NYT: Democrats acknowledge Lieberman CT win is "distinct possibility"

[DeepModem Mom]

New Lieberman Retooling Race as Independent
By PATRICK HEALY and NICHOLAS CONFESSORE
Published: August 16, 2006


(Bob Child/Associated Press)
After conceding defeat in the Democratic primary on Aug. 8, above, Senator Lieberman has fired most of his senior aides, energized his broad base of donors.

....The senator appears so emboldened that in spite of the Democratic unity around Mr. Lamont, some Washington Democrats are now acknowledging that a Lieberman victory in November is a distinct possibility. According to guests at a fund-raiser for Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in the Hamptons on Saturday, Mrs. Clinton — who is supporting Mr. Lamont — said that Mr. Lieberman had more than a 50-50 chance of winning re-election. (Clinton aides said they could not confirm or deny the remark; one of the aides said that if Mrs. Clinton had discussed the race, she might have been referring to a new poll that had Mr. Lieberman slightly ahead.)...

***

Lamont advisers said that they had hoped Democratic pressure on Mr. Lieberman to quit would have been unbearable. Howard Dean, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, has called on Mr. Lieberman to drop out, but other Democratic leaders have questioned whether it makes sense to take on the senator — and perhaps anger him — when he appears determined to run and relatively formidable right now....Mr. Lamont’s staffing needs are...one of several signs that his rookie bid for statewide election is still evolving: He lacks such basic political tools as an opposition research effort to ferret out the sources of Mr. Lieberman’s campaign contributions and other tidbits that might embarrass the senator. Mr. Lamont’s communications and advance operations also need to be expanded, said Tom Swan, the campaign manager....

***

Some Lamont allies have privately expressed disdain for the idea of bringing on any outside consultants...“I don’t want to hire any of those big-fee consultant types from Washington who just want to come in and make money off of Ned,” Mr. Swan said. “We won the primary on Ned’s message; we can win the general in a similar way.”...Mr. Lamont is still introducing himself to swaths of voters, and has to hone his political pitch to appeal to those who are not liberal or primarily concerned with the war in Iraq. During the primary, Mr. Lamont favored an expanded federal role in health care and education; his advisers say he will stick with those ideas and find ways to sell them to new audiences....

***

At the same time, Mr. Lamont is not abandoning his liberal allies, even those who might be polarizing figures in a state like Connecticut....“Primary night was the first time that many Connecticut voters saw Lamont on TV, and he’s surrounding himself with two of the more divisive and problematic figures in the Democratic Party (Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson),” said Dan Gerstein, a veteran Lieberman aide....“We wanted folks from Connecticut up there with Ned, but plans sometimes don’t happen,” Mr. Swan said. “Folks decided to go up to the party and get up on stage. And you couldn’t see supporters like Lowell Weicker because they were in the audience, Lowell because of his hip replacement,” Mr. Swan added, referring to the former senator....

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/16/nyregion/16conn.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper&oref=login

[saltpoint]

1. This fall's election backroads are rife with twists and turns.

We'll see how Joe handles the curves.

I am calling a Lamont win in November.

[endarkenment]

2. Mr Lieberman makes Mr. Dukakis

look like a skilled campaigner. Joe has run failed campaign after failed campaign - with the exception of his one senate run against actual opposition 18 years ago. His other senate runs don't count as there wasn't any real opposition. I have no doubt that the JoeMe party will go down in flames.

[madame defarge]

3. He's not really the "Independent Party" candidate though, is he?

I read somewhere (and now I can't find it) that there really is a candidate in CT who is running as the Independent Party candidate. I thought Lieberman had to create his own party in order to run. Does this ring a bell with anyone?

[LA lady]

5. What about the Green?

There is a Green candidate, Ferrucci

http://www.politicalgateway.com/cand.php?id=335&page=cand

[DeepModem Mom]

7. I think his party is called the "Connecticut for Lieberman" party --

think I remember reading that when he placed his name on the ballot.

[leesa]

4. "Some Democrats say...."blah, blah, blah. Joe will drop out or become the

Republican candidate he should be.

[Cha]

6. How about acknowledging that Ned

Lamont's Win is a distinct Probability!?

Why didn't ol' flabby face try this hard in 2000 instead of sleepwalking through it?

[Bretttido]

15. Because he thought Bush would make a fine leader!

:puke:

[calico1]

8. Well, they are all jumping all over themselves

campaigning for Lamont, aren't they?

:sarcasm:

[Freddie Stubbs]

10. He is being permitted to keep his committee assignments and seniority

Do Senate Democrats dare to try to take away Lieberman's ability to deliver pork to CT before the election?

[KKKarl is an idiot]

11. Why???

He is clearly no longer a member of the democratic party. Are these people who control the party in Washington out of touch with what the people want. They better watch out or it will be their heads next

[Freddie Stubbs]

12. Perhaps they actually want Lieberman to win, but

are being careful not to do anything overt about it.

[Bob3]

9. This is spin - "some Washington blah blah blah"

We've heard this song before - it's the croon of the beltway consultants who, upset that Holy Joe lost in the first place are saying things like this to say "see, we were right all along". It's kind of sad really. Lieberman's campaign has been a marvel of ineptness, and I don't think this current "terror terror terror" shrieking is going to do much good.

I hate these stories - I mean "some washington Democrats say" Well I say that some people say that winged camels will fly in and shit on Lieberman's head next time he gives a speech outside.

[rock]

13. Couldn't win the primary but can win the general election?

I see.

[AX10]

14. Clearly, the NYT is spinning in favor of Joe.

Should Joe, God forbid "win", I will NOT accept him as my Senator.

[rhombus]

16. Ned will blow out Lieberman

Three months ago, Ned was a speck on Lieberman's radar. If the AFL-CIO defects to Lamont, it won't be close.