Monday, October 16, 2006

Sigh...

Via C&L (and TPMcafe), we find this quote...pure Joementum...

Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, a lifelong Democrat and student of politics, blanked when asked if America would be better off with his party regaining control of the U.S. House of Representatives.

A Democratic victory would immeasurably boost the influence of two Connecticut friends, U.S. Reps. Rosa L. DeLauro and John B. Larson, and provide a counterbalance to the Republican Senate and White House.

"Uh, I haven't thought about that enough to give an answer," Lieberman said, as though Democrats' strong prospects for recapturing the House hadn't been the fall's top political story.

He was similarly elusive about the race for governor. Is he voting for John DeStefano Jr., a Democrat and mayor of the city where Lieberman has lived since the 1960s?

"I'm, uh, I'm having," he stammered, then laughed and said his decision would remain private.

These are not hard questions.

...

Democrats now are the smallest segment of his support. A recent poll shows his support comes from 67 percent of Republicans, 45 percent of unaffiliated voters and 35 percent of Democrats.

Lieberman relies on talking points more often sounded by the Bush White House than Democratic congressional candidates, invoking patriotism and America's need to be vigilant in a dangerous world.

...

The Bush White House and Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell have abandoned the GOP's nominee, Alan Schlesinger, tilting the playing field toward Lieberman and away from Lamont, who trailed the incumbent 48-40 percent in last week's Courant/University of Connecticut poll.

Without the political knee-capping of Schlesinger by the Republican establishment, Lieberman probably would be trailing, since he relies so heavily on GOP voters. Pollsters say that every vote Schlesinger picks up will come from Lieberman's column. But last week Schlesingers' support stood at 4 percent of likely voters.

Lieberman's boost from Republicans fuels speculation that he might ultimately join the GOP, especially if Democrats reconsidered allowing him to retain his seniority.

"I will not be confronted with that choice," Lieberman said. "I will organize with the Democrats. And I am 100 percent sure, not just as a matter of hope, of speculation, but as a matter of explicit conversations I've had that the Democratic caucus will give me my seniority."

...

Lieberman minimized the validity of his primary loss, saying only 15 percent of all voters participated. But the turnout among those eligible to vote, Democrats, was 43 percent, a record for a Connecticut primary.

"The people of my party spoke in this state," Dodd said Friday after taping a commercial with Lamont on the steps of West Hartford Town Hall. "They spoke rather clearly in this matter."

Dodd, who has not spoken to Lieberman since August, said too many politicians fall into the trap of thinking elections are about them, not constituents who are worried about sending their kids to college - or seeing them home safely from Iraq.

"It's not about the candidates, it's about the people," Dodd said. "And when you forget that, you've lost sight of why we do this."

Lieberman and Dodd each say their friendship will survive, though Lieberman vaguely acknowledges that not everyone will forgive and forget.

"Time will tell," Lieberman said. "You know, besides being a senator, I am a man. I am human. And this has been a year that has had some very significant disappointments and some extraordinary moments of support and inspiration and encouragement."
For a man, Joementum, you sure are a crybaby.

If this article doesn’t make you suddenly want to donate your life’s savings to the Ned Lamont campaign, I don’t really know what will. Any self-proclaimed Democrat/liberal who votes for Joe Lieberman next month really needs to start reassessing life...as do the Senate Democrats who will once again embrace him and treat him as if he’s not stabbing in the back with every word that comes out of his mouth.