I can appreciate the fact that Joe Lieberman is in a difficult position. By any reasonable measure, his campaign is failing.
Just three years ago, Lieberman was on a Democratic ticket that generated more votes than any Dem ticket in U.S. history. Now he’s struggling to persuade anyone to vote for him. Outside of his home state of Connecticut, Lieberman isn’t in the top three in any state’s polls. His fundraising abilities, once thought to be one of his campaign’s strengths, have been consistently mediocre over the last three quarters.
In the Democratic debates, by his own admission, Lieberman is routinely booed by other prospective primary voters. He’s taken to getting attention by attacking his competitors for the nomination — Dean on Israel, Kerry on “ambivalence” towards the war in Iraq, and Clark on his commitment to the party. (If Lieberman had been as tough with Dick Cheney in his 2000 debate, we’d all be better off.)
Yesterday, Lieberman took things one step further in his attacks on Dean and Clark. Unfortunately for his Lieberman, the criticisms don’t make any sense.
“These are very serious times; we’re facing challenges today at home and in the world the likes of which we have not faced together in a long, long time,” Lieberman said ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos. “It’s a time for change from George Bush, but it’s not a time for rookies.”
Generally speaking, I think this is true. These are serious times, the nation has important challenges ahead, and I wouldn’t want a “rookie” sitting in the Oval Office.
But who, exactly, are the rookies Lieberman’s worried about?
“Well, Howard Dean has been a governor, Wes Clark is new to politics — so that’s two,” Lieberman said. He added, “I think the American people will look for somebody in this election, more than any other election, who has had some experience in the world.”
I’m still trying to figure out what in the world Lieberman is talking about.
As regular readers know, I have plenty of concerns about Dean’s campaign and candidacy, but whether I like him or not, I can appreciate that he’s not a “rookie.” He was a governor for 11 years and has been in government since 1982. Dean has as much government experience as Bill Clinton did when he was elected president. Unlike the only two Dem presidents elected in my lifetime, Lieberman hasn’t been a state’s chief executive for a day in his life.
And as for Gen. Clark, to call him a “rookie” is to deny reality. As Lieberman himself said, the American people will likely be looking to someone “who has had some experience in the world.”
I couldn’t agree more. Clark is a former four-star general who was Supreme Allied Commander of NATO and Commander in Chief of the United States European Command. He led Operation Allied Force, NATO’s first major combat action, in Kosovo. Clark was also Commander in Chief of the United States Southern Command directing U.S. military activities in Latin America and the Caribbean. (Of course, he also garnered some “experience in the world” by serving in Vietnam and receiving a Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart, not to mention being awarded with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. But I digress…)
Rookie? As Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) said two weeks ago, “Anyone who can hold together a coalition of 19 and not lose a single American life is an experienced politician.”
Come to think of it, Clark and Dean each have at least as much experience in government service as Lieberman does. Lieberman was a state attorney general and is now a two-term Senator. That’s it. As for “experience in the world,” which Lieberman sees as the key to winning in 2004, Lieberman doesn’t seem to have much — he didn’t serve in the military and he’s never served as an ambassador. His record in government began in 1983, the same year Dean began serving in the Vermont Legislature, and the year after Colin Powell described Clark as a “superb” commander and “an officer of the rarest potential.”
If Lieberman wanted to criticize John Edwards for lacking experience, that might make some sense. If Lieberman wanted to chastise Al Sharpton for never having served in government, I’d understand.
But if he wants to go after Gen. Clark and Howard Dean, he’ll have to do better than this nonsense.