Misreading the Lieberman - Lamont race...

[kentuck]

Republicans think it is only the Democrats taking revenge on MoJo for his stand on the war. The "liberals" are out to get him, they think. But it is much more than that.

MoJo is not the only Democrat that has supported the war. However, his support has perhaps been the most unwavering of any Democrat. And it is that unwavering support that has exposed Joe Lieberman's true self. He has shown himself to be arrogant and out of touch with his Party and his state. He thought he was unbeatable.

After all, he had cultivated a good percentage of Republicans into voting for him by siding with Bush and the Republicans on a few critical issues. He took for granted the Democratic base because he thought he would always have them with him. And with the Democrats by his side and a good portion of Republicans supporting him, who could possibly beat him in any election? He was too smart by half. He forgot that there is such a thing as primaries and sometimes, although rarely, incumbent politicians are challenged.

Although his stance on the war is a big part of his being challenged, there is much more. MoJo is being seriously challenged, not only because he is a Democrat favoring the disastrous war in Iraq, but because he is a Democrat following the disastrous presidency of George W Bush too closely. Joe is only the first in the line. Other Bush "supporters" will find themselves in a similar predicament when they are challenged in November - especially in those states and areas that tilt toward the blue side. Democrats do not like this President at all. And many Republicans are losing faith in him also. Joe Lieberman's race is as much about George W Bush as it is his support for the war in Iraq.

[OctOct1]

1. Amen.

From a Connecticut voter.
I couldn't have said it better myself

[Monkeyman]

2. hooya brother

[OctOct1]

3. One more thing

Connecticut is the Constitution State (Nickname)
Can you thing of a better place to set up a good slap in the face to the current administration.

[countmyvote4real]

8. I always thought of CT as the nutmeg state. n/t

[OctOct1]

15. Yes both, but

Our license plates say Constitution State
Nutmeg is another nickname
see link
http://www.50states.com/bio/nickname1.htm

[TheFarseer]

4. wish we could do that to jack-ass Nelson

I'd trade him in for Lincoln Chafee.

[kentuck]

6. You can do better than Lincoln Chaffee...

And Nelson's turn may be coming? George W Bush is like Kryptonite. I would not even get close to him. They don't know it yet.

[Clarkie1]

5. Very true.

It's Lieberman's instance that going to war was necessary, and his adherence to a failed neo-con policy, that is destroying his political future.

I expect Ned Lamont to be the next senator of Connecticut. It will be sweet to see Wes Clark campaigning for Lamont (I expect he will) after the disrespect Lieberman showed Clark in 04' when he questioned Clark's loyalty to the Democratic Party.

[RagAss]

7. Lieberman bet on the wrong horse ... he thought that Neocon agenda

was a winner....now he's sitting with a losing ticket in his hand...he put himself before a lot of things...not just the party...

[fishwax]

9. his rhetoric towards anti-war folks comes straight from the white house

for me, it isn't just that he supported the war, but that in doing so he constantly echoed right-wing propaganda about "supporting the terrorists," etc.

[Redneck Socialist]

10. It's not the war stupid, it's bush.

The media (perhaps deliberately so) is totally missing the point of Lamont/Lieberman.

It's not the war, or even Joe's full throated support of it, plenty of Dems support the war to one degree or another, it's bush. More specifically it's the fact that Lieberman has had his tongue stuck down bush's throat for the better part of five years now. It's the sense of betrayal that that engenders that pisses people off about lieberman, not simply his pro war nonsense.

I'm sick to death of the media portraying Lamont's campaign as somehow fueled by a bunch of left wing crazies out on the internets. While I'm no fan of Lieberman, my opinion of him means fuck all since I don't live in Connecticut. I hesitate to speak for Connecticut Democrats, but I suspect that they are less pissed at Joe because of his stance on the war than they are by his embrace of bush.

That's what this is about, bush and at least appearing to be in opposition to the republican regime.

[me b zola]

11. You make a very good point

"He took for granted the Democratic base because he thought he would always have them with him.

There are several DC Dems who also take their base for granted. In their arrogance, rather than understanding that fact, they have taken to attacking us.

I can forgive a Beltway Dem for not voting the way I wish them to on every bill, but when they lash out at their base, take us for granted, and smear us in the press, is when they lose me forever. Forever.

[Zorra]

12. Outstanding post, thanks.

There are some Dem Senators and Representatives that really, really need to read and understand this:

Reaching across the aisle to hold hands with the fascists is, from now on, a one way ticket out of DC on a January morning redeye.

[Punkingal]

13. Exactly!

My brothers and I were discussing that very thing this evening. This race is a referendum on George Bush, because of Lieberman's support for him.

[jaysunb]

14. Republicans don't think that

They know damn well Joe has finally been recognized for the tool he is. They also know who the other Joes and Zells are and they will be their next " fravorite, bi-partisan democrat."

[Marr]

16. The electorate is saying they want a real opposition party.

They're sick of these career politicians who all seem to have the same agenda, regardless of party affiliation. I haven't heard anyone in the corporate media interpret it that way though; they prefer to say it's just because of his position on Iraq.

[sendero]

17. To Mr Lieberman I say..

.... "offer your unconditional support to this president at your peril" :evilgrin:

[Vinca]

18. An editorial in our local paper make a good point that

Lieberman feels he is entitled to his Senate seat because he's been there for 18 years. That's true for many of the people who have been "institutions" in Congress for eons. A shake-up is long overdue.

[JerseygirlCT]

19. It's so not just about the war.

That's one of many symptoms that Joe's been around too long.

His behavior wrt Schaivo, his comments about Catholic hospitals and rape victims, his hedging over the years on important Supreme Court nominations (I won't forget his dithering with Clarence Thomas. As if any sane person needed more than 10 seconds to realize the man was supremely unqualified -- and that's before hearing from Anita Hill!).

What sewed it up for me were his comments about not questioning the president during wartime. What a completely undemocratic thing to say! Unacceptable.

[kentuck]

20. Also, his comments about...

school vouchers and possible support for Bush Social Security "reform". Those are big issues. BIG!

[elehhhhna]

21. How'd he vote on the bankruptcy bill?

[kentuck]

22. I don't know for sure but..

I believe he voted for it?

[elehhhhna]

23. I checked. He was FOr it before he voted against it, the Tricky bastard:

Mr. Lieberman stated clearly what was wrong with the bankruptcy bill: 'It failed to close troubling loopholes that protect wealthy debtors, and yet it deals harshly with average Americans facing unforeseen medical expenses or a sudden military deployment,' making it unfair to 'working Americans who find themselves in dire financial straits through no fault of their own.' A stand against the bill would have merged populism with patriotism, highlighting Democrats' differences with Republicans' vision of America.... any Democrats chose not to take that stand. And Mr. Lieberman was among them: his vote against the bill was an empty gesture. On the only vote that opponents of the bill had a chance of winning - a motion to cut off further discussion - he sided with the credit card companies. To be fair, so did 13 other Democrats. But none of the others tried to have it both ways.