Posted on 08/08/2006 7:40:12 AM PDT by Chi-townChief
Joe Lieberman has been in the Senate for 18 years. He's a leader of the Democratic Leadership Council, the money wing of the party. He became the party's vice presidential nominee, even as he championed the DLC's "triangulating" politics, pushing off of the Democratic Party base to demonstrate his "independence" by embracing key elements of the conservative agenda -- championing the war in Iraq, attacking affirmative action, pushing capital gains tax cuts that benefit only the very wealthy.
Now he's pushed off so long, he seems confused about whom or what he represents. He now says he's a good Democrat, but he's collecting petitions to run as a third party man if he loses the primary today. He now says he's a critic of the war, even though Bush gave him a famous kiss to thank him for his unstinting support. He now says dissent is good, when before he essentially challenged the patriotism of critics.
What happened to Lieberman? He pushed off his own voters for so long that he stopped representing their views. His untiring defense of President Bush finally outraged them. Belatedly, he found himself challenged by a real progressive -- Ned Lamont -- in his primary. When he fell behind in the polls, he experienced a deathbed conversion -- and trotted out the Democratic Senate club members to attest to his liberalism.
In Connecticut, Lamont is running against Lieberman on the Democratic Party platform. Lamont is against the war in Iraq and opposes an unending occupation. Lieberman supports more troops and a commitment without end. Lamont is for national health care; Lieberman even chided Hillary's efforts. Lamont is for providing pre-K for every child and investing in our schools; Lieberman ranks higher military budgets and the war of choice in Iraq as higher priorities. Lamont is for raising the minimum wage and trade accords that protect labor rights, not just capital rights. Lieberman's DLC scorned the minimum wage, and the senator has never met a corporate trade accord he didn't like.
Lieberman's response has been to run what can only be called a scurrilous campaign. He didn't choose to defend his position on Iraq; his campaign slurred Lamont as a wealthy dilettante, spread disreputable flyers about him in the black community. Lamont wanted a debate on the issues; the senator chose a mudbath.
After the 2004 election defeat, Al From, the head of the Democratic Leadership Council, hailed an article that called for Democrats to prove their strength on national security by embracing the war and "purging" the "Michael Moore, moveon.org" wing of the Democratic Party -- that is, those who opposed the war in Iraq. Even then it was a bizarre notion -- that the very folks who supported the worst foreign policy debacle in memory would purge the folks who rightfully opposed the folly.
But voters in Connecticut aren't trying to purge Lieberman. They like the man; they are just voting for someone who represents their views rather than abandons them to the prevailing winds. This isn't personal, Joe, it's principled. And if he loses, Lieberman won't be purged from the party. Instead, he apparently plans to leave it himself to set up his own party. The final push-off.
And that will then be the test of the Democratic leadership. They trooped in to tell Connecticut voters to swallow their principles and stay with an incumbent who doesn't represent them. If Lamont does win on Tuesday, they need to respect the will of those same voters -- and stump for Lamont publicly while privately telling Lieberman to accept his defeat honorably.
Pollsters tell Democrats that they suffer an "identity gap." People just don't know what they stand for anymore. Lamont's challenge to Lieberman has already begun to change that. Lieberman, at the very least, has gotten the message. And the DLC -- the Democrats for the Leisure Class -- are beginning to learn that working Americans are looking not for politicians who duck and cover, but for leaders who will stand and fight.
mailto:jjackson@rainbowpush.org
BTW, ya gotta love the irony of Jesse saying "... privately telling Lieberman to accept his defeat honorably."
If the 'bush is evil' progressive crowd takes over the D party, I don't see them surviving it as a major political party.
It remains amazing how losses are always a win for liberals in their twisted, self-designed reality. If Lieb loses, it will be a damning blow to the Libs, because it will show their horridly weak and cowardly stance on DEFENCE and the MILITARY...which is already well-established, but it will be a waving red flag, and an excellent opportunity for the conserative (notice the wishful thinking) candidate in 2008 to paint a very vivid picture.
Jesse thinks the Democraps don't need the "money wing" of their Party. Good luck to the race hustlers , special interest alternative lifestyle types and associated flotsam in their new streamlined organization. I'm sure that McGovernizing the Democrapola Party is the right way to go.
With Jessie Jackson, it's all about the Benjamins!
wrt the Iraq war, Lieberman is the true exemplar of a so-called "neocon"......other than that, he is just another liberal (albeit well-demeanored) thorn-in-America's-side. IMO, of course :)
It's about time he figured out that the Left has plenty of people who hate.
Isn't Lamont a recent demorat convert, perhaps making the switch just for this run?
In 2000, the overtly anti-Jewish wing of the Democratic party (of which Jesse Jackson, be it remembered, is a member of long standing) was keeping a very low profile. Now, they dominate the party.
I personally hope Lieberman loses.
He has no soul or principles. He sold those to Al Gore and Bill Clinton when he agreed to become Al Gore's running mate in '00.
Julia Malveaux, but I don't remember who she said it about.
"With Jessie Jackson, it's all about the Benjamins!"
Since the 527's came into play, Jesse's posse has lost billions. Jesse is trying to get back into the good graces of the Socialist wing of the party.
Problem for Jesse is they no longer need Jesse.
Yes. In 2000, many Jew haters were excited that Lieberman was going to attract enough Jewish votes in Florida to seal the victory for anti-semite Gore.
BINGO! Congrats, you win the last pair of Bill Clinton's skivies that Hillary donated in 80's to reduce her taxes!
The lovely and tolerant Julia MALveaux said it about Clarence Thomas.
HymieJoe Lieberman has been in the Senate for 18 years.
A loss for Lieberman is a humiliating defeat for moderate left Rats but also a loss for the radical left because most of America will not put a radical left element in power.
Oops....you knew.
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