Howard Dean says Lieberman must support the winner of the CT primary.

[madfloridian]

http://www.democrats.org/a/2006/08/ned_lamont.php

After his loss, Joe Lieberman announced his intention to run as an independent. That's the wrong thing to do.

Ned Lamont won fair and square. We have a process, and those who participate in it should respect the outcome. Joe Lieberman should respect the Democratic voters' decision. Joe has to do what all of us who have lost an election have done: support the winner.

More in the email:

There's been a lot said about this race and what it means for our party, so I wanted to get a few things straight.

One big issue in this race was the war in Iraq. Like the vast majority of Americans, Ned Lamont believes that "staying the course" will only drive America and Iraq deeper into disaster.

Lamont's courage and conviction on Iraq will make him a good Senator. But his positions on all the important issues -- on Iraq, but also balancing the budget, getting every American health insurance, and solving the energy crisis -- will make him a great Senator. These are not just the values of the Democratic Party, they are mainstream American values, and they are Ned Lamont's values.

[demosincebirth]

1. Lieberman is a poor loser.

[journalist3072]

2. I think this is why we might need term limits

I've never been a fan of term limits. I always figured elections were term limits. If you didn't like someone, just vote them out. But Joe Lieberman has me re-thinking that.

Power corrupts a lot of people.

And I think that the longer a politician has held a particular office, they begin to feel a sense of entitlement. And I think that is Lieberman's problem. He seems to think that Senate seat is his for the taking. It is not. That seat belongs to the people of Connecticut, and it is for them to decide who they wish to occupy it. And we have a process for determining that.

[madfloridian]

3. He really does believe that seat belongs to him.

You are right, that is a danger when one gets in a comfort zone. Not really for term limits, but sure do see your point on this.

[calico1]

4. He needs to say that publicly and urge others

in the party to do the same.

[madfloridian]

5. This is public. We are putting it on a public board.

The DNC website is public.

[calico1]

6. I realize that.

But I think this message is more effective if it is said in the MSM, newspapers, etc. So that people are clear that Lamont has full support of the Democrats in Congress. Not everyone reads political message boards. And he also needs to push other Democratic people in Congress to urge Joe to call it quits. I hope he is doing that. The timid reaction so far is not good. When the local Democratic party held a press conference today you could tell Dodd was very hesitant. In fact, he goofed and first said he was supporting Lieberman! The sooner this is nipped in the bud the better.

[madfloridian]

7. Well, Dean is on two early morning shows.

But I can't figure why sometimes people want him out fighting, but when he does they damn every word he says.

Call on some others to do it.

[calico1]

8. I wasn't aware of his earlier appearances.

And I am not one of the ones who damns him. Nor was I picking on him. I just mentioned him because of this e-mail. I think all the Dems, especially the more prominent ones need to be more aggressive with this issue and sound like they really mean it when they say they support Lamont. Russ Feingold has done a good job, I think. I hope to see more of this.

Edit: Please don't take my posts personally. I appreciate you posting this e-mail. I am from CT and a bit edgy because of the somewhat lackluster press conference and support today on the local news from the CT Dems. I just want Lieberman to shut up and go away.

[madfloridian]

9. Dean has been clear in the past on TV on this issue.

He has said that Lieberman was an outlier, that the DNC would not get involved in any primaries, and that they would support the winner.

He is on in the morning tomorrow:

ABC "Good Morning America" at 7:05 AM
- CNN "American Morning" at 7:30 AM

[calico1]

10. Thank you. n/t

[bklyncowgirl]

11. That from a man who knows how it feels to lose

I LIKED Dean before he lost the primaries. I came to ADMIRE him after he made the decision to throw his support wholeheartedly behind Kerry and do what he needed to do for the good of the party and the country.

Many also rans show up for that big unity moment at the convention and then disappear to lick their wounds. Dean went to work. I'm not dissing any of the other 2004 candidates--all did their part to help Kerry but I've always thought that Dean in particular had good reason to be bitter--but apparently he's a man who's capable of rising above bitterness for the common good.

Joe Lieberman is apparently not capable of putting his personal ambition and bitterness aside for the good of the country. Joe isn't even going to show up for the "unity appearance". He's going to put the party at risk by refusing to respect the verdict of the voters.

I know he'd never do it, but Joe Lieberman should listen to Dean. If anybody knows how to lose graciously and gain people's admiration it's Howard Dean.