Lieberman’s only making things worse

April 10, 2006

Sen. [tag]Joe Lieberman[/tag]’s (D-Conn.) willingness to break party ranks on a variety of key issues, including his inexplicable support for Bush’s handling of the war, led businessman [tag]Ned Lamont[/tag] to launch a primary challenge this year, which apparently is causing considerable consternation at Lieberman campaign HQ.

In fact, Lieberman is so concerned about his future, he’s apparently open to the idea of running for another term, even if he loses the primary.

“Will I always be a member of the Democratic party? I hope there’s not a primary. I’m confident if there is one, I’ll win it, but I’m not gonna rule out any other option for now because I feel so strongly that I can do better for the State of Connecticut for the next six years in the United States Senate that I want to give all the voters a chance to make that decision on Election day in November. I want to do it as a Democrat. If I didn’t want to do it as a Democrat, I would choose to run in some other party, trust me. But I want to do it as a Democrat because I believe in the Democratic party, so really the choice is up to my fellow Democrats….” (emphasis added)

This just won’t do. Lieberman wants the Democratic nomination, but he also wants Dems to know that his allegiance to the party may quickly evaporate if Dem voters back a different horse in the party’s primary. (For the record, [tag]Lamont[/tag] has said he’ll back Lieberman if Lieberman wins the primary.)

Putting aside the fact that this kind of conditional support for his party is unprincipled and fainthearted, Lieberman doesn’t seem to realize that it’s also counterproductive. If he wants to win Dem primary voters, the way to do that is to demonstrate his unwavering commitment to the party that he’s called home his entire adult life. If many Connecticut Dems are concerned that Lieberman’s values and priorities have strayed too far from the Dem mainstream, how does he suppose these people will react to word that Lieberman is prepared to give up on the party altogether?

Evan Derkacz described Lieberman this morning as a “reluctant Democrat.” Unfortunately, it’s an accurate description.

“Lie”berman personifies – actually exaggerates – what was wrong with Clinton’s centrist strategy. He’s not a Democrat, and we should be more than happy to see him go to the other side (or Independent or the Jewish lobby or the insurance lobby or wherever he feels comfortable raking in big bucks). It’s time the Democratic Party cut out such traitors to Democratic Party values.

  • God I so hope I don’t have to listen to that whiny self-righteous putz after November. The only political voice more grating than his is that faux-Texas hillbilly accent King George uses. Every time I hear Liebrman I just want to kick him so hard.

  • Sign me up to kick Joe to the curb. I bet he would be able to make a go at Israeli politics. It seems to be an interest of his. (Please do not get me wrong, I’m not going anti-semitic here. It is my opinion that he often seems to care more about Israel than the US.)

    Joe “The Joker” needs to move over and make room for a real Democrat.

  • Joementum’s got a tactical problem. Caught this at Kos, via the Swing State Project

    …independent candidates have to submit petitions by August 9th, 2006. It just so happens that the Connecticut primary is on August 8th. In other words, if Joe loses the primary, in order to run as an independent in the general, he’d have to file petitions the very next day.

    This is all but a literal impossibility. Joe would have to collect petitions while still running in the Dem primary. Can you imagine such a spectacle? It would be beyond unheard of for a sitting senator to do such a thing. The only real way Lieberman could run as an indie would be if he abandoned the Democratic Party (save your jokes) well in advance of the primary. Otherwise, he’s just talking smack. If he loses the primary, he’s done, finished, tostada del dia.

    :
    If he want’s to run as a repub, he’d have to compete in that primary. Can you imagine Joementum gathering signatures to run as an indy, or campaigning as a repub, while competing for the Dem nomination?
    He’ll either be the Dem nominee, or looking for a gig.

  • Joementum has really taken Bushite principals to heart: all his problems are the opposition’s fault, do whatever it takes to stay in power and he’s always right so the poll numbers show he just needs to do more PR to prove how right he is.

    Democracy’s a bitch Joe. Sometimes you just have to do the will of the people or they kick you out.

  • Someone’s got to tell Joe, “Joe, you either hang with us, or you hang alone.”

    Its time for all of those Democrats who endorsed Joe earlier this year to retract their endorsements.

  • The DNC and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Commitee need to send an immediate and unequivocal message to Lieberman: Publicly pledge your support for the Democratic Party now or forget any support in the primary and general elections. That means Joementum must state he’ll accept the results of the primary and be ready to wholeheartedly support Ned Lamont if he loses. This shouldn’t be a hard call on the Democratic Party’s end. I’d imagine fellow Dems are avoiding him in the halls and not returning his phone calls.

  • I think if he ever had to run as an Indy (and he can’t because of the filing deadline logistics), he probably siphon off more Repug votes than Dems. This crass threat might just do him in. Good bye, good riddance.

  • I wouldn’t waste the time, money, and effort on him now. If he’s so into winning that he wants to play the “vote for me or I’ll take my toys to the other side of the aisle” game, then Dean and the DSCC need to put their entire weight behind Ned LaMont—right now. As it is, the Democartic support mechanism for Lieberman is tantamount to propping up the campaign of a proxy Republican. Maybe they’ll contribute to the DeLay defense fund next….

  • He *can’t* run as an Independent!

    dKos has got the goods on Lieberman. Turns out the deadline for “Joementum” to file as an Independent is ONE DAY after the Democratic primary.

    So, he’d have ONE DAY to gather enough signatures to get himself on the ballot. Impossible.

    Lieberman is just trying to extort the Democratic party brass, that’s all. Think Chuck Schumer– or Howard Dean, for that matter– is going to fall for this shit? Think again.

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