Lieberman Loses, Vows Independent Run
Lieberman Defeated in Democratic Primary
Lieberman attacks Democratic party as full of “extremists” again today on Good Morning America
Note to Joe: You Get What You Paid For!
Error 503: What it Means for Lieberman
Six years ago yesterday, Vice President Al Gore introduced Sen Joseph Leiberman (D-CT) as his running mate. Except for a few stolen votes in south Florida, Lieberman may well have ended up as Vice President. This morning he wakes up a lame duck Senator, a victim of his own hubris, ignorance, and poor decisions. Lieberman will lay the blame for his demise everywhere except where it belongs: at his own doorstep. Lieberman could have continued to embrace the values of the Democratic Party, but for reasons known only to himself, he has chosen the path of appeasement and pandering when it comes to dealing with the Republican majority. In so doing, he has become to many in Connecticut and nationwide a Democrat in name only.
I know next to nothing about Ned Lamont, but if I lived in Connecticut, I would have voted for a ham sandwich before I would ever have even considered casting a vote for Joseph Lieberman. It’s sad, really, because the career of Joe Lieberman at one time held such promise. Somewhere along the line, though, Lieberman clearly lost his mind, and with it his way. He forgot who he represented, he forgot what he stood for, and he became more concerned with keeping his job than in what his job is.
I watched an interview with Lieberman on CNN this morning, and I couldn’t help but think that this is a man who just doesn’t “get it”. It’s not about what’s best for his constituents, his Party, or even the country. It’s about ego. It’s about Joseph Lieberman being unwilling to admit that he is been punished by Connecticut voters for losing touch with them.
There is one thing that scares me, though. Only 15% of Connecticut’s voters actually went to the polls yesterday, which is pretty typical for a primary anywhere. There’s at least one poll out there that shows that Lieberman would win a three-way race in November. Yes, Lieberman will be running as an independent, and he will not have the financial or moral support of the Democratic party, but he is far from finished. Those of y’all celebrating Joseph Lieberman’s political demise may be about three months early. The job is far from finished.
I hope Ned Lamont will turn out to be all his supporters think he is. If nothing else, Lamont’s success has sent the message to Democrats across the country that passion, dedication, and organization still count for something. Change can be good, and perhaps in this case a change is exactly what’s needed. If other Democratic incumbents get the message that we’re paying attention and we WILL hold them accountable (et tu, Cynthia McKinney?) for supporting the war in Iraq, being too close to Our Glorious and Benevolent Leader, or just generally being a distraction and a DUMB@$$, Ned Lamont’s victory can only help prepare the road to November.
In watching an interview with Lamont on CNN this morning, I was struck by his lack of smooth, TV-friendly mannerisms. Lamont is a political neophyte, an unpackaged rookie who clearly hasn’t had the time to work on his TV persona. What did impress me is that he wasn’t about to address the negative, whiny, self-absorbed attacks levelled at him by Sen. Lieberman. When given the opportunity to respond to Lieberman’s accusations, Lamont said that he wasn’t running against anyone, he was running “for” Connecticut.
I don’t know nearly enough about Connecticut’s political landscape to be able to make anything resembling an informed prediction about the outcome of November’s vote. Let’s not lose sight of the reality that there’s also a Republican candidate in the mix, though the national media seems not to have any idea who the mysterious, unidentified Republican is (nor do I). I suspect that there will be a large number of Republicans working on Sen. Liberman’s behalf. It’s not that they necessarily support Lieberman, but if they can split the Democratic vote, there may be a chance for them to sneak up on everyone and steal the election.
There’s still a lot of time left, and a lot of things can and probably will happen. Lieberman may well come to his senses and realize that he’s hurting the party he professes to love. He may well also come to realize that the Senate race in Connecticut is not about Joe Lieberman. It’s about the direction that this country has been heading in, and it’s about having the wherewithal to demand change. It’s about stopping the flow of American soldiers coming home from Iraq in boxes, and it’s about demanding accountability from our elected representatives.
It’s time for leadership in Washington that understands why they’re in Washington to begin with. Joe Lieberman clearly has lost sight of his role and responsibility to the people of Connecticut and the rest of the US. Time to go, Joe….
