Joementum?
The Hartford Courant is reporting that Joe Lieberman is working very hard to secure the Democratic nomination for Senator from Connecticut. Ned Lamont, backed by the Koz Kidz and (stealthily by proxy) Howard "Screamin'' Howie" Dean is making a play for the nomination. The story is very, very interesting.
In recent weeks, Lieberman has labored to calm and cajole restive Democrats, dialing hundreds of the 1,607 delegates who will convene in Hartford at the Connecticut Expo Center.
Delegates will endorse a candidate for senator Friday, then return Saturday to choose between New Haven Mayor John DeStefano Jr. and Stamford Mayor Dannel P. Malloy for governor.
"What I'm saying to them is I understand your anger," Lieberman said in an interview this week. "On a lot of this stuff I share your anger, but let's do something constructive about it. Let's elect a Democratic Senate and let's elect a Democratic House of Representatives so we can really put some checks and balances on George Bush."
In an abundance of zeal to unseat Lieberman, who is a very reliable party-line voter on almost every Democratic issue, the Lamont supporters are taking a major player out of the national campaign. Lieberman is an utterly reliable Democrat except on the issue of Iraq.
So the party will suffer for this. Lieberman could very well have made a difference to other candidate's campaigns. Now he'll be fighting to hold his seat from a challenge - driven mostly by people outside of Connecticut - instead of helping others.
Well, that's an interesting strategy. I'm sure the voters in Connecticut will be proud to have out-of-staters dictating their candidates.
Or as AllahPundit put it:
UPDATE: Chez Diva has a really good take on Lamont and Kos. Not that they would like it, but she's spot on. And her links freaking rock.
Other Links to this Post
-
Sister Toldjah — Friday, 19 May , 2006 @ 7:32 am
By Shawn, Thursday, 18 May , 2006 @ 10:37 pm
That is almost certainly Allah’s best Photoshop ever. It’s truly a work of art.
You said: “I’m sure the voters in Connecticut will be proud to have out-of-staters dictating their candidates.”
Don’t forget that so many Democrats (and Republicans) and their minions place the party above all else. I’m sure there are plenty of Connecticut Socialists, er, Democrats, who would gladly welcome interference if they thought it would secure a more liberal Congress.
By Gaius, Friday, 19 May , 2006 @ 5:08 am
I wish I could do a photoshop like that - he’s my hero.
And sadly, I think you’re right.
By Dan, Friday, 19 May , 2006 @ 6:28 am
Boy…Shawn’s “socialists, er, Democrats” line was really original. Whew…haven’t heard that one before./sarcasm
Lieberman isn’t actually a totally reliable Democrat except on the issue of Iraq (btw, I would say more Democrats say that now that we’re there we need to finish properly - how we got there is the problem). He was also in favor of social security privatization.
By Dan, Friday, 19 May , 2006 @ 6:31 am
I should clarify that I’d rather see Lieberman in the Senate that out of it. My point was really that he’s got more conservative tendencies than people think.
By Gaius, Friday, 19 May , 2006 @ 6:40 am
He’s got about an 89% rating, which is pretty solid. I’d wonder how much of the 11% unfavorable rating had to do with war related stuff, frankly.
He has got some conservative tendencies - big surprise. Most people don’t lockstep real well.