How Joe Lieberman got himself into this mess ?

[kentuck]

The story is not that Joe Lieberman has a primary opponent in Ned Lamont. The story is "why" he has an opponent. Few Democratic Senators have any serious challengers. And not that long ago, Joe Lieberman would have been considered to have one of the most secure seats in the Senate. And he behaved as such. He ignored his constituency. It is OK to vote your conscience up to a point. However when you ignore the consciences of your supporters, as a politician, you are playing with fire.

Mr. Lieberman seemed to stray from the Democratic voters that put him into office and became more of an "independent" voice, voting often with the Bush Administration and against his own Party. He angered many of his supporters. Ned Lamont could just as well be Mickey Mouse. It doesnt matter. The voters are sending a message to Joe Lieberman. But, not just to Joe Lieberman, but to other "independent" Democrats, who feel they can vote their conscience without regard to the consciences of their voters. Bottom line, they are there to represent their constituency, not their own interests. Joe Lieberman may pay a high for this miscalculation.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Bingo!

These people who get elected to office again and again often lose fact of the sight that they are to represent their constituency and not themselves.
K&R

[JNelson6563]

2. Politicians often forget

who their real bosses are.

[Old and In the Way]

3. It started when he went after Clinton in the Senate.

Providing bi-partisan support to the Republicans for their relentless and unfounded attack on Clinton (and, by extension, us). Joe understands the Republican deal. Criticize your Party and we'll promote you as a "good Democrat". The fact that the Hannity's, Coulter's, and Malkin's are supporting him tells me everything I need to know about Joe.

[DemonFighterLives]

7. Yes, I hardly remember him going after Clinton

I'm sure that is what Gore saw in him. Gore was seething over having to keep his cool about the Clinton mess, but it was his distancing himself from Clinton that hurt him most in the long run.

When Moho was picked, I thought that many better VP slot fillers were passed up. When Holy Joe wanted Gore to throw in the towel rather than fight the election theft, is when he really lost me. That was the first kiss to dubby that was returned in earnest.

[Justice]

4. Why?

From a national perspective, it started after the 2000 election, during the recount when he said all ballots from service men and women should be counted, whether or not they complied with law.

It continued when he stood in the Rose Garden - he, along with others, including Gephardt - with Bush to declare support for the resolution permitting Bush to use force in Iraq.

It has continued since then, as he refuses to acknowledged even the most significant mistakes of the Bush administration.

For me though, it goes back to 2000 and that TV interview.

[kentuck]

8. I agree with you...

In my opinion, that statement by Lieberman allowed Bush and Co. to steal the election. Because there were many military votes that came in after election day that were counted. Lieberman gave his blessing to that and in effect, his and Al Gore's own defeat. My guess is that if you were to ask Al Gore today the biggest mistake of the Florida fiasco, it would be that statement by Joe Lieberman?

[Junkdrawer]

5. Connecticut is one of the only states to get an extension on HAVA...

they use old fashioned lever machines. (And, from what I hear, the SOS tried her damnest to get Diebold, but failed.)

Look...if Diebold were in there, Lieberman wouldn't be having bunnies about being defeated in the primary.

[calico1]

11. The SOS in CT is a Democrat.

She wanted more modern voting machines but after several were tested they were rejected, mostly because of the inability to leave any paper trail.

http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=4317492

[monarch]

14. Just to add to the fine information provided by calico1

Secretary of the State Bysiewicz was obligated by law to try her "damnest" to approve new machines. Even if the law did not require it, new machines are desperately needed because it is no longer possible to get parts for the old lever ones.

[Junkdrawer]

17. The complete story via TrueVote Conneticut...

A quick read shows a SOS who reversed her Pro-DRE position due to citizen pressure - actually more than many SOSs have done. If my earlier characterization was in error, I apologize - I was posting from memory.

http://www.truevotect.org/

[applegrove]

6. Yup. He voted his.. it was a wedge meant to happen..that kiss must

have been ordered by Rove...now he pays for having ignored the consciences of his base. And neocons press is running around trying desperately to make it all sound so anti-Semitic: Rove's 30 year empire and all.... how's that going by the way?

[napi21]

9. I AGREE! Is there a list somewhere that lists the items Joe voted

with the Pubs and against the Dems on?

I keep hearing Joe & his supporters saying he voted with the Dems more than 90% of the time. I'm not sure if he's lying about that, or if the 10% he didn't were the IMPORTANT votes that everybody pays attention to!

I know he voted to Roberts, and for cloture in the Alito confirmation, and he sides with Shrub on Iraq, but what are the other isssues he voted against the Dem position on?

[kentuck]

10. I think he has verbally shown some support for...

privatization of Social Security and also, school vouchers? Perhaps someone can correct me if I am wrong on this?

[kohodog]

12. Bankruptcy, trade, Energy to name a couple,

Also, Schiavo, plan b. There a re a number of these issues as well as a feeling in CT that he feels himself bigger than the people, bigger than the party.

[kentuck]

13. Do you live in CT, kohodog?

Do you sense that the people feel disconnected from Joe or vice versa? And that they are simply looking for a change? Ned Lamont or anyone that's willing to challenge him?

[monarch]

15. You didn't ask me, but I do live in CT

and I think that this race started out as an attempt to get Joe's attention. Nobody really thought that he could be beaten. Many, many people had become disenchanted with Joe but nobody wanted to risk challenging such an entrenched, big name, Washington insider. Ned stepped up when no one else would. Now that he's in the race and running a terrific campaign, I think that the support is definitely FOR Lamont. Lieberman has become an annoyance and is definitely the one hurting the party. Ned is the real deal! He'll make a superb senator.

[kohodog]

18. I do live in CT

I think there is a fair amount of sentiment that Joe has been far too cozy with this administration. His idea of bipartisanship seems to be to go all the way to the other side. There is little compromise by the republicans who have, at least until now, spoken with one voice.

Joe was a popular guy here until the last 4 or 5 years. There is strong sentiment that he has put himself above the party and above the people. He seems genuinely pissed that someone would run against him. Last fall a "Dump Joe" movement was starting and frankly, I didn't think it would see the light of day. Then Lamont stood up and he seems like the real thing. He is direct on the issues, not full of spin and evasiveness. I happen to agree with his view on most points so I am supporting him. Joe has had too much of the DLC koo-laid, taken too much lobby money, and his loyalties seem to lie with Joe first, Washington second, and somewhere down the road are his forgotten constituents.

I don't think it's the case that anybody could have gotten this far. Lamont has credibility and has earned much of his support by his stance on the issues. It will be a tough road though as Lieberman is perhaps more popular with Republicans and Independent voters than Dems. But Ned's grassroots supporters will make it interesting if Ned wins the primary which he may well.

[B Calm]

16. I agree with kentuck

[TahitiNut]

19. I doubt Joe knows the difference between conscience and appetite.

His appetites for attention (hubris) and campaign funding (from the insurance/banking industry) seem far more prevalent than the appropriate sense of duty to his constituents.