Dems for Joe...Al From, Will Marshall, Leon Panetta, Lanny Davis, et al

[madfloridian]

In 2003 despite humiliating those of us who opposed the Iraq war, despite calling us fringe activists, despite calling us "nutroots"...they asked to stay on board for the sake of the party.

Fringe activists supposed to stay on board

We did, we worked, we stayed, we remained active.

Now they and Joe Lieberman are going against the very core of what the Democratic party means...and they are not staying on board. We did, they are not.

Here is what DLC founder Al From has to say about Joe Lieberman:

DLC founder Al From said: “Sen. Lieberman is one of the most respected members of the US Senate because of his long record of bringing people together to solve problems and make progress. This proven ability and his unquestionable commitment to the Democratic Party is why Democrats in and across the country are continuing to support him.”

Not a word about party loyalty, or primaries, or doing the right thing.

You need to look at the names carefully. Joe Lieberman has big time support from the folks in the centrist/right/Republican groups. He has real star power behind him in the Democratic party...

even though he lost. This bodes very badly for those in the party who want change. He is ignoring the wishes of the primary voters, and it could happen again.

Long list.lots of money. This is only a part of those listed.

http://www.joe2006.com/newsroom_details.asp?id=928

PROMINENT NATIONAL DEMOCRATS ANNOUNCE SUPPORT FOR JOE LIEBERMAN - 9/28/2006

Launch New Group called Dems For Joe: Democrats Standing Up For A Proud Democrat”

The group, which boasts more than 50 founding members from across the country, includes former Members of Congress, other prominent lawmakers, high-ranking officials from the Carter and Clinton administrations, and Democratic Party leaders and activists.A Connecticut Chapter of “Dems for Joe” will be launched in the coming weeks.

Just a few of the names:

Former Senator David Boren, OK

Former Senator John Breaux, LA

Former Senator Bob Kerrey, NE

Ash Carter, Former Assistant Secretary of Defense - Administration

Bill Danvers, Senior Director for the National Security Council - Administration

Lanny Davis, Special Counsel to the President - Administration

Stuart Eizenstat, Former Deputy Treasury Secretary – Administration

Steve Elmendorf, Former Chief of Staff to House Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt

Al From, Founder of the Democratic Leadership Council

Bill Galston, Deputy Assistant for Domestic Policy - Administration

Jamie Gorelick, Deputy Attorney General - Administration

Martin Indyk, Assistant Secretary Of State - Administration

Max Kampelman, Ambassador to the CSCE - Carter Administration

Jim Kennedy, Former Spokesman for Former President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore

Simon Lazarus, Associate Director of the White House Domestic Policy Staff – Carter Administration

Michael Levy, Asst. Sec. of Legislative Affairs for the Administration

Abbe Lowell, Chief Minority Counsel to the House of Representatives

Will Marshall, President and Founder, Progressive Policy Institute

Dana Marshall, Senior Advisor, Department of Commerce – Administration

John Nakahata, Chief of Staff to Chairman of the FCC – Administration

Tom Nides, Special Counsel for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs - Administration

Leon Panetta, Former White House Chief of Staff – Administration

Tony Podesta, Transition Team, Former Counsel to Sen. Ted Kennedy

Bruce Reed, Domestic Policy Advisor - Administration

Dennis Ross, Former Ambassador - Administration

David Rothkopf, Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade - Administration

Richard Swett, Former Ambassador to Administration

Jim Woolsey, Former Director of the CIA- Clinton Administration

This is doing great harm to our party in the long run.

[Totally Committed]

1. Oh, look! It's the Clinton Mafia...

aka the DLC... out in full force, and together again, at last.

It's like Old Home Week! :puke:

B*stards!

TC

[OzarkDem]

33. Not exactly

There are quite a few members of his administration who aren't on that list.

[AX10]

2. It's the DLC mafia.

[Totally Committed]

3. Make no mistake...

It snowballed with Clinton, and it's reappearing for the other Clinton.

That's almost his entire Administration.

They're giving Hillary cover so she can appear to be supporting Lamont for her own "viability".

TC

[madfloridian]

4. Nearly all have the word "former" before name....what elected ones now?

Are the elected ones just able not to risk anything while the former admin guys step up to take care of it.

Here is what they say they are going to do...shameless.

"Dems For Joe: Democrats Standing Up for a Proud Democrat, which will organize Democrats across the country supporting Joe Lieberman’s re-election."

[Totally Committed]

6. "Are the elected ones just able not to risk anything...

while the former admin guys step up to take care of it."

*ding ding ding ding* YOU GOT IT! -- Especially for Hillary.

TC

[tularetom]

5. Some of those names are dubious Democrats

I've seen that Woolsey on TV trashing Clinton's entire foreign policy record.

