Lamont Invests Another $500,000 In His Campaign

[Robbien]

Ned Lamont is contributing another $500,000 to his Senate campaign, bringing his personal investment in the race to $1.5 million, his campaign said Friday.

The Lamont campaign cast the latest contribution by the multimillionaire businessman as necessary to counter attack ads by Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman.

"Ned said he would not sit back and let Lieberman attack him without a response. This shows he wasn't kidding," said Tom Swan, Lamont's campaign manager.

<snip>

After months of jousting, Lieberman and Lamont will meet face to face July 6 during a 30-minute debate to be televised live at 5:30 p.m. on WVIT, Channel 30, the campaigns said Friday.

Lamont had publicly promised for weeks to accept any invitation to debate, but the Lieberman campaign issued a press release Friday afternoon asking, "Will Ned agree to a debate and answer questions on issues that matter to real voters?"

Swan said the press release was cheap posturing, since Lamont had accepted Channel 30's invitation on Wednesday.

http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-lamont0617.artjun17,0,5523634.story?coll=hc-headlines-politics-state

[aquart]

1. What on God's earth does Lieberman think matters to voters?

[bluestateguy]

2. If Lieberman says Lamont is trying to buy the election...

Lamont should say "absolutely!", that he is trying to buy this Senate seat for the people of Connecticut.

[saltpoint]

3. Lamont could be a formidable debate opponent. Joe had better

bone up better against this new challenger than he did against Dick Cheney in 2000.

That was a lazy performance by Joe Lieberman in the veep debate. If he doesn't improve on that performance, the July 7th headlines in Connectgicut might read "Lieberman falters / Lamont soars."

[no_hypocrisy]

4. One of the things that sets Lamont apart from other democratic

candidates around the country is that he is financially independent from the DNC. Otherwise, the DNC could offer and then rescind financial assistance in order to get Lieberman the spot on the ticket in the primary and in November. Money is everything in a campaign, like it or not.

[Larkspur]

5. He's independent of the DSCC, Chuck Shumer's group right now

The DNC, under Howard Dean, will not interfere in primaries, so yeah the DNC would not fund Lamont nor will they fund Lieberman. The DSCC can get involved if they want and if a candidate takes their $$, then the candidate is usually forced to take the DSCC's loser consultants. I'm glad Ned is wealthy enough to remain independent of the DSCC.

[wordpix2]

8. Democracy for America, the Dean-founded group, supports Lamont

I don't know if they're giving him money, though.

[Larkspur]

12. Yep they did. They raised over $60K for Ned

[Terran1212]

6. Unfortunately that is the truth

Money in politics.

I wish we had full public funding of campaigns.

[KingFlorez]

7. Flushing all that money down the toilet

Lieberman will kick his butt across the street on primary day.

[Rainscents]

10. Oh, I don't think so.

[Larkspur]

13. If that were true, Lieberman would not be pooping in his pants

every time he hears the name "Ned Lamont".

[KingFlorez]

14. Right

Even if he loses the primary, Joe will run as an independent and win his seat once again.

[IndianaGreen]

15. Joe Lieberman, the choice of Republicans and war hawks everywhere

If a defeated Holy Joe runs as an independent against the Democratic nominee, Ned Lamont, none of you Lieberman apologists will get away supporting his sorry AIPAC ass in any respectable non-Republican internet board, including DU.

[Robbien]

16. GOPers will vote GOP; Dems will vote Dem

When the going gets tough Joe runs away which is a very bad image to have in an election. Plus, judging by the ads they have used so far the team Joe has hired is way out of touch with the people.

Who does Indy Joe have? I suppose Joe will have the people loyal to the DSCC and the DLC, but those people do not have the foot soldiers to be on the ground and GOTV.

[CTLawGuy]

18. He'd have one day to get 7500 signatures to get on the ballot

that's not feasible.

[Larkspur]

19. If the election were held today...

Joe would win his seat back, but November is months away. The Q-poll and you are assuming that Lamont will implode, but Lamont is gaining strength. Lamont has real momentum, not Joe, and Lamont has now where to go but up. His name recogition rate is still low, at 24%. As Indies get to know him, they will support Lamont.

[CTLawGuy]

17. tell the lieberman campaign that

he's the one who doesn't understand.

[wordpix2]

9. it's obscene how much these seats cost, no matter who's running

[AlCzervik]

11. i really hope Cspan covers some of these debates, this race,

Santorum Vs. Casey and Allen Vs. Webb.

[Larkspur]

20. I think one of CT's local stations is airing it, but I'm sure it will be

posted on the blogs afterwards.

I still don't think a time and place have been finalized yet.

[Larkspur]

21. NBC30, station WVIT, channel 4 will air the debate

[depakid]

22. Stay on the offensive, Ned

don't act like John Kerry- or Joe Lieberman in 2000.