Lamont must move to the ____if he wants to win the general election

[nickshepDEM]

____ = Center or right, whichever you prefer.

I think he should definitely run on his oppisiton to the war, because in CT even most Republicans no longer support the war.

However, at the same time he should begin to focus on the fact that he is businessman with principled positions on a balanced budget, middle class tax breaks, etc...

He needs to eat away at Lieberman's support among indy's or he's not going to make up the gap in the general election.

I know I said this about the primary, but its a different ball game now. Ol' Joe has Republicans comming out of the wood work to back him and he's always been popular with independents for whatever reason...

[goclark]

1. I agree nt

[WyLoochka]

2. He already occupies the "center"

It is Lieberman who is the extremist with his bush butt licking ways.

[nickshepDEM]

5. True, I guess I should have said indy's which are fairly liberal

in CT.

[bullimiami]

15. i agree. it doesnt get more mainstream than lamont.

every position he has is a majority american value.

its the politics and the media dialogue that has abandoned the middle.

[Solo_in_MD]

3. The Repukes are trying to portray him as a fringe radical

and are doing it successfully with substantive assistance from some Dems.

[Beelzebud]

4. Lamont is the center, what you suggest is for him to go right...

Like Lieberman and the DLC have gone right.

We won't take back this country by running as Republican Lite. The sooner the DLC realizes this fact, the better of we all will be.

[nickshepDEM]

6. Ok than, he can continue to run towards his base and make up no ground

the base is secure. Democrats are going to vote for Lamont, at least most of them will anway.

If you havent seen the polls he's getting stomped by Independents.

[buff2]

21. How did he win the primary?

WHO are the people who chose him instead of LIEberman? How is it that HE was chosen over LIEberman,but now all of a sudden LIEberman jumps ahead of him in the polls? This makes about as much sense as that idiot in the Oval office. :eyes:

[Demeter]

23. Half Of the Base Doesn't Even Know Lamont Exists

It's time for the people to move out of BushWorld into the Light, into action and democracy. And they are moving--our job is to point the way. Lamont's job is to win and provide a model for the winners that come after him.

[bettyellen]

31. stop repeating RW talking points. he doesn't need to move anywhere

because he is already centrist.
he just needs to reach more people. joe is much more well known is all. and you ain't helping things tarring Lamont the same way RWers do.

pls THINK before you post stuff that makes YOU part of the problem next time.

[billbradley]

37. AMEN . 100% agree n/t

[AndyA]

7. I agree as well, Lamont is going to need to show the many undecided

voters that he isn't as way out there in left field as they may think. He needs to talk about fiscal responsibility and management, a biggie with conservatives, and many Dems as well. There is lots more to Ned than people know, and there isn't much time to make the point. Ihope his team is well underway in getting Ned's message out there. The MSM is already hacking away at him.

I hope Connecticut voters hand Joe Lieberman his ass in November. As a going away "gift." Oh, be sure to report it to the IRS, because it's not really a gift, but "non-monetary compensation."

[Pirate Smile]

8. He could follow the Democratic Congressional Challengers Strategy Memo

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2785567&mesg_id=2785567

[Donna Zen]

9. The GOP

The GOP is never going to vote for Lamont, they've got their marching orders. And where exactly is this center? Lamont is fiscally conservative; his whole life illustrates that. I think your advice is well-thought out, and is exactly where Lamont stands. The difficulty is Joe's yammering about the "far-left," which is a creation of his own mind. My greatest fear at this point, is that Joe is going to bring down the entire party in 06. He has certainly made it his mission. The media (and Rove) is lapping up Joe's slander against the entire Democratic field. As is the dead in Iraq are not enough damage, Joe is focused on creating more.

[Name removed]

38. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Radical Activist]

10. Sure, why stick with a winning strategy?

Running in the middle certainly made Joe popular this year and in the '04 Presidential race. :eyes:
I'm so sick of the conventional wisdom about being moderate to win. No, it isn't always the best strategy all the time.

[nickshepDEM]

11. Check the polls. Lamont is getting his head smashed among

indy's.

His base is already locked up. Your advice, to keep running as he did int he primary will keep the people arleady set on voting for him happy, but after that, where does he make up the votes?

[Radical Activist]

41. Show me a poll which shows that

half-assed moderate positions resonate with voters better than what Lamont has been saying. Always campaigning based on polls is what helps maintain the status quo. It is a recipe for lack of change or progress. It garauntees that Democrats lose ground in the long run as Republicans push to the right.

