Campaign season is one time of year where you really have to be even more cautious than usual in believing things you read in the media. It is the time of year when sneak attacks get reported as straight news of course. Which is why I'm kind of surprised that Joe Gandelman jumped on this particular item.
The White House funneled millions of dollars through major Republican Party contributors to Sen. Joseph Lieberman’s primary campaign in a failed effort to ensure the support of the former Democrat for the Bush administration.
A senior GOP source said the money was part of Deputy White House Chief of Staff Karl Rove's strategy to maintain a Republican majority in the Senate in November. The source said Mr. Rove, together with Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman, directed leading pro-Bush contributors to donate millions of dollars to Mr. Lieberman's campaign for re-election in Connecticut in an attempt that he would be a "Republican-leaning" senator.
"Joe [Lieberman] took the money but said he would not play ball," the source said. "That doesn't mean that this was a wasted investment."
Joe's take on it:
It'll be noticed by some bloggers and by some in the media, but it probably won't get a ton of attention (we could be wrong about this). Lieberman's critics will seize on it, and run with it just as Lieberman's defenders will do the Political Macarena to justify it or go on the attack against those who use it to deflect what its significance.
(Blogs including this one have Tip Jars but we seldom know anything about who decides to donate: it's just a name and an amount coming to you via Paypal or Amazon. It's not the same with politicians and their contributions.)
What this all means means is that it's not just a mere assumption anymore: the White House wants Lieberman in there because he is considered on their team.
So GOPers can vote for Lieberman, figuring they're voting for a candidate that supports the administration. Anti-war and anti-Bush Democrats can in good conscience vote against Lieberman, now knowing that he has taken money from the White House which didn't give this to Lieberman's Tip Jar but specifically because they believe he will help them control the Senate.
I'm not buying the assertion from Insight for a couple of reasons. First, it is coming, supposedly, from a single anonymous "senior GOP" source. Second, Lieberman had a huge war chest going in to the primary already. Third, Lieberman is enough of a pro to know that this kind of thing would utterly sink him if proved to be true. Now, as a hit piece, it is very believable. What better way to smear a candidate? I've already seen it being touted rather fiercely by some of the left-leaning sites. I'm thinking this is a false allegation intended to hurt Lieberman. I am also guessing that this tidbit was shopped around to various other media outlets and only Insight ran with it. I'm not at all sure why Joe seems to have bought the entire package, here.
UPDATE: The Real Ugly American doesn't see this, either. Captain Ed points out the problem with the public campaign funding records that would show this activity if it had actually happened. He also notes that the Lamont campaign is keeping its campaign donors a pretty closely held secret. Hmmmm.
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Gaius..In addition to what you have already mentioned, is the fact that other than the war issue, Lieberman votes with the left side of the aisle well over 90% of the time. Why on earth would the Bush camp promote something like that. It would, IMHO, be too big of a price to pay for so little return.
To me, it reeks of a political hit.
Guy Said:
“other than the war issue, Lieberman votes with the left side of the aisle well over 90% of the time”
But on many critical issues (NOT just iraq) Joe undermines his own party for the benefit of republicans:
1. He’s WRONG on Plan B availability
2. Not standing up to Bush on social security (until it was too late too matter)
3. Working with Lynne Cheney to purge universities of “leftists”
4. Appearing on FOX news to inform people that criticism of the president should be held off until after the war (ie. NEVER)
5. Undermining Clinton by grandstanding with republicans during impeachment proceedings.
So Guy, please understand that the media’s analysis of lieberman’s troubles is completely lacking most of the reasons Dems don’t want Joe representing them, and that’s why he’s such a stealthy republican.
Why Would rove support him? Simple:
Joe is spinning their line on Iraq, and he’s in danger of losing his seat. Even republicans are starting to pull back from iraq as an issue (Chris Shays being a perfect example here). The war is Bush’s #1 spin-hungry endeavour. Rove can’t lose any pols that actively spin the Iraq situation for the white house.
Bull, the Republicans have a limited war chest and would simply not spend this money on Lieberman when they need it elsewhere to hold their own seats. This is a hit piece.
Why would a self-avowed conservative magazine do a “political hit piece” against Republicans? That makes no sense. That the GOP would want to keep Lieberman in the Senate, by contrast, makes perfect sense.
Well, obviously it hasn’t crossed your mind that the magazine may be angry about Bush refusing to back the troubled Republican candidate in the race.
“Millions” of dollars? That’s hundreds of maxed-out contributors whose names would have to be reported to the FEC (where they could be cross-checked against lists of heavy GOP hitters by any 12-year-old with a PC). We’ll know when the reports come in, I guess, but color me VERY skeptical.
Yeah – it makes no sense at all.
To say “it makes no sense at all” is a pretty ridiculous. While neither of us knows whether it is factual or not, it would make quite a bit of sense why they would support him. It’s much more than just another supporter of the war – it’s a democrat supporting the war. We all know that strengthens Bush’s argument considerably.
Note to Guy, You do realize Bill Clinton is quite loyal to Joe Lieberman for the way Lieberman defended Clinton? As loyal as Clinton is to anyone other than himself that is.
Don’t believe me do some research on not on Daily Kos. Joe hammered him verbally on the Senate floor but backed him every other way.
Why do you think Bill Clinton came and campaigned for Joe Lieberman in the primary?
He doesn’t just drop in on any primary race.
Please explain why Rove contacted Lieberman’s campaign after he was defeated in the primary.
It all makes sense to me.