Lieberman hires new (Republican) media consultant, pollster

[kskiska]

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Sen. Joe Lieberman continued retooling his campaign staff Friday, hiring a nationally known pollster and media consultant to assist in his independent re-election bid.

Lieberman hired Democratic consultant Josh Isay, who has worked for Republican New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York, as a senior strategist who will produce TV and radio ads.

He also hired Republican pollster Neil Newhouse, who lists two key Connecticut Republicans, Gov. M. Jodi Rell and U.S. Rep. Rob Simmons, among his clients.

Lieberman, who must appeal to Republicans and unaffiliated voters to beat Lamont and Republican Alan Schlesinger in November, touted the new hires as proof of his campaign's bipartisanship.

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http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/connecticut/ny-bc-ct--connecticutsenate0818aug18,0,2560658.story?coll=ny-region-apconnecticut

[saracat]

1. This says more about Schumer than Joe.

We already knew about Joe.This raises questions about Chuck!I don't believe in bipartisanship! And neither do the GOP. They haven't comprimsed on anything, and neither should we. No wonder we can't do anything in the Senate.We are employing GOP consultants who are not trustworthy..

[saigon68]

5. Schumer is an arrogant fellow who knows how to feather his own nest.

he has gone out of his way to disarm amerika for the neocon criminals

[TheVirginian]

8. Actually, Ismay is a Democratic consultant.

Bloomberg uses primarily Democrats, not Republicans (as it is New York, and he's fairly liberal). The story is that Lieberman hired one Democrat and one Republican.

[Phredicles]

2. He hires a Repug and Democrat who's worked for a Repug: Yep,

that's bipartisanship a la Lieberbush, no question.

[Child_Of_Isis]

3. Makes you wonder...

How many "democrats' in Washington are actually republicans like Lieberman?

I think we have ben duped. Big time.

[izzie]

7. Maybe it is just one big party?

Nader may not be so far off.

[bluestateguy]

4. Why would he do that? Lieberman lost the primary election.

And last time I checked, Ned Lamont has a 30 point lead over his Republican challenger, Alan Schlesinger.

[pazuzu]

10. But he declared: "I will not let this stand"

He's bent on keeping that Senate seat for 6 more years, regardless of the election results.

[Zhade]

6. K/R

"lieberman is a democrat."

:rofl:

[lpbk2713]

9. Does the name "Zell Miller" appear in their resumés?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[leesa]

11. Putting lipstick on a pig, eh? Sounds like Katie.

[saigon68]

27. Limpmann is a PIG and a tool of the NeoCons

he is also a supporter of wiping out Islam

[quiet.american]

12. The word "bipartisanship" is Lieberman's "Sept the 11th."

He doesn't let his mouth close unless he's said the word "bipartisanship." Just as Bushco has perverted and abused 9/11 for their own ends, so Lieberman has perverted the once honorable concept of seeking common ground. Republicans tried to have Democrats arrested by the Capitol Police for attempting to attend a committee meeting which they had literally been locked out of, amongst other things, and Lieberman has the nerve to "tsk, tsk" those who call him on his B.S. about bipartisanship?

In Lieberman's world, bi-partisanship is code for "sellout to Bush."

[sidpleasant]

22. The failure of Joe's BS bipartisanship

Bipartisanship only works if it results in compromise or moderation that's acceptable to both parties. Unfortunately Joe can't point to a single instance where his "bipartisanship" has moderated a Bush policy or made an awful piece of GOP legislation less so. I hope Ned hammers him on that point.

[quiet.american]

25. Hear, hear. n/t

[badgerpup]

13. Text of email I just fired off to my 'firm about not being firm' Senator..

This is the THIRD email I've sent him on this particular subject, BTW...:eyes:

Dear Senator Baucus.
This piece of information came out on Friday 8/18/2006. As you know, the 'Friday news dump' often consists of information that many politicians would prefer gets 'lost' or not given the attention it deserves.
The source is TPM Cafe Election Central (Greg Sargent).
"To serve as his new pollster, Lieberman hired Republican Neil Newhouse of Public Opinion Strategies. Newhouse is a top advisor to Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell and has done extensive opinion survey work in Connecticut.
Greg Sargent points out that Joe Lieberman now has the same company that serves Jeb Bush, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Pat Roberts, and Henry Hyde." end quote.
Every day I see and read of more and more egregious downright abuse and flouting of the laws of the country and Constitution by the Republican party. They can do it because they know they can get away with it.
I am asking you again, sir. Please, support Ned Lamont. HE is the choice of the Connecticut voters, regardless whether the current occupant of the Oval Office and his sidekick approve of, or agree with the choice. Their opinons weren't SUPPOSED to be a factor in the voting process; that's what the democratic process is all about.
The Democratic Party needs to be whole to fight the coming battle in November.
Thank you for your consideration of this matter.
Sincerely,
"badgerpup" (sic)
registered voter

I use my real moniker on these things...

[savemefromdumbya]

14. Liberman is not a Democratic candidate anymore

hope his membership has been annulled?

[IndianaGreen]

16. Lieberman is not a Democrat, so who cares who he hires?

Only the neocons and their rightwing allies in AIPAC support him.

[savemefromdumbya]

20. and isn't going to win

[dolstein]

15. As if hiring a Democratic pollster would assuage the left wing . . .

You should at least be honest and admit that if Lieberman had hired a Democratic pollster, you wouldn't exactly be rushing to praise Lieberman. Instead, you'd probably be calling for a boycott of the pollster.

Perhaps Lieberman couldn't find a competent Democratic pollster who was willing to work for his campaign. Or perhaps Lieberman simply chose the best pollster available, regardless of party (which would fit his new campaign theme). By all accounts, Newhouse is a very competent pollster.

[femmedem]

17. It's not so much who Newhouse is, or who he's worked for in the past.

The biggest concern is that Lieberman will be sharing polling info with other current Republican clients of Newhouse, including Rep. Rob Simmmons, running for reelection in one of the races Dems are targeting this fall. This info could prove crucial in the Republican GOTV effort.

[dolstein]

18. Why on earth would you be concerned about that?

Do you even know how polling works? Polling isn't used to identify supporters for GOTV efforts. The samples are much too small. That's what you have traditional phone banking operations for. Moreover, it isn't normal for candidates to share polling data. Candidates don't do it because they don't simply give away information that they've paid for. And the pollsters themselves would't like it because then they wouldn't be able to charge other clients. And this all assumings that the polling that's being done for the Lieberman campaign is even relevant for the House races, which it isn't. The Lieberman campaign isn't going to be wasting their money taking polls on the Shays, Simmons and Johnson races. Each of those candidates have their own pollsters do that.

[femmedem]

23. It's to Lieberman's advantage to cooperate with CT Repubs candidates

because his base of support is now strongly Republican.

[dolstein]

24. Actually, most of his support comes from Independents and Democrats

Check the Quinnipac poll. Do the math. You'll find that I'm right on this one.

[Ken Burch]

26. Why are you still campaigning for Lieberman?

You know perfectly well that if you're a Democrat, you're obligated to support the Democratic candidates against independent candidates.

Do you honestly believe that it is a good thing that an arrogant, defeated incumbent is refusing to accept the results of the primary?

Why are you such an unquestioning apologist for HolyWarJoe? You know there's no longer any good reason to defend Bush's war.

[neuvocat]

19. Why not make this known to more voters?

Lieberman is the de-facto GOP candidate now and the voters of Conneticut vote primarily for the democrats. Just expose him for what is: a GOP mole.

[goforit]

21. Here comes a very rigged election. Conn. , get your cameras out!!!