[dolstein]

33. A winning PRIMARY strategy

In case you weren't aware, a lot more people vote in the general election than in the primary election. A strategy that is focused on turning out the most hard core primary voters isn't going to work in a general election when those voters are outnumbered 4 to 1.

[Radical Activist]

43. Don't you think voters can see through two-faced election strategies?

Ones where a candidate becomes someone different for the general election. The primary was conducted in public. People do know who Lamont is and why he won the primary. Appearing to be fake and unprincipled will lose more votes than moving to the right could ever gain. That's something the moderation crowd never seems to factor when arguing for shifts to the right. Conviction wins votes regardless of ideology.

[buff2]

12. That is exactly what is wrong with the Democratic party

Center my ass! What is wrong with Liberal progressive Dems? I am so sick of always being told we have to run to the center. There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with Liberals.Joe LIEberman needs to GO AWAY and join the republican party where his heart really is!!!!He makes me sick.
:grr:

[koopie57]

19. I agree with you

all this maneuvering and changing stands as the need arises for this voting block or that voting block is growing weary. Lamont is a smart, good man. I think his policy should be based consistently on his beliefs and let the chips fall where they may. What good is voting for change if we don't know what we are really getting anyway? If he wins based on running "central" and he doesn't follow through, people will see that.

[paulk]

26. what is wrong with "liberal progressive Dems"?

well, there's nothing wrong with them, outside of the fact that there aren't enough of them to win a general election.

[bigbrother05]

13. Doesn't need to move anywhere

The only "liberal" thing he's said is that Iraq is a mistake. He's a successful businessman, from his own efforts without the silver spoon. He has been very pragmatic in his statements, he has only taken Joe to task where he has hurt our country in general and CT in particular. As this race moves forward and the obvious smear by Cheney, et al is seen for what it is, the people will get a chance to see the real Lamont and those with a lick of sense will realize that he's the best man for the job.

Know they probably thought they could get a quick knockout in the first round with the terra, terra, terra blitz, but Ned is tougher and smarter than that. Think they overreached and he'll pull it out in the long run. Only down 11% after this full frontal assault is pretty good state-wide.

[nickshepDEM]

14. BEFORE YOU POST - Just the facts....

Indepents are the largest block of voters in the state of CT.

Overall - General Election

Lieberman - 53%
Lamont - 41%
(R) - 4%

Independent's only - General Election

Lieberman - 54%
Lamont - 34%
(R) - 3%

http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x11362.xml?ReleaseID=948

[Darkhawk32]

16. Give it a couple of weeks... independents that haven't been paying ....

attention to the Dem primary might change their mind.

Too early to tell right now.

[bigbrother05]

22. Most people that id as independents

do so because they refuse to be linked with the over-the-top BS that the major parties throw out. The only one spewing crap is Joe. Given a bit of time to listen to the messages coming from the two campaigns and the choices should be clear: a thoughtful candidate who is willing to fight the tough fights or a DC insider who is shocked that anyone could question his value. Think most any independent can figure out the difference.

[Radical Activist]

44. So he only need to swing 7% of voters.

That doesn't require changing ones principles, which is a sure way to lose the respect of voters. I'm amazed the Lieberman isn't polling better than 53%. He's toast.

[Radical Activist]

45. Just the facts: Lamont gained 14% in the last month among all voters

by being just who he is. Like I said, why change a winning strategy? How on earth did someone gain so many points among all voters without using the strategy of the moderate corporate establishment? Gosh.

From your link: "This compares to a 51 - 27 percent Lieberman lead over Lamont, with 9 percent for Schlesinger in a July 20 poll by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University."

[rocktivity]

17. He IS in the center--that's why he won!

If the election proved anything, it's that being anti-Bush/Iraq occupation does NOT make you an extreme radical. He should round out his rest of his campaign platform, certainly--but on HIS terms, not theirs. And he should NEVER stop hammering home the point that a vote for Lieberman is a vote for Bush.

:headbang:
rocknation

[Fredda Weinberg]

20. He won a primary, not an election n/t

[Cha]

27. Yeah, Lamont won the Democratic

Primary Election!

I just saw a clip with him and John Edwards campaigning in New Haven and Ned said, "one of the first calls joe got was from kkkarl rove and one of the first calls he got was from John Edwards..Oh wait..here's the lovebirds now..



A vote for lie-berman Is a vote for bush.

[Totally Committed]

18. I think Ned needs to be Ned. Period.

He's running against Lieberman, who is just to the left of Attila the Hun, politically. Why not give the voters a real choice?

Go, Ned!

TC

[leesa]

24. The right wing of the Democratic party never gives up, do they? He doesn't

need to move ANYWHERE. Maybe it's you guys who need to get a bit of a grip?

