Posted on 10/17/2006 8:53:55 AM PDT by Alter Kaker
STAMFORD -- U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman went into yesterday's first debate anticipating attacks from his primary opponent, Democrat Ned Lamont.
He was stunned, however, when some of the harshest criticism came from Alan Schlesinger -- the Republican candidate who has been overshadowed in the race and trailing far behind in polls.
"I thought the attacks were only going to come from this side," Lieberman said at one point, referring to Lamont.
The three U.S. Senate candidates appeared on the same stage for the first time yesterday in an hourlong lunchtime debate at the Stamford Marriott Hotel and Spa, hosted by the Business Council of Fairfield County.
Lieberman, continuing his battle for a fourth term as a petition candidate, railed against Washington's "partisanship and bitterness." He said Lamont would make it worse and urged audience members to grab pencils and keep score of how often the Democrat "attacks" him in the debate.
(Excerpt) Read more at stamfordadvocate.com ...
PING!
Schlesinger was hilarious. He was on target, witty and fun to watch. And yes, Lieberman and Lamont looked pathetic next to them.
But this isn't a Republican year or a Republican state so unfortunately if Republicans ditch Lierberman to vote for Schlesinger we're going to end up with George Soros' puppet in the Senate. Notice how Lamont was encouraging Schlesinger at the end.
I know everyone is talking about it, but he's not going to gather enough support to win this thing especially in a 3 way race. The uncomfortable truth remains that Republicans need to vote for Lieberman to keep this seat from becoming a megaphone for Moveon.org. In a saner time and a saner state Schlesinger would be a shoe-in. No, just being colorful is not going to be enough for him to win in a deep blue state like this.
The Northeast is so liberal and the nation so brainwashed by the media against Republicans that it's just not realistic to believe one debate performance that most people in CT. did not see is going to put Schlesinger over the top. We have to be pragmatic here and put your vote where it will make a difference in keeping a loud-mouthed empty suit extremist like Lamont out of the Senate.
A shot across the bow, as far as this "caucusing" with Democrats, maybe?
Today I'm taking a stroll down to the Darien Republican HQ and asking them why they don't have any Schlesinger signs out front.
The other thing that they're talking about is that Schlesinger was perhaps a bit too loud and boisterous. I don't know whether it's his personality or whether he felt that he had to act that way in order to be noticed...
And by the way, I hope when this election is over someone gives Schlesinger a radio talk show or even a TV spot. He would be very entertaining and enlightening. He definitely tells it like it is. I wish he'd relocate to a red state where he can win a Senate seat. But he just won't in a place like CT. so Lieberman is the only alternative to preventing this Senate seat from turning into a Moveon.org fortress. Remember, if loud mouth Lamont wins, and he will if Republicans fantasize that Schlesinger can win it based on one colorful debate performance and then ditch Lieberman, Lamont will be in the Senate with his demagoguery, bombast and anti-Americanism for life. We don't need another Ted Kennedy, Barbara Boxer or Patrick Leahy-type extremist in the US Senate.
CT. Republicans really need to consider that not voting for Lieberman will mean Lamont wins...which will be a victory for the national Democratic party which is staking so much on Lieberman losing.
See, I disagree. There are enough Republicans in Connecticut for Schlesinger to win in a three way, even if every single Democrat and Unaffiliate goes to Loserman or Red Lamont (unlikely). I think after yesterday's debate, people are now taking Schlesinger seriously. After six months of Lieberman and Lamont destroying each other, voters seem genuinely fed up with them both and they'll vote for any alternative that seems viable. Remember, we only need a third of the vote to win.
I see no reason to believe Lieberman will ditch his position on Iraq after the election. If he were going to do that, he'd have done it long ago to head off Lamont. I may not like what Lieberman stands for on much, but I think he's a little more principled than to ditch an important and key position like that when he clearly understands what's at stake.
Sclesinger sounds like a crazed lunatic.
He'll be having a "bimbo eruption" very soon.
There is just no pleasing some people. He's too loud and boisterous, or he's too shy and retiring. It's always funny when "they" criticize a candidate for being loud or shrill or rude, and ignore the things which make for competent representation. Bill Clinton was the perfect candidate, always able to connect with his audience, never loud or boisterous, nor shy and retiring, never rude, always so smooth, but damn, when he needed to get bin Ladin to keep Americans from dieing, he was always able not to arouse negative emotions.
Two words: Jesse Ventura
Whoa! Is there a genuine possibility that the rat vote could get split and the Republican can back into the Senate??
Even if people in CT. don't like the tone of the campaign, they're not going to give Bush and the GOP a boost by voting for GOP for the Senate. You give the Dems. WAY too much credit for integrity and voting on substance and on the person if you believe many will cross over to vote for Schlesinger. Democrats, esp. in the Northeast, are so partisan and so hateful of the president I honestly believe they'd vote for a Nazi over a Republican just to send a message to Bush. No way will enough cross over, or even more than a few, to vote for Schlesinger, not in this year's highly charged partisan atmosphere when Democrats are determined to beat the GOP and win Senate control. The votes Schlesinger gets from his debate performance will almost all come at Lieberman's expense and Lamont showed he knew that at the end of the debate last night when he was giving Schlesinger his atta boys. I guarantee you the Lamont campaign is elated today and walking on air over Schlesinger stealing the show yesterday. It did little to hurt them and will drain off Lieberman's Republican support.
I really don't see it. Democrats will stick with Lamont, drain off enough Republican votes from Lieberman with enough staying with him that the split will come between Lieberman and Schlesinger, not Lieberman and Lamont. Lamont will lose no support from Schlesinger's performance. Lieberman will possibly lose just enough for Lamont to pull ahead if Republicans indulge this fantasy that in a non-Republican year and a non-Republican state that Schlesinger can win it. Let's face it, few voters even saw the debate. It was on in the middle of the day. It won't be enough for Schlesinger to win and could be enough for Lieberman to lose and Lamont to win if Republicans don't keep their wits about them.
"Two words: Jesse Ventura"
Jesse Ventura was an independent, not a Republican running in a deeply blue state during an anti-Republican year. Different time, different state, different issues, different partisan dynamics.
Here in CT? Absolutely not. What is more likely to happen is that the Republican candidate Schlesinger will siphon votes from Lieberman, and we will end up with Senator Moonbat Lamont... :-(
If Schlesinger doubles his numbers Joe still wins so I don't believe he will cause a problem but you are right and the GOP needs to vote Joe.
Connecticut ping!
Please Freepmail me if you want on or off my infrequent Connecticut ping list.
Don't believe everything you read, this is just the LSM trying to convince Republicans that Schlesinger has a chance and we should vote for him.
That's the only way thier canidate can win.
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