Lieberman "independent" bid will hurt Dem chances of taking House

[WI_DEM]

Democrats have a good chance of taking three GOP House seats in CT, but, of course, the Lieberman "independent" bid is complicating matters. One of the reasons the GOP is going all out for Lieberman in CT (discarding their own GOP nominated candidate to back Traitor Joe) is to help the GOP House majority. Joe's strongest constiutency according to the polls are among the states Republicans (a recent poll gives him 75% of the GOP vote, compared to 53% of the independent vote and 35% of the Democratic vote). It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that Lieberman's GOTV effort will be to bring as many Republicans out to vote on election day as possible. If Lieberman hadn't run as a indie and respected the choice of the free and open Democratic primary--there is a good chance that many republicans would have just sit out this election given that their own Senate Candidate has a gambling problem and has aroused little popular support. Not only has Rove, Bush, and most other national republicans endorsed Lieberman, but so has the three endangered Republican representatives. They are banking on their endorsement of Lieberman to strengthn their own "independent" credentials with the states large bloc of independent voters.

If all of this wasn't enough, Lieberman's new pollster, Neil Newhouse, has strong ties to the GOP (including Jeb Bush) and is planning to share his polling, according to Daily Kos, with the GOP congressional candidates so that they can all have the same message! and they don't have to pay for polling and can concentrate on GOTV.

So Joe's "indie" bid could potentially risk defeating a truly progressive anti-war democrat in Ned Lamont, and also help re-elect three endangered GOP representatives, making it harder for Democrats to win back the house.

But, of course, Joe Lieberman is a man of "unimpeachable integrity" right? Lieberman has and always has been out to further his own career. If he wins it will be payback time and he'll do it by caucusing with the GOP or becoming an out and out Republican. He'll stab Harry Reid in the back--and Reid nor any other Democrat shouldn't surprised because this is the real Joe Lieberman.

[Poppyseedman]

1. I told you so.

Sometimes we cut our nose off in spite of our face.

[jsamuel]

3. all because a selfish candidate won't respect the primary election

just goes to show that we really don't need someone like that representing the Democratic Party

[WI_DEM]

4. told us what?

that we should back Lieberman no matter what? Sorry, but it's Lieberman who's the spoil sport who won't back the Democratic nominee.

[Poppyseedman]

9. If Lieberman was a house member instead of a Senator

the impact of him being a independent winning over his democratic primary opponent would be much smaller.

He is one of only 100 people who has a great deal of power over bushco cabal and their house lackeys.

All I am saying is sometimes we need to hold our noses and vote for wrong guy for the right reason.

[Warren DeMontague]

15. That's right. Which is why, no matter how much you may not like Lamont

he's the Democratic Candidate for senate, and therefore all DEMOCRATS need to support him.

[Nutmegger]

5. I told you so! I told you so!

Neener, neener, neener!

:eyes:

[Warren DeMontague]

8. Are you suggesting we should support someone who won't support US?

He's no longer a fucking Democrat. I think his behavior since the primary makes it clear he never really was one.

If you feel the need to stump for him, I'd suggest you do it elsewhere.

[Poppyseedman]

11. Single issue voters tend to miss the big picture

Lieberman has a solid record of liberal votes. Once he beats Lamont, he will be an independent and no longer a democrat.

Great game plan.

[Warren DeMontague]

14. He's already not a democrat. You don't get to change the rules just

because you don't like the results. The primary is OVER. By continuing to run, he's already not a democrat.

It's not a game. It's time for him to accept the will of the primary voters just like Lamont Supporters would be expected to if he had won the primary.

[Kahuna]

16. And WE told all you Lieberman supporters so too, We told you

that he needed to be replaced because of his constant undermining of the Democratic message. What further proof does anyone need? Selfish Joe is using a scorched earth strategy to win back "his" seat at any cost. He's a self-serving, santimonious slug. And I'm certain that CT voters will see that by Nov and vote for Lamont.

[Gman]

2. All it takes is one thing to go wrong

things are that precarious. Lieberman could be it and the GOP keeps the House by 2 or 3 seats.

[Writer]

6. This analysis is all and good...

except that the Lamont-Lieberman race is for the US SENATE, not the US House.

[WI_DEM]

7. then you didn't read it

and see how it complicates the three competitive house seats in CT and how Lieberman's goal is to bring out as many republican voters as possible to win. If he brings out more republicans then that helps the congressional candidates in CT as well, and how Lieberman's pollster is going to share his results with the three Republican congressional candidates. See?

they may explain it better on Daily Kos:
www.dailykos.com

[CollegeDUer]

10. I'm not so sure about that my friend

Your argument is that Joe's running will energize the Republicans and get them out to vote. I don't think so, really. I think the apathetic who usuall y don't vote are NOT going to be energized by this 18 year-incumbent.

If anything, progressive lefties who have in the past just stayed home rather than vote for someone like Lieberman will go forward to show exactly what happens when your elected officials pay more attention to his master in the Presidency than his constituents.

[WI_DEM]

12. Let's hope you are right

Given his lop-sided leads among Republicans the GOP is banking on Lieberman's campaign help gotv among that group. I agree with Skinner's strategy that Lamont should build up the official GOP candidate by pointing out that he is anti-choice, ect. and maybe causing some of that republican vote to go back to the official candidate.

[CollegeDUer]

13. I do honestly believe the media is overrating how outvoted the GOP will be

I think there's a certain section of the repubs that won't vote for anyone remotely pro-choice, and they WILL give the Republican candidate their vote unless the GOP does a huge effort to go for Lieberman instead (smacks of the "screwing of cynthia mckinney" in 2002 and 2006...)