I wouldn't have believed it had I not read this:
The battle is attracting more and more attention from outside campaigners. While most of Connecticut's Democratic elected officials are in Lieberman's corner, two liberal House Democrats, Reps. Maxine Waters (Calif.) and Marcy Kaptur (Ohio), came here over the weekend to campaign for Lamont.
Yes, I got the memo - all Liberal bloggers are supposed to hate Lieberman. He's an evil tool of the Republican Party and Kos doesn't like him. Personally while I understand the fundraising value that people for some reason place on politicans that are not even from their state, I don't base my vote on a candidate in the state of Ohio based on who someone who doesn't even live in my state supports. Some of us here in Ohio did not like it when out of state officials got involved with Paul Hackett's run against Sherrod Brown. I can't help thinking we have more than enough problems of our own here in Ohio that should be our focus rather than who "we" here in Ohio think CT should have represent them. So just as it makes me shake my head when California bloggers write about who we Ohioans should vote for in our own state, and ask if we Ohio voters are stupid; I shake my head at some of this. Nor am I going to call my relatives in New London, CT and tell them who I think they should vote for...
That's basically what Kos and the others are doing, if you read the ABC News transcript it's in Marko's own words not based on is Lieberman a bad Senator for CT, it's Lieberman's position on the war. Which goes against what Markos first says:
We support every Democrat that runs for office.
So my advice if I was going to give any to my relatives in CT would be to vote for who they think will be the best Senator for them and who will focus on all issues. If that's Lamont for them? Great. If it's Lieberman? Fine with me - I'm not the one who is going to have to live with either one as my Senator, I'll concentrate on Ohio...
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What's not to love...maybe the resulting outcome...Perhaps because I live in what at times seems like the poster child area of how to not be able to pull off unity I see the potential for even more division in CT than what we managed to survive thru in the Hackett V Brown blog battles or what those of us locally see with the whole never ending A and B Team...But since you asked...
If Lamont wins the primary I see a potential huge problem with the more middle of the roaders going either to vote for Joe as an Independent or the Republican. Democrats who are already not feeling they have much in common with the antiwar portion of the Left will feel even more "not at home" with the Democrats. If Lieberman wins the antiwar portion of the left will feel even more not a part of the Democratic Party. If the Republican wins because Lieberman and Lamont spend so much time taking out each other that people say screw both of them? Then who's to blame? Will the old boy network of the Dems offer up Lieberman as their sacrifice to keep the more liberal of the left happy? Could be...which would make any huge affect of this basically not much and have no bearing on 2008.
So...for me? I see this as a huge potential for more harm than good and if it's not handled properly which is very likely it won't be could drive some of the very people the Democrats need out of the party. Then to be perfectly blunt there is the whole issue of the Independent voter. I don't see Lamont as appealing to them.
That's not even getting into any of the Kos concerns portion of this whole thing. I tend to really struggle with this whole mob mentality aspect of the blogosphere where people are called to action most times not even having a real clue as to the whole picture. I'm not a "Freep this" sort of person.
(sorry you asked? lol)
:-)
Seems to me that Lieberman is the closest thing I've seen to a true Republican wearing Democrat shoes in years.
He reminds me of those Dixiecrats who became Republicans during the Civil Rights era.
I can't believe that his views represent the norm of the voters in his state.
Lieberman's voting record does not make him a Republican...
Nor do any of the organizations who rate him on his record seem to label him as conservative. 80% rating from Americans for Democratic Action and 20% rating from the American Conservative Union.
I have no problem with the concept of wanting to vote out incumbents but this isn't related to that - it's a specific hit that could backfire.
Flashing back this is kind of ironic given what is happening to Lieberman now:
In 1999, though, he received a zero rating from the American Conservative Union based on 25 votes, making him one of only seven senators to achieve that score. "Joe Lieberman is a good man who certainly has the personality and temperament of a statesman; however, that is not the definition of an ideological 'centrist' or a 'moderate,'" said ACU Chairman David Keene in a written statement.
http://www.worthynews.com/news-features/lieberman-voting-2.html
:-)
I agree that the R is not polling well at all but stranger things have happened and I haven't looked in depth at the stats of the polls I've seen tossed out there.
I guess if your one issue is the War in Iraq that would be one thing but on abortion or when it comes to supporting other social issues such as gays having equal rights Lieberman does have a solid record of support on.
Kos has made it very clear how he feels about Lieberman. In the ABC Transcript he makes that clear but he is now stating it's also Lieberman's failure to oppose Bush on Social Security in addition to the war.
When asked what if the Republican does win in the ABC interview Markos states:
The problem comes if Joe Lieberman does not respect the will of the electorate. We live in a democracy. We live in a world where nobody has a God-given right to their seat, they have to make the case, and it's a party system. And if he refuses to abide by the democratic will of the people of Connecticut, that's not my fault. That's the fault of Joe Lieberman and his lack of respect for the voters of his state.
Yet according to the way the system is designed in CT, Lieberman or anyone for that matter has the right to do what he is doing if he does decide to go indy. They don't have the same laws we have here that would prevent that. So I'd suggest if it is really about the will of the people that would be something the people in CT would try to change. Who knows, if this plays out that way that could happen.
I know you are not alone Redhorse and if that for you is a primary factor that is of course your right to feel that way.
I'm not dissing those of you who feel the war is that one issue for them but for many of us there are also very pressing issues that are equally if not more important.
The war will eventually end but making abortion more difficult and/or illegal, not supporting the rights of all people to enter into a loving partnership and stopping the continual cuts to programs such as WIC on top of the huge health care crisis we have in this country to me rank above the war in Iraq. From a reality point eliminating Joe Lieberman is not going to end the war in Iraq. Unless you are going to take out every single Congressperson who voted to support and to continue to fund the war punishing Lieberman for this alone doesn't make sense to me. Just the other day 14 Democrats voted with the Republicans on making it illegal to take a minor over a state line for an abortion. Lieberman wasn't one of them....
I'd like to see more incumbents go but selective elimination only helps increase the power for others from a seniority level. CT will lose power if Lamont is elected, all of the positions that Lieberman has earned thru his seniority will be gone. So under the current system of rewarding Seniority there is that factor that many don't bother to consider. It's one of the same reasons I felt Sherrod should have stayed in the House, his experience his positions will no longer benefit Ohio. Even if he beats DeWine? He'll be a Freshman Senator.
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