Here's what our Dems should say about CT...video of Dean on CNN today.

[madfloridian]

John King was really persistent, but Dean held firm. He had to keep repeating that the DNC would support the winner of the primary. King just kept on.

It was like a contest to see how many different ways he had to say it to get the message across.

http://www.spazeboy.net/category/ct-sen/ned-lamont/

From the transcript:

"KING: "I want to -- I want to jump in and talk to -- I want to jump in because we're almost out of time. What about nationally? You know what's going on in the party. You know what the base is saying on the Internet and everywhere else about this race. They are making this a defining choice for Democrats, watching to see what people do now that Senator Lieberman...

DEAN: The nice thing about our party is we don't dictate from the top down. We actually let voters make decisions. And I think that's a very healthy thing to do. I encourage voters to make decisions, and who they choose is who we support."

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0607/07/sitroom.01.html

More from the transcript:

"DEAN: And John, we allow the voters to decide who is a Democrat, so whoever the voters choose in Connecticut is who we're going to support.

KING: And would you then lean on the senatorial committee and use Democratic National Committee funds, if necessary, should Ned Lamont, if he beats Joe Lieberman in the primary, get financial support? Should Chairman Dean go up there and campaign for him? Should Democrats who are friends of Joe Lieberman go up there and campaign for him?

DEAN: John, I'm going to campaign for the Democratic nominee, and if it's Joe Lieberman, you're going to see me alongside Joe Lieberman. If it's Ned Lamont, you're going to see me alongside Ned Lamont. We don't get involved in primaries. We do support the Democratic nominee chosen by the people in the Democratic Party in Connecticut."

[longship]

1. Precisely what I would have said.

No matter what I think of Lieberman, if he wins the primary, by golly, that's who the Dems should support.

And if Ned Lamont wins the primary, that's who the Dems should support. They had better *not* support Lieberman, in that case.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

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[pooja]

3. What doesn't the press get about this... the democratic

primary determines who will run against the Republican candidate for the seat. After the primaries, then the candidate is supported by the party. It gets a little tricky because of Lieberman and the way he has voted as a representative for Conneticut. Is he representing the people who elected him? I think that is for the people to decide. I'm not a registered voter in Conneticut. It is not my choice to make either.

[madfloridian]

4. Contrast this with Biden and Reed with John King today.

From Crooks and Liars....

http://www.crooksandliars.com/posts/2006/07/07/biden-on-lieberman-punting-the-question-whats-up-with-711/

Such a difference.

[Cha]

5. KNR!

This is beautiful! Thank goodness they are giving Dean a chance to speak on this very important issue for our party.

"DEAN: The nice thing about our party is we don't dictate from the top down. We actually let voters make decisions. And I think that's a very healthy thing to do. I encourage voters to make decisions, and who they choose is who we support."

[madfloridian]

6. Thanks.

And meanwhile our Florida party chair is discouraging primaries. We have had all the party stars here to raise money including Bill Clinton at $200 a person.

I resent it. That means our chair and Rahm and Chuck pick them.

[otohara]

7. Too Late for Boxer, Biden, Salazar

It's amazing how the "junior" senator from CO, keeps interjecting himself into "controversial" issues. I can't stand him and it will be really hard for me to vote for him again.

[madfloridian]

8. I hear Kerry has said he will stay out of the primary altogether.

Kudos to him if that is true. I know Hillary said she would support the Dem in the election, but did she agree to stay out of the primary?

That is what they should all do. Just stay out of it and let CT voters decide.

:thumbsup: to Kerry if true.

[WildEyedLiberal]

20. Hillary supports Lieberman on her HillPac website

I take that to mean she favors him in the primary. Kerry and Dean have pledged to support the winner of the primary and have not taken sides, which is the right thing to do. Of course, I don't think Dean is allowed to take sides as the DNC chair, but since Lieberman is a former party leader, it's good that he betrayed no bias one way or another. Let the voters decide.

[Clarkie1]

9. I would have been shocked if he said anything else.

Actually, if he had said anything else I would have said we needed a new party chairman. Of course it's not his place to pick favorites. He said exactly the right thing.

[bklyncowgirl]

10. If she said anything else she could kiss the '08 primaries goodbye

I don't know how cozy she is with Lieberman, but clearly it's in her interest distance herself from Joementum at this time--or to announce her lack of faith in the wisdom of primary voters by siding with a guy who's said he'll bolt the party if he loses the primary.

[madfloridian]

14. Actually it's not the place of any party leaders to pick favorites...

in primaries. But they do it. They have done it for years. Some of them are still trying to do so.

[UDenver20]

11. HOWARD DEAN SPEAKS FOR ME!................. (n/t)

[Douglas Carpenter]

12. now that's a democratic Democrat - recommended

[Olney Blue]

13. Dean is pitch perfect- again.

[Straight Shooter]

15. On the way home, Dean prays ...

Please, God, don't let that bush-hugger win."

:)

[understandinglife]

16. I'm glad King kept asking so Gov Dean could keep hammering.

Recommended.


Never forget: George W. Bush willfully violated National Security to cover-up his willful launch of a war of aggression and illegal occupation of Iraq.

[Cha]

17. Prescisely!

This is so true, too..

"Never forget: George W. Bush willfully violated National Security to cover-up his willful launch of a war of aggression and illegal occupation of Iraq."

The bushitlers put our country in harm's way and is a war criminal and a traitor by law.

Do you think our country will ever get around to sending them to the Hague?

[madfloridian]

18. A good post about this topic.....

Just a couple of snippets.

http://howardempowered.blogspot.com/2006/07/that-thing-lieberman-is-doing-its.html

"Time and time again, Joe Lieberman has been asked why he will not support the nominee, and he has not given a satisfactory answer. Would people have accepted this from Howard Dean when he lost to Kerry in the primaries? Even Paul Hackett, who has taken some criticism for being a sore loser and not endorsing Sherrod Brown right away, has *always* said he would vote for the guy.

Lieberman has been whining about Lamont trying to impose a "litmus test" over his vote on Iraq. That, as many have already said, is a gross oversimplification of what this election is about. But you know what *should* be a Democratic litmus test? Agreeing to abide by the results of the primary.

Let's go back to that exchange between Lieberman and Maura. "Well, let's make sure I win in August, then!"

Time and time again, instead of giving a straight answer to questions about how he can consider himself a loyal Democrat if he's already got a backup plan to run *against* the Democratic nominee, should that turn out not to be him. Instead, he says things like, "Well, let's make sure I win in August"."

[KKKarl is an idiot]

19. Howard Dean

I was for Howard Dean all along during the democratic primaries in '40. He was not about politics. Just gave it straight. He did not waiver on his stance on the war. But we gave the nomination to Kerry. I believe Dean would have sunk BushCo at every "corner" they took in the war in Iraq. He would have been a "swiftboat" of destruction for the Bush administration.

[Tom Rinaldo]

21. That's my Chairman. Bravo! n/t

[NastyRiffraff]

22. Dean is The Man!

I too supported Howard Dean in the Dem primaries. I know the media and the Repugs would have tried to Swiftboat him, but I can't imagine Dean taking that kind crap and taking THREE WEEKS to respond to it.

He would have won. I weep for my country.

[madfloridian]

23. You know what? This needs a bump today.

With all the talk, with all the anger from some Dems that there is actually a primary there....this needs a bump.