Republican Joe
Last week I officially announced that Joe Lieberman had
fulfilled my 1994 prediction and become a Republican. My post was written
before, but posted after, a MyDD post to the same effect, the timing being a sad
result of my lack of access to the net while I was on
vacation.
Since that time it's become clearer that Joe is, in fact, a Republican stalking horse. Today, Arianna Huffington has a piece that makes the point well:
Republicans realize that Lamont represents a re-energized opposition, a reinvigorated Democratic Party fueled by progressive ideals, a willingness to stand up to the GOP smear machine, and a motivated netroots. This scares the hell out of Bush and company, which is why they are throwing their support behind Lieberman. They already know how to beat Lieberman Democrats. Indeed, they beat Lieberman Democrats in 2000, 2002, and 2004. Lamont Democrats are a whole different story. The jump in new Connecticut Democratic voter registration and record turnout in the primary are telltale signs for all to read.
That's why the stand Democratic presidential hopefuls take in Connecticut is so vital. The Lamont/Lieberman battle is no longer a Dem vs Dem race. The facts are clear: Lieberman's campaign is running on Republican resources, Republican consultants, Republican voter files, Republican swift boat groups.
So any Democrat who isn't standing strong for Lamont is, in effect, providing cover for the Radical Right -- Lieberman's vows to caucus with Democrats notwithstanding. Do you really think Rove and the NRSC aren't expecting some future quid for their quo? And how surprised would you be if, in exchange for some plumb committee chairmanship, Lieberman ends up caucusing with Republicans -- and sanctimoniously justifying it as for the good of bipartisanship and the good of the country?
I've made the point about the switch in exchange for a chairmanship myself. Some people I respect tell me that couldn't happen-for one thing, it would inevitably piss off some long time Republican who Lieberman would replace. Still, I think some sort of deal is almost inevitable if Joe wins. Joe is busy burning his bridges to the Democratic Party . It won't be hard for him to come up with a bogus reason for doing what's best for him. There will be another betrayal of some sort, unless the Democrats manage to take over the Senate, something that is unlikely.
In case you missed it, the AFL-CIO endorsed Lamont, for all the right reasons. Video here .
Arianna's point about Beltway Democrats is a good one too. The Congressional Democrats who get what is happening are the ones that will survive. Triangulation as a strategy is dead. The Times, they are a' changin.
Who would have thought, a mere two years ago, that the re-birth of the Democratic Party would start here in Connecticut?
Since that time it's become clearer that Joe is, in fact, a Republican stalking horse. Today, Arianna Huffington has a piece that makes the point well:
Republicans realize that Lamont represents a re-energized opposition, a reinvigorated Democratic Party fueled by progressive ideals, a willingness to stand up to the GOP smear machine, and a motivated netroots. This scares the hell out of Bush and company, which is why they are throwing their support behind Lieberman. They already know how to beat Lieberman Democrats. Indeed, they beat Lieberman Democrats in 2000, 2002, and 2004. Lamont Democrats are a whole different story. The jump in new Connecticut Democratic voter registration and record turnout in the primary are telltale signs for all to read.
That's why the stand Democratic presidential hopefuls take in Connecticut is so vital. The Lamont/Lieberman battle is no longer a Dem vs Dem race. The facts are clear: Lieberman's campaign is running on Republican resources, Republican consultants, Republican voter files, Republican swift boat groups.
So any Democrat who isn't standing strong for Lamont is, in effect, providing cover for the Radical Right -- Lieberman's vows to caucus with Democrats notwithstanding. Do you really think Rove and the NRSC aren't expecting some future quid for their quo? And how surprised would you be if, in exchange for some plumb committee chairmanship, Lieberman ends up caucusing with Republicans -- and sanctimoniously justifying it as for the good of bipartisanship and the good of the country?
I've made the point about the switch in exchange for a chairmanship myself. Some people I respect tell me that couldn't happen-for one thing, it would inevitably piss off some long time Republican who Lieberman would replace. Still, I think some sort of deal is almost inevitable if Joe wins. Joe is busy burning his bridges to the Democratic Party . It won't be hard for him to come up with a bogus reason for doing what's best for him. There will be another betrayal of some sort, unless the Democrats manage to take over the Senate, something that is unlikely.
In case you missed it, the AFL-CIO endorsed Lamont, for all the right reasons. Video here .
Arianna's point about Beltway Democrats is a good one too. The Congressional Democrats who get what is happening are the ones that will survive. Triangulation as a strategy is dead. The Times, they are a' changin.
Who would have thought, a mere two years ago, that the re-birth of the Democratic Party would start here in Connecticut?
Posted: Wednesday - August 23, 2006 at 09:37 PM
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Published On: Apr 17, 2007 07:18 PM
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Published On: Apr 17, 2007 07:18 PM