Lieberman - Again refuses to rule out running as an independent

[CTLawGuy]

http://lamontblog.blogspot.com/2006/04/joe-in-windsor-ill-run-as-independent.html

Joe Lieberman will not rule out an independent run for the Senate in November, according to initial reports from his appearance in Windsor today.

According to a DTC member who was present, "It came right out of his mouth. He said, 'I'll wait and see how the primary comes out.' But he would not rule out running as an independent. 'I feel I have a lot to offer the state,' he said. And this after talking about what a great Democrat he was. I was shocked."


This is at least the third or fourth time Lieberman has refused to rule out running as an Independent, including the instance where Lieberman's camp specifically refuted Walter Shaprio's claim in a Salon article that he indeed had ruled out such a move.

...

Call the DSCC and tell them you will not support them if they support Lieberman - a man who has repeatedly suggested he will bolt the party - in this Democratic primary:

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
Phone [phone]
Fax [phone]

----------------------------

This is disgusting by Lieberman. It both shows how "committed" he is to the Democratic party, and how fucking scared he is of losing.

If you're so confident Joe, pledge to support the Dem nominee.

[rusty_parts2001]

1. Who would vote for the ratbast**d anyway?

[MADem]

2. Timid dunces who fear change....n/t

[cspanlovr]

4. I know,

does he really think he'd win? Probably not, he just likes spending other peoples money, and diluting the votes for dems.

[CTLawGuy]

7. Not Democratic Town Committee members, thats for sure

they are the people who count right now.

They are electing delegates to the state nominating convention. Ned Lamont needs at least 15%, which I believe he will easily get, to get on the primary ballot.

I think if he gets over 50% of the delegates, the media will jump on the obvious vote of no confidence in Lieberman and I hope it gets him to retire (if he truly is a Democrat, that's what he would do).

Such a result would be all but fatal to Lieberman's campaign.

[Zhade]

57. I sure wouldn't, if I lived there.

I can't get past his "freedom OF religion doesn't mean freedom FROM religion" remark, years ago.

If he'd repudiate that anti-separation of church and state view, I'd still not vote for him, but I'd like him a little bit better.

[paul_fromatlanta]

3. Strategically he is in a similar position with McCain - stronger in the ge

general election than the primaries. McCain will never win the Republican nomination and Leiberman will never win the Democratic.

[saltpoint]

5. How is it there, Connecticut DUers? Is there are strong GOP

candidate in the race?

So I'm guessing it would be that GOP candidate, Lamont as Democratic nominee, Lieberman as Independent, and who know, maybe Lowell Weicker would jump in as a second Indepedent?

Would love to have a first-hand view from Connecticut.

[CTLawGuy]

8. the state GOP has literally NOBODY who could possibly win

other than 2.

1. Gov. Jodi Rell, who is cruising to reelection. She will not run for senate.
2. Rep. Nancy Johnson, who will probably be more worried about her house seat, as all Republican House members will probably be.

The national GOP will ignore CT as they will be hopelessly trying to stop the hemhorraging nationwide in their house races (the way things stand now).

Reps. Shays and Simmons will similarly be too distracted trying to stay alive in their seats.

Some state senator or rep might jump in, but the GOP Lege caucus is small and no one is really well known.

and I cannot think of anyone else. There are no prominent GOP mayors or famous people, (other than Ann Coulter who sadly lives in New Canaan).

[saltpoint]

9. darboy, thank you for the info. So Lieberman is running only

against Lamont in the primary and is otherwise unopposed?

Wow. At one level, it sounds encouragingly blue if the GOP can't even field a candidate.

At the same time, if I lived there in Connecticut, I'd vote for Lamont in that primary.

Coulter would be a hoot! Her own party would wind up feeding her to the coyotes.

Really appreciate the info.

[CTLawGuy]

10. np

there is a Repub racist yahoo in the race (immigration), but no one will take him seriously, and there was a Green...

[saltpoint]

47. OK, then. Sounds like the stage is set for Lamont to emerge as the

candidate.

I'll keep an eye out on this one.

Thanks for the info.

[MADem]

19. I thought she moved to FL, and got in trouble for voting from the wrong

address????

[CTLawGuy]

20. who are you talking about? Coulter?

I had no idea. I know she does/has live(d) in CT.

[MADem]

21. Yes--she is in hot water for voting in the wrong precinct in FL

This time, claiming she doesn't even live here — as GOP pundit Ann Coulter has been doing on this spring's college speaking tour when she's questioned about her February election meltdown on Palm Beach — isn't going to cut it.

Palm Beach County's elections supervisor has given the right wing's unofficial mouthpiece 30 days to explain why she voted in the wrong precinct.

