpymustgo]

John Edwards was first to call and congratulate Lamont.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/09/nyregion/09campaign.html?ex=1155268800&en=477e3370bccf0077&ei=5087%0A

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Mr. Lieberman’s determination to remain in the race may soon collide with the will of many Democratic leaders in Washington and Connecticut, however. The Senate minority leader, Harry Reid, and Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York, who is leading the effort to elect more Democrats in November, planned to announce this morning that they were supporting Mr. Lamont and that the party should unite around the nominee, according to Democrats close to both men. A spokesman for Mr. Schumer said a statement would be forthcoming, but declined further comment.

“Reid and Schumer will back Lamont, but the big question is if they will approach Joe about dropping out, because they don’t want to get his back up against the wall,” said a senior Senate Democratic aide who was involved in the Reid-Schumer discussions but was not authorized to discuss them publicly.

Senator Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut, Mr. Lieberman’s Democratic ally, privately congratulated Mr. Lamont last night and was expected to appear at a “unity press conference” with Mr. Lamont and other candidates at state party headquarters this morning. Two Lamont advisers said that they expected Mr. Dodd to help smooth Mr. Lieberman’s exit from the race; a spokeswoman for Mr. Dodd, however, said he would not play a go-between role to broker the senator’s exit.

A spokeswoman for Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, meanwhile, restated Mrs. Clinton’s announced intentions to support the Democratic nominee in Connecticut — now Mr. Lamont. A spokesman for former President Bill Clinton, who campaigned for Mr. Lieberman last month, did not return a phone message late last night.

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Mr. Lamont said that former Senator John Edwards, the Democrats’ vice presidential nominee in 2004, was the first Democratic leader to call him last night. Mr. Lamont also gave a prominent spot at a rally last night at his headquarters in Meriden to several African-American supporters, including the Rev. Al Sharpton and the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

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