A brief summary of the inside baseball that is Democratic politics in Connecticut. Holy Joe Lieberman is being challenged by Ned Lamont. Democrats are unhappy with Holy Joe because he's seen too often sucking up to the Bush administration. Lamont won an intra-party vote this week that allows him to challenge Lieberman in the primary. Think of it as a pre-primary, primary. I know.
Here's Krugman on the why Democrats are getting fed up with Holy Joe:
Mr. Lieberman isn't the only nationally known Democrat who still supports the Iraq war. But he isn't just an unrepentant hawk, he has joined the Bush administration by insisting on an upbeat picture of the situation in Iraq that is increasingly delusional.
Moreover, Mr. Lieberman has supported the attempt to label questions about why we invaded Iraq and criticism of the administration's policies since the invasion as unpatriotic. How else is one to interpret his warning, late last year, that "it is time for Democrats who distrust President Bush to acknowledge that he will be Commander-in-Chief for three more critical years, and that in matters of war we undermine Presidential credibility at our nation's peril"?
No kidding. Add those quotes in along with two of my favorites. #1) "Howard Dean is in spider hole of denial. [re: the necessity of the Iraq war]" A spider hole being, of course, the name given to the hiding place where Saddam Hussein was found. Get it, Dean is just like Saddam. But nothing tops #2, Lieberman's non-apology apology for Abu Gharib, in which he petulantly reminded his listeners that no one had apologized to the United States for 9-11. In Joe's mind, if something bad happens to your side, that mitigates the wrongs you commit to an uninvolved third-party.
Finally, there's the issue of Joe Lieberman being the right-wing punditocracy's favorite politician. Sean Hannity, Rich Lowrdy, Rush Limbaugh - they all love the guy, and love referencing Holy Joe as "one of the last reasonable Democrats" or some such bullshit. There's something sickening about the love these guys show Lieberman that goes beyond the usual filth. Above everything else, these guys admire the way Lieberman defends right-wing ideas over issues and events he knows to be repugnant. Abu Gharib? Sure it's bad. But it was perpetrated by America, and America is good. Therefore, America is still right, Abu Gharib was not a big deal because...well because America is always good, so there!
Lieberman has been an ally of convenience, but more and more, he acts like a piece of shit. I can live with him if he wins, but I'll be rooting for Lamont.
http://select.nytimes.com/2006/05/22/opinion/22krugman.html?hp (Behind a paywall, remember)
Posted by mike at May 21, 2006 11:24 PMThe Next Time You Hear Greenwich Multi-Millionaire Ned Lamont Attack Democratic Senator Joe Lieberman, Ask Ned 3 Questions...
Ask Ned Lamont Why...
...He voted With Greenwich Republicans 80% Of The Time
Back when Ned Lamont was a Greenwich Selectman, Lamont actually resigned from the Greenwich Democratic Town Committee and ran on a candidate slate with 5 Republicans. According to the Greenwich Time newspaper, Lamont said he agreed with the Republicans 80% of the time.
(source: Greenwich Time, 8/5/93, 9/10/93, 8/30/89)
...He & The Greenwich Republicans Voted To Cut Funding For Schools And Worker Health Benefits.
As a Selectman, Lamont joined with the Republicans to recommend a $150,000 cut of school funds. He also cast the deciding vote to cut $75,995 from the health department budget and voted to force union workers to pay more for their benefits. And he even supported a $28,000 cut in the town's Social Services Department.
(source: Greenwich Time, 3/28/90, 3/17/93)
...He Hired The Former Republican Party Chairman To Run His Senate Campaign.
In his quest to take the Democratic nomination away from Senator Lieberman, Ned Lamont didn't turn to other Democratic leaders. He hired the former chairman of the Connecticut Republican Party.
(Source: Paul Bass column, Hartford Courant, 3/26/06; Federal Election Commission Report 4/15/06)
Ned Lamont's Got Over $100 Million in Personal Wealth He Can Use To Win The Election...
Don't Let The Ads His Money Buys Fool You.
Hey! Political blog spam! Sweet!
Posted by: Mike on July 8, 2006 03:46 PM