Would Party Forgive Joe?Says Dems Can Count On Him If He Wins

[Snivi Yllom]

http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-lieberman0818.artaug18,0,1390319.story?coll=hc-headlines-politics

Would Party Forgive Joe?

Lieberman Says Democrats Can Count On Him If He Wins; Vice Versa Is Iffy

By DAVID LIGHTMAN
Washington Bureau Chief

August 18 2006

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman says he'll stick with the Democrats if he wins his third-party re-election bid - but will the Democrats stick with him?Lieberman says yes, but others in Washington aren't so sure that a senator who defies party primary voters and relies on Republicans to keep his seat will be welcomed back into the fold.

Advisers to some Senate Democrats are saying privately that Lieberman, who lost his party's primary last week to anti-war candidate Ned Lamont, may not have enough support among colleagues to keep his seniority and status. Lieberman dismisses such talk, saying he was given reassurance this week by Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

"Sen. Reid left no doubt in my mind that I would retain my seniority and committee assignments within the Senate Democratic Caucus should I be re-elected," Lieberman said Thursday, "and that has been confirmed to me by several other members of the Democratic caucus."
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This is really going to get ugly. I doubt you will hear anything definitive until the election results are in. If Lieberman wins, and the odds a pretty good at the moment, Reis may still need Lieberman's support depending on the Senate makeup. Read the article for the analysis of why it's potentially a bad idea to make an enemy of Lieberman.

[Sparkly]

1. I think he should NOT be allowed to pick up where he left off.

His seniority as Democratic Senator from CT should be erased back to "start" if he took office as a third-party so-called "Independent Democrat." It would help a lot if Reid made that clear, or at least cast some doubt, since one of Lieberman's campaign themes is that he can better represent the state due to his seniority.

Maybe that's not totally fair, but I still wish it could be done. He's betraying the party, so I don't see why the party should grant him anything.

[movonne]

2. I would not believe a F...ing thing that liarman says...he is a repub

and now owes the repugs pleanty...

[MaineDem]

27. He is NOT a Repub

I don't think he should have thumbed his nose at the Democrats in CT by ignoring the vote in the primary but he has always been a Democrat and his feelings over the war and a few other issues do not make him a Republican.

I agree with the article where it says we shouldn't be making him an enemy. When and if he is elected in November he will caucus with the Democrats and will help us reacht he majority. Granted, I think Lamont would beat the GOP candidate, too, but we shouldn't be pushing Lieberman to jump parties if he wins.

[Pab Sungenis]

3. WE COULDN'T COUNT ON HIM BEFORE HE LOST THE PRIMARY!

What the cheney makes him think we would count on him after he bolts the Party?

[Snivi Yllom]

6. count on me

I did not see that actual quote but that phrase will really piss off a lot of people.

[fooj]

4. After the shit he has pulled...

FORGET IT! He's been a mole for over 10 years.

[AzDar]

5. He is NO LONGER a Democrat. Joe-hole needs to stop trying

to subvert the will of the Democratic voters in Connecticut.
EVERY DEM WHO DOES NOT VOICE SUPPORT FOR LAMONT IS DOING THE SAME, IMNSHO.
I am tired of this shit...time to get tough with Loserman.
WE should begin a campaign to deluge those who refuse to support a fellow Democratic nominee with phone calls/faxes/e-mails voicing our displeasure.
Their complicity is tearing apart the Party, and THEY WILL BE NEXT TO GO!
OF the People, BY the People, FOR the People....:mad:

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

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

[havocmom]

8. Judging from his response to an election, doesn't believe in democracy

either. People in his party voted him OUT as their senate candidate. He doesn't care what the PEOPLE want.

[dolstein]

9. Lamont supporters have a rather curious view of democracy

Apparently, they believe that 8% of the electorate should have the final word on who gets to represent the state of Connecticut. There are plenty of valid reasons for believing that Lieberman shouldn't run as a third party candidate, but support for democracy isn't one of them. According to polls, most voters in Connecticut want Lieberman to represent them for the next six years. What concept of democracy would justify having the 8% of the electorate who voted for Ned in the primary deny them that opportunity?