[joemurphy]

7. Woolsey is a PNACer. Worthless tool. He's a Dem? Jeez! n/t

[ShortnFiery]

31. That's sad, Woolsey's invested in the war machine, big time! :(

Oh there's so much money to make with perpetual war! :puke:

[madfloridian]

36. I never thought of Woolsey as a Democrat.

He does not seem like one.

[madfloridian]

8. Here is the CT chapter of Dems for Joe....

http://joe2006.com/free_details.asp?id=71

Jim Amann - Speaker of the House (Co-Chair)

Reggie Beamon - State Representative, Waterbury

Jeff Berger - State Representative, Waterbury

Bert Bosse - Vice Chair Board of Finance, Lebanon

Susan Cable - First Selectwoman, Beacon Falls

Frank Cirillo - Fmr. DTC Chair, Meriden

Tom Conway - Fmr. State Representative, Waterbury

Chuck Coursey, Town Council, West Hartford

Pat Crowley - City Council, Enfield

Kevin Cunningham - First Selectman, Plainfield

Red Edgar - Town Council, Enfield

Mary Fritz - State Representative, Wallingford

Willie Fritz - First Selectman, Clinton

Joan Hartley - State Senator, Waterbury

Mike Jarjura - Mayor, Waterbury (Co-Chair)

Kevin Knowles - Fmr. State Representative Naugatuck

Ben Lathrop - Mayor, Norwich

Pat Lynes - Deputy Majority Leader, City Council, Meriden

Corky Mazurek - State Representative, Wolcott

Tom McCarthy - City Council, Bridgeport

Steve Mikutel - State Representative, Griswold

Jeff Nicholas - Former First Selectman, Bethlehem

Mike Pacowta - DTC Chair, Shelton

Iris Papale - City Council, Wallingford

John Picard - Mayor, West Haven

Rich Roy - State Representative, Milford

Dan Russo - DTC Chair, Middletown

Bill Satti - Former Mayor, New London

Domenique Thornton - Former Mayor, Middletown

Christel Truglia - State Representative, Stamford

Albert Vertefeuille - Former Selectman, Windham & Lebanon

Joe Walkovich - Former State Representative, Danbury

Jim Miron - Mayor, Stratford

Bill Finch - State Senator, Bridgeport

Juan Candelaria - State Representative, New Haven

John Leone - Former Mayor, Bristol

[globalvillage]

9. Wednesday looks interesting.

Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., the Democratic 2004 presidential nominee, hopes to give Lamont a boost when he campaigns in the state with him on Wednesday. Lieberman will stump with former Nebraska Sen. Bob Kerrey, a Democrat, on the same day.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/connecticut/ny-bc-ct--connecticutsenate1021oct21,0,6759553.story?coll=ny-region-apconnecticut

[madfloridian]

11. Also Dean was there with the CT Dem party and Lamont yesterday.

So many are coming through for Lamont, who is the WINNER.

Joe can win, and he will still be the loser.

Glad to see Kerry there.

[madfloridian]

10. Two who support Lieberman are official DLC bloggers...

http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?contentid=252975&subid=900094&kaid=86

The Bull Moose has an ugly one up today about it all. He is Marshall Wittmann.

The Has Been is Bruce Reed, listed above in the Dems for Joe.

[Dick Diver]

12. Let's face it...

many, many people here and elsewhere underestimated Lieberman. As an incumbent who has "brought home the bacon" for CT for many years, including most recently saving the Groton sub base, Joe has many legitimate supporters across the board, including amongst the 40%+ Independents in CT. It was certainly an overreach to oust him in the Dem primary and, should the Senate wind up 51 (D+I) and 49(R) the Democratic leadership is going not only to have to kiss Lieberman's ass, but suck his toes and potentially other body parts. Better get used to it now, because Joe is going to win, not because of the money, not because of the endorsements, not because of the Repugs, but because he's going to get 35% of the Dems, 70% of the Repugs, and 65% of the Indies.

[madfloridian]

13. What will he have won? He was the loser in the primary.

Anyone who appears proud of him now is suspect to me.

Anyone who brags about his possible win is not considering what is really going on.

[Totally Committed]

14. I agree... you are so right about that!

But, if he wins, he will have proved his point, and that will gall me. He'll have people thinking twice about supporting anyone but the incumbent, and that is dangerous with the way this Party is going. After we win back the House, the Senate and the WH, there is a LOT of trash that is going to have to be shown the curb, and we need to have our will intact to do that.

TC

[madfloridian]

15. But we will keep on doing it....even if it takes longer.

:hi:

[Dick Diver]

17. He'll have won more influence

in the Senate than any other Senator (D, R, or I) if the scenario described comes about. As to his "possible win," can you name someone in a Senate race who has come back from a 17 point deficit 3 weeks before the election? It's not a matter of "bragging," it's a matter of dealing with reality.

Regardless, there was simply a major miscalculation here and those who refuse to recognize it are just like Repubs who are claiming they have a chance of retaining the House.