In a registered letter scheduled to be sent to her this week, Coulter is asked to "clarify certain information as to her legal residence," elections boss Arthur Anderson said.

...Or else? He could refer the case to State Attorney Barry Krischer for criminal charges, Anderson said.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/pbccentral/content/local_news/epaper/2006/03/29/m2a_jose_col_0329.html

[kaygore]

6. Thanks for the tip! I'll do it tomorrow!

[skooooo]

11. He should get the fuck out of the Democratic Party!

[MrBenchley]

12. So is Lamont supporting Lieberman when Joe wins?

Just curious....has the Unknown Millionaire made an announcement on that subject(snicker)? By the way, last poll Quinnipiac ran had Lieberman ahead 68% to 13% among Democrats.

[CTLawGuy]

14. Oh Mr. Benchley good to see you as usual !

http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/columnists/hc-rennie0402.artapr02,0,1335168.column

"Lieberman campaign manager Sean Smith said this past week when asked about supporting the winner of the August primary, "This is a campaign, man, we are in this to win. We're not thinking about those contingencies." Note to Sen. Lieberman: You may want to have someone who doesn't speak like a Valley Boy issuing your statements. This is 21st-century Connecticut, dude.

Lamont takes a sunnier view of the post-primary climate. His campaign manager, Tom Swan, says, "Ned Lamont will support the Democratic nominee." A switch in roles is taking place in the Senate race. Lamont sounds like the confident front-runner, Lieberman like the nervous and petulant challenger. "
------------------------------

Maybe you should go over and pump the Lieberman campaign up. They don't seem to think they are going to win. Otherwise it would be REALLY easy to say "I'll support the Democratic nominee", if you knew you were going to win easily.

But you have such great certainty. So, drop them a note, or send them a singing telegram about how they are going to crush the Lamont campaign. It will cheer them up.


13% is pretty damn good for an unknown. Expect (no matter WHAT ultimately happens) for that to rise.

Also, I thought Lieberman pulling something like this would bother you? Aren't you pro supporting Democrats no matter what? or are you just pro-imcumbent? pro-status-quo?

[MrBenchley]

17. Glad to hear it...

I look froward to Ned's help in returning Joe to the Senate (snicker)

[CTLawGuy]

18. personally, I hope that won't be necessary

but vive la difference

[MrBenchley]

29. By the way, two wonderful things about the unknown millionnaire

He makes his dough selling security systems for gated communities for the ultra-rich elite....and he got what little chops he had working for the DLC's Bill Clinton...

But it's wonderful to see how our "progressive purists" have swallowed him whole without asking any questions, swept along as they are in their lynch-mob madness....

[CTLawGuy]

30. and cable TV systems for college campuses...

Looks like lieberman is the one who is a purist. He's the one who's going third party if the nominee is anyone who doesn't exactly agree with him, and if the nominee isn't a Jewish 3-term incumbent from New Haven who first won the Senate seat in 1988.

Yet the lack of outrage from the support-dems-or-else crowd is interesting.

[MrBenchley]

35. But the dough is in gated communities for the ultra-rich....

"Yet the lack of outrage from the support-dems-or-else crowd is interesting."
Yeah, it's almost like we've seen this sort of specious shit thrown around before.....

[dolstein]

31. Mr. Benchly -- DU'ers would vote for David Duke over Lieberman

if David Duke opposed the war in Iraq.

[CTLawGuy]

32. Pat Buchanan opposed the war

and neither I nor other DUer would ever vote for him.

and I am not voting for Joe "Nader" Lieberman in the Dem primary (if he doesn't bolt the dems).

[MrBenchley]

34. He'd be right up your alley....

Pat hates Democrats too....

[CTLawGuy]

36. What about Joe?

he's the one threatening to leave.

Or does your loyalty requirement extend only to liberals, and except centrists?

[MrBenchley]

37. Since he's currently ahead by 50 points

I don't think I'll worry about it.

[CTLawGuy]

38. tell Joe

not to worry about it either and just come out and support the Democratic nominee.

The implication is he DOESN'T think he's going to win easily.

Why might that be?

[MrBenchley]

41. Actually, the implication is that it's a ridiculous question

which is why he's blowing it off....

[CTLawGuy]

42. whether he will support the Democratic nominee is a silly question?

surely you of all people would think it is not silly. Or do you think that its ok for Lieberman, were he to lose the primary, to run as an Indy and hand the seat to a repug?

[MrBenchley]

43. Since it's probabvly him, it IS a silly question

But hey, it sure is a fun phony issue for our "progressive purists" to froth and rage about....

