Posted on 08/09/2006 2:25:23 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
From Washington State to Missouri to Pennsylvania, Democratic candidates found themselves on the defensive Wednesday as the Republican Party worked ferociously at every level to try to use the primary defeat of Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut to portray the oppposition as the party of weakness and isolation on national security and liberal leanings on domestic policy. Doleful Democrats bemoaned the irony: At a time when Republicans should be back on their heels because of chaos abroad and President Bush's unpopularity, the Democrats' rejection of a sensible, moralistic centrist has handed the GOP a weapon that could have vast ramifications for both the midterm elections of '06 and the big dance of '08.
One of the nip-and-tuck Senate races this year is in Missouri, and backers of Sen. Jim Talent are preparing an attack on his opponent, State Auditor Claire McCaskill, that is emblematic of the sort that will be seen all over the country within 24 hours. "Does Claire McCaskill support the wishes of the angry left by endorsing Ned Lamont's candidacy or will she support the man who was chosen by Al Gore as the Democrat's 2000 nominee for Vice President?" Republicans ask in a statment that will force McCaskill to talk about messy party business instead of her favored issues of government accountablity and affordable health care.
House candidates planned a similar tack, and the National Republican Congressional Committee issued a memo this morning playing up the potential distraction of Lieberman's independent candidacy in a state where three GOP incumbents Reps. Rob Simmons, Chris Shays and Nancy Johnson are perennially endangered. The memo said Connecticut Democrats "will now continue to train their attention on vanquishing Senator Lieberman when their three House candidates need all the help the can get."
(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...
Gawd, this is going to be a fun three months, watching the Democrats burn up from the fires they started.
Let the DUmmies kill each other.
Yep. It's great to see their goldenboys taken down. Feels as good as when Thune trounced Daschle.
I still don't get it, who cares what this lib thinks... Hillary & Kerry give the same lip service
A lib is a lib even if you find one that has just a little earned Honor.
TT
"Those mean-spirited Republicans!"
The media will not be able to ignore Lieb and Ned. They'll have to broadcast the crack up of the Dem Party to everyone who watches their shows for the next three months.
Boy, does that make them mad. It will be interesting to see how they finesse it.
Now they get theirs.
This is a great article to illustrate the problems this gives the Demodogs. They have spent so much time in the past making sure to obfuscate how strongly they agree with the appeasement branch segment of their public in order to gain the support of the moderates in the public. The Lieberman debacle threatens to make it totally impossible for them to continue that strategy.
I don't care. But I gotta tell you, if the Dems toast each other, I will be happy to pay for the bonfire.
I think any good conservative should send Lieberman money just so that the two libs will keep right on fighting.
What more could we want? We are not going to get a conservative victory in CT . . . so let's help them damage themselves as much as possible.
Looks like Rove pulls off another one!
Bring it on home boys, balls to the wall, full speed ahead, and damn the Morepedoes! THIS IS JUST SO DELICIOUS!
CRY HAVOC AND LET LOOSE THE
Unlike almost everyone else in his (former?) party, Lieberman has his head screwed on straight regarding the WOT, but to call him a "centrist" is patently absurd.
It's just another example of how the writers and readers of Time magazine are certifiable dolts.
He's supported the President on the Iraq war and that is the defining issue of the day, but it hurts the conscience to have to support the likes of LIEberman.
It's much better than that. We save three GOP House seats in CT with Lieberman on the ballot as an independent.
This is not even close to the Ross Perot situation.
He disagreed with Republicans on many issues... the results of his campaign on either party disappeared even before the vote was counted.
This will define the mainstream Demodogs as either isolationist peaceniks or with real concerns and a realistic approach regarding the national security of the United States and the world. Ramifications of the forthcoming definition of that party will not disappear when the votes are counted in November 2006.
yeah, the Dems are in REAL trouble...
If Lieberman wins the general with increasing votes from independents and some Republicans, his voting record will improve on more issues.
Old rule: politicians dance with those who brung them.
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