[madfloridian]

18. Then maybe many of us will think more about party..

if all the Democratic operatives go with Joe over party...maybe party loyalty means nothing anymore.

[JeffR]

25. CT primary voters "miscalculated" by picking Lamont?

Your premise gets stranger and stranger the more you expand on it.

[madfloridian]

27. He is digging a deeper hole for himself.

And he just keeps digging.

[JeffR]

28. It's a weird thing to watch

But it's hard to turn away.:)

[JeffR]

16. How does choosing someone else in the primary

constitute overreach?
:shrug:

[Totally Committed]

19. It doesn't!

And, I hope the people never get that message. What happened in CT is called DEMOCRACY. The voters decided they didn't want Joe any longer, but he had other ideas... He's the one being NON-DEMOCRATIC. The voters didn't over-reach, they VOTED THEIR PREFERENCE.

He's such an A**HOLE!

TC

[JeffR]

22. That's my thinking too

I was hoping Dick Diver could clarify what he meant by this... or if he meant anything at all.

[Dick Diver]

23. No...

the Democratic voters in CT, who represent approximately 35% of the voters, decided they didn't want Joe to represent their party anymore. Lieberman then decided that the majority of ALL voters in CT would want him to be their Senator. He is going to be proved correct.

There is nothing "non-democratic" about it and if Lamont had lost and decided to run as an Independent, I guarantee very few people here (including myself) would say that was "non-democratic."

[madfloridian]

24. You are just digging the hole deeper.

You know what they say about digging holes?

[Dick Diver]

29. You seem enamoured with

your "digging" metaphor. If you think my posts are disruptive, please use the "alert" button. OTOH, if you refuse to recognize reality, please use the "nirvana" button.

The reality of the situation is that Lieberman is going to win in CT. Lamont won the Democratic primary. Democrats compromise approximately 35% of the voters in CT of which (I think) approximately 55% voted, thereby representing 19% of the registered voters. Lamont won 52% to Lieberman's 48%. Therefore, he won approximately 10% to Liberman's 9% of the votes in CT.

[madfloridian]

30. Lieberman is the loser, even if he wins.

You seem so impressed with him, why is that?

Why are you impressed that someone who lost in a legal, legitimate primary election....just decides to run anyway and attack the only Democrat in the race?

He will probably win...he has the whole Carter and Clinton strategists behind him, that is huge.

We all know how it works with they are not on your side.

But now eyes are open, the future is clear, the fight we need to make is known.

Before Iraq we did not know it, before 2003 we did not know it. Now we do.

Yeh, we know, Hilary made a donation and sent Lamont a strategist and a donation. I noticed how that has worked out. I hope Tom Swan takes back over, and it appears he might be getting more time to speak out.

[Dick Diver]

32. ookely dokely n/t

[CTLawGuy]

34. ho ho ho

if Lamont ran as an Indy all hell would break loose here, with the centrist hypocrite preachers telling us to get in line behind Lieberman, who won.

And I know Lieberman would be calling Lamont a sore loser.

[madfloridian]

20. Aha! You gave yourself away with the word "oust"....caught you.

You are thinking he was ousted...ok. gotcha.

[Dick Diver]

26. Uh, "oust"

is generally applied to a successful challenge to the incumbent. Knock, knock.

Edit: added the word "successful"

[madfloridian]

21. The CT Dems "overreached?" Oh, my, your words...

are so giving you away.

[Cha]

37. Oh, that ought to be a pretty fucking

ugly sight..kissing joe lieberman's lying ass.

[madfloridian]

35. CT-Sen HQ: Joe Lieberman's "Petty Cash" Slush Fund

From Tim Tagaris at Daily Kos, who works for Lamont's campaign.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/10/21/16929/570

CT-Sen HQ: Joe Lieberman's "Petty Cash" Slush Fund

"But now Joe's got a new problem, a "petty cash" problem. I don't know what he bought with nearly $400,000 in petty cash, but it sure purchased increased cynicism in the political process."

Kind of involved, so read it all.

[madfloridian]

38. More about Dems for Joe...

http://kasusa.squarespace.com/northeast/2006/9/28/dems-for-joe-unveiled-ex-members-clinton-vets-back-lieberman-roll-call.html

'Dems for Joe' Unveiled; Ex-Members, Clinton Vets Back Lieberman (Roll Call)

"Democratic Congressional leaders may be keeping their distance from Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) since he opted to seek re-election as an Independent, but a group of more than 50 former Senators, House Members and Clinton administration officials will proudly announce the creation of "Dems for Joe" today.

A common thread among the geographically and ideologically diverse group is a sense that Lieberman was unfairly being portrayed as a "bad" Democrat.

"It just seemed to me, and apparently a lot of the folks who also know Joe, that here is a really good Democrat with a great Democratic voting record and background," said former Rep. Norman D'Amours (N.H.), who helped get the group off the ground."