[wuushew]

11. No one objects to democracy

however if Lieberman is again returned to power what mechanism will modify his abhorrently hawkish behavior?

If Connecticut voters are insufficiently motivated by the cause of peace, then that is not something that should be celebrated. I don't see what benefits so called "moderate" voters derive from moralizing and * ass kissing.

At the very least if one did not intend on abiding by the results of a political primary what is the point of having one? Does a candidate who wastes the time and money of voters make for a good politician where he or she can waste the time and money of the taxpayer inside the beltway?


You are pulling for the wrong guy Dolstein.

[Snivi Yllom]

12. the gnashing of the teeth will be much worse election night

sort of a dotcom crash wiping out major investment of emotional capital

I would have had an easier time if Lieberman had ran as an independent from the beginning, even though there really was no possibility of that ever happening.

Lieberman's approval rating is about 50%, and it really comes down to are you a 1 issue voter or not.

[havocmom]

13. One citizen - one vote

majority wins

Joe doesn't seem to agree

[dolstein]

19. Actually, you're wrong

The primary was only open to around 35% of the voters in the state. The general election is open to all voters.

[havocmom]

20. And those particapting each get one vote

Why so desperate to change the fact that each VOTER got one vote and Joe lost?

I understand the concept of the Primary. It is for those registared as a member of a party to choose the candidate they want to represent them in the general election. THE PEOPLE IN THE PARTY IN CT DID NOT PICK JOE. Joe doesn't accept that. Save your civics lessons for Mr. Lieberman. HE is the one who lacks respect for or understanding of the system.

I get it. Joe is the one who doesn't :eyes:

[dolstein]

21. The simple fact which you are unable to grasp is this

If a majority of voters in Connecticut want to keep Joe Lieberman as their Senator, he'll be re-elected. If a majority of voters in Connecticut want Ned Lamont to be their Senator, he'll be elected instead.

In short, if Ned Lamont believes he has the support of a majority of the voters in Connecticut, then he has nothing to worry about. That's democracy.

What Ned Lamont's supporters are saying is that the 65% of Connecticut voters who were barred under state law from participating in the Democratic primary should have absolutely no say in whether to re-elect the three-term incumbent, Joe Lieberman. Now how does that square with notions of democracy? Indeed, given the fact that the Republican nominee has been crippled by scandal, Lamont's supporters are essentially saying that the 65% of Connecticut voters barred from participating in the primary shouldn't have any choice at all.

How is that consistent with any common sense notions of democracy. It has nothing to do with democracy and everything to do with party politics. You should at least be honest enough to admit it.

[havocmom]

22. I was talking PRIMARY

And Joe refused to abide by the vote.

How hard is that to grasp? Evidently, pretty hard.

[Zhade]

23. So aside from advocating for lieberman, in violation of DU rules...

...you're now bitching that the two-thirds of CT voters who AREN'T Dems didn't get a chance to vote for the person to run as the DEM candidate?

Why the fuck SHOULD they be allowed to vote in a primary for a party they aren't supporting or a member of? Are you suggesting Republicans should be allowed to help shape who the Dems will run?

[mrreowwr_kittty]

25. They should've switched parties and voted in the Dem primary

If it was that all-fired important to keep Lieberman as their Senator. The GOP could have fielded a better candidate. I don't see what your point is, anyway. If Lieberman runs as an Independent, then your precious image of democracy in CT will be preserved. Because it's not about party politics, you know. :sarcasm:

[LincolnMcGrath]

15. "What concept of Democracy?" It's called a Primary.

:shrug:

The only thing that is curoious around here is your support of the candidate running against THE only DEMOCRATIC candidate IN Ct.

