Nice post, TRex!

Kobe!

Fitz! America!

I have it directly from Joe L.’s Yale roommate that he was always a bit of a putz, coming in after it was all over to take credit for other’s work. He’s a sad, but typically American case. Upward social mobility, and it’s all about me.

Sorry Joe, it’s not about you. It’s about us.

Just wanted to take this moment to say thanks, TRex, for these late nite posts! Too tired after picnic and fireworks to read what all the firepups and lambs and cats and bunnies say tonight, but I’ll catch up in the morning before I head for work.

I went to a barbecue with state Dems also running for office this Nov, and there aren’t enough languages to say SERIOUSLY PISSED in to describe their lack o’ support for Lieberman. They’re all worried he will destroy their chances in the fall. Lots of drama — lifelong Dems launching salvos at each other over potato salad — Lieberman has started a civil war in the state Democratic party, and the winner could very well be the GOP. It’s his right to do so I suppose, but my dogs deserve the backing of the DSCC more than Lieberman does. His actions could seriously jeopardize 3 Congressional seats, and with it Democratic control of the House. I’ll have more on the whole thing tomorrow but they should throw him overboard NOW for his unwillingness to support the party.

TRex you totally rock!

You so often manage to say much of what I feel. Thanks.

Ned!

Good insight by a reader at Talking Poins Memo about Lieberman’s craven move. Joe is taking the most wishy-washy path possible, trying desperately to hang on to power without standing for anything other than incumbency.

It’ll be very interesting to see how the polls shift in Connecticut. And I’m guessing the debate on Thursday is going to go very, very badly for Lieberman.

Jane, That is seriously disturbing! I am wide awake again. Is the DSCC BLIND and stupid?

Oh and the poodles made the evening news parade shots:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnIYDbszcX8

Very very nice.

Mr Doctor HAPT just got home from the hospital, someone was trying to die. I turn on the ‘puter and it says, “North Korea Fires Test Missiles”. WTF? Do we know anything yet?

Jane,
It sounds like a sad state of affairs. Whadda jerk.

Come to Joe-sus. Keerap TRex.

“But it’s all about me! It’s my seat! Boo hoo!”

-Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-WH)

Jane, that seriously sucks. Leaverman’s parting shot could very well be a civil war within the Dem Party, which could benefit Bushco Republicans. The more time that goes by without all Dem’s taking a position like HRClinton, the more the repubs can and will use it to their advantage. Looking forward to what you have to say on it tomorrow.

“I am so committed to the voters of my state that I am totally prepared to completely ignore their wishes.” Gee, Joe, that’s really big of you.

I had a friend in high school whose girlfriend broke up with him. He more or less failed to acknowledge this breakup. The resultant behavior was uncomfortable, sad, and a little creepy. Lieberman reminds me of that, whch is disturbing, since he is A GROWN MAN and a goddamned UNITED STATES SENATOR! For the love of all that’s good and holy, Joe, stop acting like a creepy teenager. Just jump over to the Republicans, already. Call Sen. Shelby. He can talk you through it.

Is there anything that could dissuade Joe from his present course? I.e., incredibly bad polling numbers (or getting, say, 25% of the vote in the primary), or Shrumer taking him aside and telling him that the full weight of the DSCC will be dedicated to crushing him if he runs as an independent?

Gnite firepups. Thanks again for letting me post over here Jane & Christy. Scratch Joes eyes out TRex.

Jane, with three House seats in the balance, wouldn’t it be a riot if Emanuel tried to pressure Schumer into cutting Joe loose?

Jane, that seriously sucks. Leaverman’s parting shot could very well be a civil war within the Dem Party, which could benefit Bushco Republicans.

Well, that *is* whose side he’s on, is it not? Other than his own, of course.

Come to Joe-sus. Keerap TRex.

I’m so glad you like that one. I made it myself.

If you’d like to go and make a comment on the DSCC blog about the Leaverman situation, you can do it here:

http://www.fromtheroots.org/

Watching Lieberman work the crowd during the parade is disgusting. He acts like Jay Leno does, getting a visible ego stroke and apparent messianic high from the crowds’ recognition of him. Contrast that with how Ned Lamont behaved, where he seemed just happy to be involved and connect with people.

Watching Lieberman work the crowd during the parade is disgusting. He acts like Jay Leno does, getting a visible ego stroke and apparent messianic high from the crowds’ recognition of him. Contrast that with how Ned Lamont behaved, where he seemed just happy to be involved and connect with people.

