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In Conn., Lieberman Defends Seat, War Stance
The Washington Post ^ | Friday, July 7, 2006 | Shailagh Murray

Posted on 07/07/2006 3:37:29 AM PDT by MinorityRepublican

HARTFORD, Conn., July 6 -- Shunned by many in his own party because of his vigorous support for the war in Iraq, Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman clashed in a debate Thursday with a well-financed challenger who has roiled Connecticut politics and turned the Democratic primary into a national test of the antiwar movement.

In a hard-hitting 30-minute exchange about the war, Lieberman sought to portray his opponent, Ned Lamont, as a fringe candidate with little grasp of the military and geopolitical stakes in Iraq. Lamont assailed the incumbent for ignoring reports of rising violence and instability, and for cheering on President Bush "when he should have been asking the tough questions."

Lieberman defended the conflict as "a lot better, different" than a year ago. "They're on the way to building a free and independent Iraq," he asserted. "The question is, are we going to abandon them while they are making that progress?"

Lieberman headed into the night with vastly diminished party support after a nearly four-decade political career that included a turn as his party's 2000 vice presidential nominee. Earlier this week, he signaled that he will run as an independent this fall if he loses the Aug. 8 primary -- a possibility, according to recent polls. Lieberman's agreeing to debate Lamont on television was interpreted by some political analysts here as evidence that he is worried about the primary.

Connecticut, with its large pool of Democrats and independents, has become a focal point for the opposition to the war in Iraq. Just as Republicans are feeling heat throughout the country for supporting an increasingly unpopular war, Lieberman and moderate Republicans from the Northeast are finding that backing the president's Iraq policy can cost them substantial support within their traditional base.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Connecticut
KEYWORDS: conn; connecticut; ct; democrats; election2006; electioncongress; iraq; lieberman; oif; rats; war; wot

1 posted on 07/07/2006 3:37:33 AM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

Sen. Joseph Lieberman, with wife Hadassah, intends to file as an independent for the November ballot if he loses the primary

2 posted on 07/07/2006 3:38:19 AM PDT by MinorityRepublican (everyone that doesn't like what America and President Bush has done for Iraq can all go to HELL)
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To: MinorityRepublican
The liberal ya know is alot better than the Kook-Leftist Wacko DUer ya don't!

I really hope Lieberman cleans this guys clock!

3 posted on 07/07/2006 3:43:55 AM PDT by sirchtruth (No one has the RIGHT not to be offended...)
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To: sirchtruth

This guy Lieberman is probably at least as conservative than any RINO that Connecticut can muster. Its the guy who is running against him in the primaries we need to run, do not walk, from.


4 posted on 07/07/2006 3:49:20 AM PDT by Vaquero ("An armed society is a polite society" Robert A. Heinlein(the moon is a harsh mistress))
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To: MinorityRepublican

If Liebermann loses the primary and runs as an independent will the GOP candidate have a real shot?


5 posted on 07/07/2006 3:51:55 AM PDT by mainepatsfan
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To: Vaquero
Its the guy who is running against him in the primaries we need to run, do not walk, from.

I realize this, and your quite right. However, if Lieberman wins once against it show the Kook, anti-war left how completely out of touch they are, and how they just need to STFU!

ie: Cindy Sheehan, Michael Moore, John Kerry, Ted Kennedy, DUers, ect...

6 posted on 07/07/2006 3:56:10 AM PDT by sirchtruth (No one has the RIGHT not to be offended...)
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To: MinorityRepublican

The Wapo and their great exagerrations/ The contest has roiled Connecticut and turned the contest into a test of Connecticuts feelings of the anti-war movement, it has nothing to do with National politics as Connecticut is a bastion of stinking leftist liberals unlike the rest of the nation.

Dont get me wrong we have enough liberal trash around the rest of the nation who want to give this country to Hispanics and make us defenseless against their Muslim friends, but nothing like Connecticut.


7 posted on 07/07/2006 4:02:43 AM PDT by sgtbono2002 (The fourth estate is a fifth column.)
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To: sirchtruth

Where is the Democrat party going? They are sounding more and more like the pre-Blair Labourites. Losers all.


8 posted on 07/07/2006 4:11:49 AM PDT by kjo
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To: mainepatsfan
"If Liebermann loses the primary and runs as an independent will the GOP candidate have a real shot?"

Anywhere else but in the Northeast. The insane Democrats will vote for the Democrat, the sane Democrats and the RINOs will vote for Liebermann, and the conservatives will vote for the Republican. Lieberman "should" win. All IMO, of course.

(I am enjoing the schadenfreude of a Democrat party in disarray. Whatever the outcome, I don't think it will make any difference. Can anyone think of any example where Liebermann has provided the pivotal vote for a Bush program in the Senate recently? I can't.)

9 posted on 07/07/2006 4:59:53 AM PDT by Sooth2222
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To: MinorityRepublican

Lieberman is apparently not smart enough to figure out what former Senator Zell Miller discovered: that Democrats are "A National Party No More."

But we don't need Lieberman in the Republican party. We have too many RINOS now.


10 posted on 07/07/2006 5:04:40 AM PDT by R.W.Ratikal
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