[Fenris]

16. There is quite a bit wrong with this argument.

In the first place, the argument essentially holds that primaries ought to be wholly ignored because of the low percentage of voters who actually show up at the polls. Using this sort of logic, one could make the argument that perhaps primaries are not necessary at all, since so few eligible voters bother to show up. Secondly, if the percentage of the electorate who did not bother to show up believes Lieberman to be the better candidate and do not intend on voting for Lamont, why did they not show up at the primary to secure a Lieberman victory? It is not like this race was not highly publicized - this was national news for at least a month before the primary. Should Lamont's primary victory be denied simply to appease a number of voters who were not committed enough to even show up to vote for the candidate of their choice?

Idyllic visions of democracy are one thing, but in our republic there also exists procedure. And the procedure for primaries is rather simple. If you lose a party primary, the responsible, procedural step is to gracefully concede to the other candidate. Mr. Lieberman, for whatever reason, has decided that if the primary does not guarantee him the result he wants, he will simply ignore it. He is thumbing his nose at our political system. I hardly think his example is something we should hold up as a paragon of democratic values.

[cleveramerican]

10. Fool me once.....shame on you

Fool me twice... shame on me(us)
I think he'd say just about anything at this point. Like him or not Joe is a guy who votes as he truly believes, and on that basis he can never say how he might vote on any future legislation.People his age don't change.

I think he absolutely sincere in his stance on Iraq(and his support for the President), so why would anybody vote for a guy who vows to become less sincere in the future.

[Supersedeas]

14. Time for Sen. Reid to clarify the RECORD and take a stand

[mucifer]

17. If he wins I believe he'd switch to repub party

[kentuck]

18. Sure. I think most would join him and just become Independent...

also. That would seem like a palatable alternative.

[AtomicKitten]

24. It's enticement to maintain his Democratic supporters.

I think if the idea is floated that he would be drop-kicked to the curb if he runs as an independent, much of his Dem supporters would rally behind Lamont. The Democratic Party must support Lamont as the legitimate, democratically-decided candidate in CT and call Lieberman's bluff. If they don't, the Dem leadership are hedging their bets and that would be a slap in the face to the CT Dem voters.

[symbolman]

26. Fat Chance - he' a Puppet, here's my latest Flash about him

Here's my latest work all about Joe LIEberman's ridiculous run as a "Party of One", which reminds me of "Army of One" (which gives ME a mental image of a guy stuck under fire in a foxhole, looking around and saying, "WHERE the hell IS EVERYBODY!!") :) -- Makes about as much sense in a marketing vein. Party of One, Translates into "Party of NONE" when it involved LIEberman, might as well be saying, "Party of ME", eh?

This flash also incorporates the fact that the Terror Lockdown on Liquids, etc came so close on the heels of Joe's Smackdown by Lamont as to not be considered credible - even today they are confirming that people will walk FREE because they don't have the evidence to hold them, let alone that there were NO Explosives in their possession, they hadn't even made reservations, etc, etc..

Meanwhile they talk about charging a PREGNANT woman for having some water, and a face wipe - this flash addresses those concerns as well, the fact that WE are being used as PUPPETS in a The Politics of Terror.

Remember, a republican said they'd ride this last nonThreat all the way into November. Let's prove them wrong.. Let's VOTE for Lamont, as we all know this last Primary was a referendum on Bush and his faked "war". The Nerve of LIEberman to shit all over the Democrats. It's like using a girlfriend to get you through medical school and then snatching up the Trophy Wife once you've graduated. How can we ever trust this Puppet again?

One of my best Flash works ever, and to the Tune of "Masters of War" by Mr Bob Dylan, and no truer words were spoken in our time.

Have a look at:

http://web.takebackthemedia.com/geeklog/public_html/staticpages/index.php?page=20060819044200833

[ima_sinnic]

28. "count on him"? to vote for bankruptcy bill, for Alito, for Roberts,

for continued funding for the Iraq plunder, rape, and pillage -- what else can we count on you for, Joe? seems no matter what * wants, we can count on you to give it to him, eh?

[zanne]

29. A senator is supposed to represent his constituents

His constituents voted him out. He's just using the Rovian tactic of "getting around" the rules the way Bush does. We shouldn't reward cheating and disrespect.