Lieberman is in love with being a senator, and in love with being best buddies with the warmongers on the Republicans side. He must be a very insecure man.

neurophius 20 — now that WOULLD be funny. Don’t see it happening, though. The plans are to reward Rahm with Nancy Pelosi’s job if he loses, so no downside to the incumbency protection racket for him.

Eli 21 -

Well, you do have to wonder, don’tcha? Maybe he is a plant, maybe Rover got to him somehow and turned him. Do we put it past that malignant brain? I mean, it’s starting to sound like it could lead to ugly things, sowing confusion and disarray etc. in the enemy’s camp and all, that’s a nice trick to play on your opponent…

So why does he think he’ll have a place on the ballot in the general election if he loses in the primary? That’s just so wrong, it hurts. (I’m assuming he will have a hard time getting on by petition, although it sounds like a lot of GOoPers will sign up, figuring to have the best of both parties: officially blue but actually red.

the comment at 5 is both alarming and a harbinger. we need to force the hand of each and every dem on every issue from iraq to holy joe.

o/t apology: Rummy and NK nukes. Some potent fodder. Recall this from 2003?

“Donald Rumsfeld, the US secretary of defence, was on the board of technology giant ABB when it won a deal to supply North Korea with two nuclear power plants.

Weapons experts say waste material from the two reactors could be used for so-called ‘dirty bombs’.

The Swiss-based ABB on Friday told swissinfo that Rumsfeld was involved with the company in early 2000, when it netted a $200 million contract with Pyongyang…

Rumsfeld – who is one of the Bush administration’s most strident ‘hardliners’ on North Korea – was a member of ABB’s board between 1990 and February 2001, when he left to take up his current post.”

swissinfo news sevice, February 24, 2003

Well, you do have to wonder, don’tcha? Maybe he is a plant, maybe Rover got to him somehow and turned him. Do we put it past that malignant brain? I mean, it’s starting to sound like it could lead to ugly things, sowing confusion and disarray etc. in the enemy’s camp and all, that’s a nice trick to play on your opponent…

Joe is a Republican, period. He calls himself a Democrat so he can get elected in a blue state, but that doesn’t work so well when he has to run against an actual Democrat.

Jane #5

This is very disturbing. I look forward to your post on this.

Here is an aspect of the Joebortion that I have not heard discussed:

Joe says he is not leaving the party–he is still a Democrat. But if he loses the primary, in order to run a successful campaign in the general election as an independent he is going to have to, for all practical purposes, invent a third party in Connecticut, the Lieberman organization. Although he may be able to siphon off some support from Democratic party regulars, he cannot count on the full and wholehearted support of the state or county organizations (or of the labor unions for that matter).

He is going to have to create an organization that does the things the party normally does for a candidate for U.S. Senate. He can claim to be an “independent Democrat” or a “petitioning Democrat” but he won’t have the word “Democrat” next to his name on the ballot.

I would bet a lot of the Democratic phone banks, voter registration and GOTV operations will not carry his water, but will instead concentrate on trying to elect the rest of the Democratic ticket–including Ned Lamont–that Joenertia will be putting in jeopardy. He will be the leader of the Lieberpublican party, working at cross purposes with the Democratic Party. A turncoat, pure and simple.

What is the format of the debate? Is there a panel or moderator who ask questions? Do people in the audience get to ask questions?
‘Cause I got some questions fer the senator…

He is going to have to create an organization that does the things the party normally does for a candidate for U.S. Senate. He can claim to be an “independent Democrat” or a “petitioning Democrat” but he won’t have the word “Democrat” next to his name on the ballot.

Is this the sort of thing the DSCC could provide if they (gag) decide to back him? In other words, could a national Democratic organization pick up the slack (and actively work *against*) a state one? Jeez, what a criminal waste of resources that would be. I think it might actually constitute the official declaration of war by the party establishment against the roots – those same roots that they claim to care so much about on their blog.

I have to follow my OWN constitution!!

Sen. Lieberman

Well, apparently Joe feels that Connecticut is his bitch and he can do what he wants with her. I only hope someone steps in if he utters the phrase: ‘if I can’t have her no one can!!’ Thinking he can hang around and be a Senator, even if his state wants someone else makes me think that there is enough mental instability to keep an eye on him.

Eli:

I don’t believe the DSCC has the boots on the ground to create a campaign organization for Leaverman. Their game is to give him money and tell him which consultants he has to hire. His campaign will have to build its own ground operation. At least that’s my understanding.