[CTLawGuy]

44. ha

If this were Cynthia McKinney or Dennis Kucinich facing a DLC challenge and they didn't say they would support the nominee, you'd be screaming at the top of your lungs.

Your whole "party loyalty" thing is a means to pidgeonhole progressives into supporting conservative Dems. It's the only way to explain why you are mum about Lieberman doing this.

And if it's obviously going to be Lieberman as the nominee, why should he not just come out and say he'll support the nominee? Why give people an excuse to dislike him?

[MrBenchley]

45. In other words, you got nothing

but this phony non-issue.

"Why give people an excuse to dislike him? "
Who but the lunatic fringe, dislikes him? But then who benefits from tearing a Democrat like Joe Lieberman down? Here's a hint...

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-ctschlesinger0414.artapr14,0,7722042.story?coll=hc-headlines-local

[Name removed]

51. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[CTLawGuy]

52. nice non-sequitur non-answer

if you want the Dem party to be a spineless centrist party then fine. But your kind is going the way of the Dodo.

[Ken Burch]

55. If no one but the lunatic fringe dislikes Joe,

Why was the best showing he could manage in 2004 his immortal
"five way tie for third"?

And you will admit he's wrong to continue to sing the praises of tie imperial Iraqi slaugter campaign, I assume?

[Name removed]

50. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MrBenchley]

33. You got that right

[Ken Burch]

49. Why you want a militarist to be reelected is a mystery to us all.

You do accept that the war is a dead loss and that we should get out now, don't you?
Or do you want Americans and Iraqis to continue to die for nothing?

[Hippo_Tron]

15. And will you be supporting Lamont if he wins?

Afterall, you are the one who claims that senate rules don't allow independents to count toward a party's membership.

[MrBenchley]

16. Probably...

Of course, the unknown millionaire isn't close to winning yet....

[Larkspur]

28. Yes, Lamont has already said that he will support the Dem nominee

should he lose the primary.

Lieberman isn't man enough to do the same.

[Ken Burch]

40. Can you guarantee, Mr. Party Loyalty, that if Lieberman were to lose to

Lamont and then run as an independent, that you would support Lamont?

(And of course Lieberman has a huge lead at this stage. But remember, LBJ was forty points ahead of Eugene McCarthy in New Hampshire a month before the primary...)

[Ken Burch]

48. There'd be no particular reason to celebrate if Lieberman did win.

It's never right for Democrats to want a conservative to beat a progressive.
And on the issues that really matter(and to most people, the war matters as much as anything else)Lieberman is taking a conservative position and a position the overwhelming majority of Connecticut voters reject.

[silverojo]

13. Good riddance to the traitor! n/t

[CTLawGuy]

22. self-delete

[CTLawGuy]

23. kick

NT

[LiberalFighter]

24. Why consider running as Independent unless he fears losing primary

[CTLawGuy]

25. Joe is KILLING himself

at this stage of the game, Joe needs to convince Town Party Leaders to send supportive delegates to the nominating convention. If Ned gets 15%, there will be a primary, if he gets over 50% I think that will cripple Joe. (hopefully such a result will cause Joe to retire and support Lamont, but it may cause him to run as an indy).

By threatening to run as an independent, joe is alienating potentially sympathetic town leaders. party loyalists are not too fond of people who threaten to leave the party if they don't get their way.

By not committing to support the Dem nominee, Joe is hurting himself badly and helping Lamont TREMENDOUSLY.

[goclark]

39. My thinking too

Sounds like he is trying to bully Democrats into kissing up to him so that they can get him again.

PLEASE don't let this Crook fool the voters there.

[cmkramer]

26. More nonsense

Even if Lieberman runs -- and wins -- as an Independent, he'd be voting with the Democrats. It would not change anything in terms of control of the Senate.

[AnarchoFreeThinker]

27. He's an equal steal from both party electorates--or perhaps

he'll even take more votes from the R column. Let him run.

[saltpoint]

46. Don't know the ins and outs of Connecticut politics that much but

from a distance, it is beginning to look as if Ned Lamont could actually knock Lieberman off.

That would be ok with me.

[Warren DeMontague]

53. Bye Bye, Joe. Don't let the door hit you on the ass on the way out.

I'll say one thing, it will be sort of refreshing when standing up for his Senate candicacy becomes a violation of DU rules.

[CTLawGuy]

54. haha Never thought of that

that WOULD be pretty funny, though I'm sure certain people who ostensibly dislike third parties would be upset that they couldn't push Lieberman.

[saltpoint]

56. It's a strange thing with Lieberman, isn't it. He does give us a few

votes we need, but then he abandons us and goes off and votes with Bush, too.

I'm hoping Lamont... well, you know the story.

Connecticut DUers, keep us posted!