Does Lieberman Help McCain?

Captain's Quarters ^ | Dec. 17, 2007 | Ed Morrissey

[jdm]

John McCain picked up another endorsement today -- this time from his old friend, Joe Lieberman. The Senator now designated as "independent-Democrat" on roll calls gave his support to his colleague and friend during a joint appearance at a VFW hall in New Hampshire this morning. The unusual act of having a former VP nominee from the opposition party endorsing his run for the Presidency will get McCain some headlines, but will it help Republicans feel more comfortable with McCain?

"I know that it is unusual for someone who is not a Republican to endorse a Republican candidate for President. And if this were an ordinary time and an ordinary election, I probably would not be here today. But this is no ordinary time," Lieberman said in prepared remarks released by the McCain campaign. "When others were silent, and it was thought politically unpopular, John had the courage and common sense to sound the alarm about the mistakes we were making in Iraq and to call for more troops and a new strategy there. And when others wavered, when others wanted to retreat from the field of battle, John had the courage and the common sense to stand against the tide of public opinion and support the surge in Iraq, where we are at last winning."

Lieberman certainly has the respect of Republicans who see national security and the war on terror as the primary issues in this election. The Connecticut maverick has risked his entire political future on the war, a gamble that has paid off not just for him but for the nation as well. His firmness has allowed the Bush administration to make the strategic changes both Lieberman and McCain had demanded for at least two years before implementing the surge, and that has turned fortunes around for everyone in Iraq.

However, the endorsement also emphasizes a few other issues with McCain that has kept him from winning the confidence of GOP primary voters. McCain takes a lot of criticism for his efforts to compromise on key issues in order to get legislation passed. His work with Ted Kennedy on immigration pushes conservative buttons on several levels, and the BCRA with Russ Feingold has free-speech advocates still seeing red. McCain may have a better argument with the Gang of 14, but he also probably realizes that his pragmatism undermined the prerogative of Presidents to select the judicial nominees that best represent their views.

In that sense, having Democrats cross the aisle to endorse McCain may not provide much of a boost among the voters McCain has to reach in the primaries, not even with a respected Democrat like Lieberman. Lieberman has risked much for the war, but otherwise he has little time for conservative policy, especially on domestic programs. He has voted solidly within the center of the Democratic caucus session after session on everything but the war.

McCain wants to win New Hampshire, and this could help there. Outside of Lieberman's back yard, it's not likely to help much, and could remind Republicans of trust issues over the years with McCain.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

McCain may have had a chance at the nomination if he hadn’t been obsessed with amnesty for illegals and torture.

[Old Retired Army Guy]

He’s supporting Mc Cain because they share a common value about the war. Also, all of the Dem. candidates bailed on him when he lost the Dem. primary and ran as an Independent. Notable was the other State Senator from Conn., Chris Dodd.

[azsportsterman]

Moderates LOVE McCain. The Dems are looking for someone closer to the center, and a McCain Lieberman ticket would make them giddy with relief; they wouldn’t have to vote for Hillary or Obama.

McCain has no chance of winning the Republican nomination; but he polls very well in the center.

He could capture enough moderate dem, moderate republicans, and a lot of the independent vote that doesn’t like either party’s candidates to really shake things up.

I smell an independent run.

[Just mythoughts]

I keep hearing and reading how much these two are in support of stopping terrorism. However, neither of them have yet told the liberal mooolahs to sit down and shut up. McCain IMHO, cause as much harm when he threw his two year old temper tantrum when he DEMANDED legislation over torture. HOW dare he make such subliminal accusation of our military.

[DManA]

No, he’s pure liberal.

[PsyOp]

RINO meets DINO?

[DManA]

That would cap a career of betraying his party.

I smell an independent run.

[Don Corleone]

Not for me!

[org.whodat]

NO!

[mosquitobite]

You forgot potentially Dr Paul running as a Libertarian. A possible 4 way race! What chaos!

[PLD]

The Dem's are all so ignorant they don’t know who they are for..As for Lieberman I think he is part of the old democrat party he just got mixed up with the criminals like Clinton's and the Gores and lost his pride..I do not like it that he would back the wimp cry baby McCain..

[Godwin1]

No. The endorsement only reminds good Republicans what a treacherous, back-stabbing snake McCain has been during the last eight years. And it won’t get him ANY Democrat votes—well, MAYBE a few Jewish democrats who understand that an American strategic defeat in Iraq is the beginning of the end for Israel. But most American Jews don’t really care about Israel any more. The generation that did is going fast.