Written from Indianapolis…
Tuesday, August 8th marks the Connecticut Democratic primary, as Senate Veteran Joe Lieberman goes up against millionaire Ned Lamont (after all, who can represent the middle class better than a millionaire?). MSNBC’s Tom Curry says that Lieberman could be the latest “casualty” of the War in Iraq.
You know, a year ago, I considered myself to be about as liberal as they come, damning this Administration for their stance on foreign policy. Now, I agree with them, especially when it comes to the Middle East. So if it startles you, like it has some of my friends, forgive me when I speak against the “radical liberals.”
I remember last December, as I am an avid Kos reader — when Ned Lamont’s name started floating around. Hey! Great, right? We need changes in congress, to keep it fresh. Keep it from corruption. But you know what, Connecticut needs Joe Lieberman.
Joe Lieberman shows what is best in all of us — whether his votes on Iraq were right or wrong — Joe is an Independent thinker. Frankly, we need more Joe Liebermans in Congress — someone who will cross party lines if it is BEST for his constituents at home, and across America. The notion that he is Bush’s puppet is absurd — after all, as Lieberman put it himself, he [unsuccessfully] “ran against Bush twice” — in 2000 as the Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee, and in 2004 in his bid for the Democratic Nominaion (making, perhaps, the mistake of staying out of the Iowa primary, focusing completely on New Hampshire).
I urge any Connecticut Democrats to vote for Joe Lieberman on Tuesday. A vote against Joe is a vote for the partisan lines that are dividing America.
August 6, 2006 at 6:04 pm |
In a year’s time, Connecticut’s citizens will be in an uproar about the tragic state of Washington politics, as their boy, Ned Lamont, valiantly stands, entirely inconsequentially, against the Republicans. They will pine about the loss of any sense of civility and compromise and wonder why the hell no one crosses party lines any more. They will curse the Republicans for destroying national bipartisanship.
Interestingly, they will fail to see the irony in all this. They will be left wondering why the out-of-touch Republicans refuse to vote for gay civil rights, bigger education budgets, environmental energy initiatives and universal health care, especially after Senator Lamont went out of his way to support a Republican-authored anti-corruption reform bill and stood with some Republicans who supported stem cell research. Of course, he deserves even more credit for standing with courage against the GOP highway-signage bill and refusing to compromise his morals in favor of green exit markers.
The far right dividers, indeed.
Fortunately, Senator Lieberman still has the support of majority independents and minority Republicans here in Connecticut.
Connecticut for Lieberman, indeed.
August 7, 2006 at 9:57 pm |
What Ned Lamont has neglected to bring into this race is that Senator Lieberman votes WITH the Democrats 90% of the time…. That’s more liberal than 17 other Democratic senators. Why aren’t THEY being attacked by these loony liberals??? Joe Lieberman votes with the Democrats MORE often than Senator Olympia Snowe votes with Republicans, yet, Olympia has the “overwhelming support” of Maine Republicans. Joe Lieberman may loose his own primary. Republicans the “major dividers”….. I think not. Other examples of RINOS who have the full support of Republicans: Lincoln Chaffee, John McCain, Susan Collins just to name a few. Lieberman SHOULD run as an independent. White suits him better than Blue….