…that government of the Lieberman, for the Lieberman, and by the Lieberman, shall not perish from the Earth.

I don’t believe the DSCC has the boots on the ground to create a campaign organization for Leaverman. Their game is to give him money and tell him which consultants he has to hire. His campaign will have to build its own ground operation. At least that’s my understanding.

Ooo, maybe they could tell him to hire Shrum.

Whoa, Jane, what was that about giving Rahm Pelosi’s job if he loses? Who “he”? If Emanuel loses, he won’t be a Congressman, so for which job would he be eligible? Or do you mean the plans are to replace Pelosi with Emanuel if the position continues to be Minority Leader? Or or or…huh???

“a visible ego stroke and apparent messianic high from the crowds’ recognition of him”

That’s what it’s all about…maybe if Olbermann started fawning over him the way Hannity does, he’d come back to our side? But who wants to see Keith sell out that way? not me

Whoa, Jane, what was that about giving Rahm Pelosi’s job if he loses? Who “he”? If Emanuel loses, he won’t be a Congressman, so for which job would he be eligible? Or do you mean the plans are to replace Pelosi with Emanuel if the position continues to be Minority Leader? Or or or%u2026huh???

I think she was talking about rewarding him for being an abject failure at winning seats as DCCC chair. Which wouldn’t shock me in the least.

BarbaraB at 9:39 p.m.

That scenario reminds me of when all the U.S. oil company executives got together in Cheney’s office and divided up the map of Iraq, deciding who would get what territory for oil exploitation before the invasion had even begun. And look where they are now.

Why can’t Lieberman call himself Independent Democrat on the ballot? What prevents him? Does somebody in some clerk’s office in Hartford give him some paperwork to fill out, and he just writes whatever he wants in the box next to party? Does the clerk then tell him, sorry, you can’t put Democrat there–Mr. Lamont is the Democratic nominee.
Would Ned have to sue him at some point? How exactly does the process work?

Jane…
Caught your beautiful poodles!! They are
beauties. Many years ago I had one which was
a mini poodle by the name of Cream Sauce..one great dog…died from a broken heart after my mom died. He slept on her bed every night when she got sick…so sad and he was soooooo loved.

That newscast was very good…and if those people cannot see thru holy joe, heaven help them My mom came from New Haven and I have spent many years in the State and I am sure if
my Mom and her brother were still alive, they would be out beating the votes out of the public….he is a great candidate. I intend to write to my cousins that still live there and get them to support Ned…and btw, I sent a nasty letter to the DSCC and told them they had
better abide by the vote of the primary and support the winner….we all know it will be Ned. :) Will be surprised if the DSCC replies
to my note…if they do, I will let you know.

Why can’t Lieberman call himself Independent Democrat on the ballot?

Would CT voters really be dumb enough to fall for that anyway?

“Looky here! That must be just like a regular Democrat, only better! More independent-y!”

cleter

I haven’t read the Connecticut election statutes, but people who say they have read them say that the laws don’t allow an independent to use the name of a recognized political party as a part of his label on the ballot. It would be good to get some confirmation of that, however.

Well – this was Joe’s approach when he first ran – he consciously played to the conservtive wing of the state *republicans* who were anti-Weicker because Weicker was the Republican who first turned on Nixon and then continued to back progressive policies. (Back then, there still were John Lindsay repubs who would out-progressive almost all of the Dems today). Weicker was loved by Dems and Independents and the moderate wing of the repub party (and his election 2 years later as an independent for Gov. proved that).

Lieberman’s strategy in ‘88 was to suddenly become mr. publicly hyper religious guy with all these hyper morals (censor records, etc) and then he actively, intensively, courted the most conservative right wing of the *Republican* party to form his base.

This gave him the rightist repubs and the party-loyalty-above-all Dems to win the election leaving progressives of both parties and neither out in the cold.

It was a vicious assault on progressivism solely for his own gratification and powergrab.

(can you tell I’m still pissed!)
Weicker still looks great – amazing guy – and DeStefano has sure aged … how’s Malloy?

and btw, I sent a nasty letter to the DSCC and told them they had
better abide by the vote of the primary and support the winner….we all know it will be Ned. :) Will be surprised if the DSCC replies
to my note…if they do, I will let you know.

I think I may need to as well. I would probably emphasize the resources aspect – why pour money into the Lieberman campaign to offset the grassroots money being poured into the Lamont campaign? There’s only so much Democratic contributor money to go around, and it’s foolish to cannibalize it like that. Also, why risk drying up your funding by pissing off potential contributors?