[wisteria]

25. I think the broader point is that he has to be more than just the one

issue candidate Lieberman,the media and the Repubs are trying to make him out to be.

It might even be a good idea to point out the times when we Democrats could have used a additional Dem vote and he instead voted with the Republicans.

[paulk]

28. I don't know that he needs to run toward the center or the right

as much as he needs to get across that it's Lieberman's positions (at least concerning Iraq, and that seems to be what this election is becoming a referendum on) that occupy the extremes.

I don't know if he'll be able to do this, given his relative inexperience as a campaigner.

[Beelzebud]

29. If Lieberman were an honorable man, he would concede that he lost.

Lieberman is splitting the party more than anyone else at the moment.

JOE LOST. SOMEONE NEEDS TO INFORM HIM AND HIS SUPPORTERS OF THIS REALITY.

[blm]

30. Lamont IS a moderate, Lieberman is a centrist. A MODERATE beat a centrist

and that is what the Dem party should acknowledge.

[DancingBear]

32. Hey, c'mon everyone

It's Friday.

DLC Talking Points always come out on Fridays.

Relax.

Take a long walk.

Go swimming.

Ignore.

[sandnsea]

34. Forefront

He doesn't need to choose between left or right, he needs to choose between right and wrong. Can we run with that people and stop letting them wedge us with left/right bullshit???

[rniel]

35. Hell be protrayed

However the right wing press wants to portray him. What he really is doesn't matter.

[billbradley]

36. LEFT

Ned ALREADY is in the center. He needs to reinforce his PROGRESSIVE liberal leanings. And its hogwash about the indies, the moderate and left leaning indies will support ned if he shows his true colors. Otherwise the traitors and GOPigs win. EASY CHOICE I THINK

[billbradley]

39. Center my ass! What is wrong with Liberal progressive Dems?

Center my ass! What is wrong with Liberal progressive Dems? I am so sick of always being told we have to run to the center. There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with Liberals.WE ARE THE ONLY HOPE FOR PEACE AND SURVIVAL

[calico1]

40. Lamont doesn't need to move anywhere.

What he needs to do is do a better job of portraying Lieberman as the extremist. He also needs to put out a few more ads that address broader interests that include indies. It is no longer a contest between who is the better Democrat, yet he is still running the same ads from the primary.

[Radical Activist]

42. What position should he move to the right on?

You're suggesting a change in emphasis to a biography based campaign (that worked so well with Kerry didn't it?) but I don't see you suggesting any new policy positions.

[Pithy Cherub]

46. You haven't been correct on any of your Lamont analysis

so your track record doesn't amount to predict much, like Lieberman as the primary winner. The erroneous assumption that Lieberman will retain votes is already being dismantled as Lamont gains ground and Joementum loses it playing to the vapor vestiges of the donut hole you referred to as center right. Pathetic Holy Joe Lieberman is a fully endorsed failed byproduct of Bushco and you at least graciously admitted you had been wrong on predicting his primary defeat.

[theanarch]

47. Lamont has to make this election a referendum...

...on Bush. Period. Lamont's central theme should be, if you (CT voters) want a spineless Senate rubberstamping EVERYTHING Bush wants (wars, tax cuts for the rich, court appointees, eviseration of the Bill of Rights, no stem-cell research, more homophobia, more global warming, etc., etc., fill-in-your-favorite-blank), then vote for Lieberman. But, if you want a senate that stands up for YOUR civil liberities, the lives and well-being of OUR GI Joe's and Jane's, for YOUR jobs and standard of living, for YOUR children's future, and for YOUR dignity and self-respect as an American, then vote for ME. The pro-Bush/Lieberman, pro-war M$M is going to paint Lamont as a dangerous, out-of-touch (and/or control) radical leftist who hates 'Murk'a and wants the terra-ists to win (like they haven't already) anyway, so let them string their pejorative labels like so many hate beads the charm braclet they want to strangle Ned with, and let Lamont run on real issues...and let the voters decide.

[seemslikeadream]

48. I have one major dispute with the premise of your post

Let's take the c off of charm and I would agree with you 100%

[theanarch]

49. as the Spanish vice-roy's of the New World used to say...

..."I obey, but cannot comply"...the time to edit has expired, however, i am properly chastised for my error. My sincerest apologies.

[fuzzyball]

50. A sudden lurch to the center by Lamont would be a dumb mistake...

Because Lieberman will run side by side video clips of Lamont
talking from both sides of his mouth. That will destroy Lamont's
credibility with the voters.

Lamont should stick to his winning formula, that of a war opponent
and a super-progressive democrat.