Daily Kos: Lieberman's home-grown problems

[Larkspur]

http://dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/4/11/2445/98304>http://dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/4/11/2445/98304

In a rather remarkable post, Myrna Watanabe -- a Connecticut Democratic State Central Committee member -- gives an honest assessment of Lieberman's status amongst his local party establishment...

Watanabe even says Lieberman's presence at the top of the 2006 Democratic ticket has hurt candidate recruitment.

Again, Lieberman may be wildly popular with Connecticut Republicans, and (to a lesser degree) with self-identified Democrats. But those who know him well aren't too pleased.

Will it be enough to spawn a strong primary challenger? We'll see.

Update: Lieberman will speak at Yale Law auditorium today (Monday) at 1:15. It's open to the public.

You can read Myrna's whole response about Lieberman at
NOmentum: Lieberman re-election and the Connecticut Democratic Party
http://www.swingstateproject.com/2005/04/nomentum_lieber.html>http://www.swingstateproject.com/2005/04/n...tum_lieber.html

I'm glad that bitterness and anger against Lieberman is more widespread among the CT Dem Party than I thought. Note: those polls that show Lieberman enjoying high 60% pts from Dems is a mirage if the Dem Town Committees don't help him win the Dem nomination for the senate. Oh what an embarrassment it would be for Lieberman not to have the support of the Dem Town committees and not win the nomination at the Dem State convention. I'm going to try to be a delegate from my town to the senate convention.

[saltpoint]

1. Bravo for you, Larkspur. This is a great post & a very --

-- good cause.

Even as we speak, a friend with cable says Lieberman has been on recently (C-Span maybe?), extolling the virtues of John Bolton.

Do what you can to make this man go away!

[Me.]

2. Get Him Out Of There

and use his own Joementum to do it.

[WI_DEM]

3. In a Democratic primary where a large number of activist dems

turn out and if you have a fairly good grass roots challenger, I think that Joe could have some problems.

[Nederland]

4. This is great

Going after our own elected officials (that don't meet certain people's purity tests) is much more intelligent than going after Republicans.

</sarcasm>

[Elidor]

5. From Watanabe's post:

"Maybe the population still likes Joe Lieberman, but his friends in the Democratic Party are having second or third thoughts about him. To some it's the votes, to others it's the war, to still others it's the Dem-bashing rhetoric, while others are concerned about the spectacle of Lieberman at Bush's elbow when Bush signs some particularly un-Democratic piece of legislation. But even more telling is that his good friends, people who've known him for 20 or 30 years and who came into politics with him or came up in the party with him, don't want to be associated with him. Months and months ago, many of them, independently, contacted Joe or his close associates and made it clear that Joe was doing himself and the party no good by kowtowing to the Bushies and by continuing his strong support of the war."

This is a member of the State Central Committee saying this. Joe certainly does pass the purity test - Republican purity. Bashing the party is always a no-no. But how touching that you continue to defend him. At least you're consistent in your misguided moralizing.

[Nederland]

15. Get your facts straight

Lieberman has an a lifetime ADA rating of 76%. That's not the record of a Republican. Period, end of story.

[Elidor]

25. Get your mind right

He betrays the party on progressive issues and sucks up to the neocons, voting for things that no real liberal would vote for (and no, he's not the only one). Your straw man "purity test" argument doesn't fly. Does he pay you money? Or are you just a true believer?

[Missy Vixen]

7. What's the difference between DINO Lieberman and the GOP?

>Going after our own elected officials (that don't meet certain people's purity tests) is much more intelligent than going after Republicans.<

Lieberman has espoused positions that separate him from the vast majority of Democrats. There is currently no difference between Joe Lieberman and the GOP's agenda; he should switch parties, and we can get a Democrat elected in CT for his position.

Julie

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

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

[Missy Vixen]

17. That's not a response

>Joe Liberman has a lifetime ADA rating of 76%, the average Republican Senator has a rating of 11%.<

What's his rating over the past two years?

>Hope that cures you of your ignorance on this matter.<

In other words, everyone that disagrees with your opinion is "ignorant"?

Thanks.
Julie

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

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

[CTLawGuy]

16. so if bush switched parties (but not ideologies)

you'd be in favor of keeping him?

[Nederland]

19. No

And to imply that Lieberman agrees with Bush most of the time simply demonstrates your ignorance of his record.

[CTLawGuy]

24. not implying that at all

just showing the fallacy of supporting anyone just for no other reason than they happen to have a "D" next to their name.

[MollyStark]

20. That is what primaries are for

[wyldwolf]

6. ummmm...

You know, every Democrat I'VE spoken to says... blah blah blah.

self-identified Democrats?

What does THAT mean?

Lieberman job approval among CT Democrats:

Approve: 66
Disapprove: 23
Don't Know: 11

http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x11362.xml?ReleaseID=670

(I'm not a big fan of Joe's, but I do understand reality. He isn't vulnerable.)

[Larkspur]

8. Well, those numbers could be a mirage...

If the CT Dem Town Committees refuse to give Joe Lieberman the Democratic nomination at the state convention, he will have to run in a primary against an opponent, who would have the backing of the Dem Town Committees.

Lieberman only has over $400,000 in his warchest. A challenger, who is progressive and has a good campaign plan and staff, most likely will outraise Lieberman. There's lots of Dems around the nation that will pour money into the Lieberman challenger's coffers.

If Lieberman loses the primary, his only other choice would be to run as an Independent or join the Repuke Party, but he'll be bankrupt and his money trail is not deep. If Lieberman wins the primary, he'll be bankrupt, and most of those who funded his challenger's campaign would not fund Lieberman's GE campaign.

[wyldwolf]

9. well, I guess that's possible...

...lots of "ifs" in there.

[Larkspur]

11. Campaigns and Life are full of "if's"

Until the prevailing assumptions, like Lieberman's poll numbers, are challenged, those assumptions are just conjectures.

[Missy Vixen]

13. Count me in

>There's lots of Dems around the nation that will pour money into the Lieberman challenger's coffers.<

I'd be thrilled to write a check to a progressive Democrat who will run against Lieberman. I'll also be writing checks to any progressive running against Mary Landrieu in her next election cycle.

Julie

[safi0]

26. A lot of what makes

Lieberman so appealing in terms of a primary challenge is the fact that hes from Connecticut. As much as I hate to say it we can't do a whole lot better than Landrieu in Louisiana, the same applies to Blanche Lincoln, Ben Nelson, and Evan Byah in there respective states. But what makes Lieberman so appealing is the fact that hes from Connecticut and we can do better, a person only needs to look at the senior senator from Connecticut, Chris Dodd to see that. If Lieberman were from Kansas or Idaho I highly doubt there would be nearly as many people calling for a primary challenge against him.

[MollyStark]

21. He is vulnerable

Because the people who work to support the party and party candidates in CT have turned against him.

Much of his support is from republicans. If the party denies him the nomination, they will still win the state but not as in high numbers as with him. It looks like they are willing to take that chance.

[wyldwolf]

22. but Cheswick

one source hardly speaks for the masses -- and speaking of the masses, it is the voters who do the electing.

Wanna place a bet that Lieberman faces very little resistance?

[markus]

10. Media Whore

was the popular term when I was in D.C. an increasingly long time ago. So, you have someone who fits the corporate media agenda, and just can't get enough camera time.

[bvar22]

12. Here is the little DLC darling:

[Beacho]

23. A primary challenge would be good

Will it succeed? No, in all likelihood.

But bleeding Joe would send him a message that he should take nothing for granted and that he shouldn't be swapping spit with the neocons.

I think the Bolton cheerleading will increase his negatives.