Jane Hamsher at 9:03 pm
I remember when the sleezy sonofabitch (with sincerest apologies to all sonsabithches out there) Jim Church lady Brady offered you a plane ticket to DC for his ambush Ethics Panel. IIRC, when you accepted his “invitation,” he changed his mind and wanted an “online” ambush where he could control what others saw as your responses to his stunning ignorance.That all happened very quickly and as per usual, you handled it with extreme adroitness, it was probably child’s play compared to Hollywood. Brady, however, was the aggressor, and he determined the topography of the battle. If you had rejected his first invitation, the plane ticket, Brady would have shouted that from the rooftops forever.

“Leaverman” changed the entire landscape of the national election with his “Plan B.”
In order to debate any issue, Iraq, gas prices, Republican corruption, we need a forum. That is the two-party system. Joe just pulled the rug out from under it. If the primaries are meaningless, the party is impotent, it’s a sham.
Leavermann just made this a NATIONAL referendum on the Democratic party as an institution. How can the Congresscritters and other State leaders in CT go against an incumbent, Democratic U.S. Senator? They cannot. Democrats in CT desperately need to hear from other national Dems besides Hillary. Damn, though, I give her huge props for her 4th of July announcement that she supports the winner of the primary. That was huge, but we need Dodd, Schumur, and all the others to come out and say the same, “we support the winner of the DEMOCRATIC primary in CT.”

If the DSCC choses to stick with Lieberman, they can easily help him build a gotv effort – and Lieberman already has tons in the bank. It’s not hard to buy phone banks and “volunteers” (as Jane noted yesterday) and Joe is a fave amongst a lot of PACs – plus if he runs independent, he can more openly take money from republicans and portray it as legit support for his policies.

‘Some may say’ incontinent thinking fuels such incautiously dangling displays of hubris as Lieberman is exhibiting.

;>)

But I say ‘Perspicacious’, indeed… For I suspect Lieberman sees quite clearly what is to become of his plate of crumbs filched from the table of Power, and will kick out the jams to call in every wayward favor owed to him in order to stave off his ignominious fate.

cleter 44,

Connecticut law prohibits using any part of a major party’s name for independent run, according to My Left Nutmeg.

Atrios ran a “name Joe’s party” contest, and the winner was the Bullshit Moose Party. That’d be great to see on the ballot, heheh. This is in reference to Teddy Roosevelt’s run as a third party candidate, the Progressive Party. It had the nickname The Bull Moose Party. (Also note back then the Republicans were the good guys, generally.)

Hilary must have realized that her run for the prez is in jeopardy if she keeps pissing us off … a few good gestures to progressives she thinks will win us back. Helps Lamont but the real question is how far she will go with that and what weight she throws around off-stage.

Same for DSCC, etc – an endorsement only means as much as the muscle you put behind it so even if DSCC says they back Lamont, we’ll need to track what money and real support they provide – like flying Obama in for speeches, etc.

Atrios ran a “name Joe’s party” contest, and the winner was the Bullshit Moose Party.

Atrios only skimmed the contest thread, and missed both “The Donner Party” and “The Aristocrats”.

(Neither was mine; I think I just had “The Pooper Party” and “The Gee-Your-War-Smells-Terrific Party”…)

Thanks Neurophius and Puppethead.
So, has this crazy scheme that Lieberman is planning ever actually worked? Has an incumbent senator ever been denied renomination by his own party, and risen from the stench of loserdom to get re-elected anyway?

Hilary must have realized that her run for the prez is in jeopardy if she keeps pissing us off %u2026 a few good gestures to progressives she thinks will win us back. Helps Lamont but the real question is how far she will go with that and what weight she throws around off-stage.

I’m kinda wondering how long she’ll listen to Peter Daou – I suspect everything he tells her goes against all her instincts as a politician.

So, has this crazy scheme that Lieberman is planning ever actually worked? Has an incumbent senator ever been denied renomination by his own party, and risen from the stench of loserdom to get re-elected anyway?

Not a senator, but I’m pretty sure Detroit’s godawful mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick got re-elected this way.

Thanks, Eli, but I’m still confused. I suppose Rahm could have been promised that he’ll keep his position as DCCC chair even if he can’t bring home the bacon in November. His Wikipedia entry says he is considered leading candidate to be the Majority Whip if the Dems take the House back. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rahm_Emanuel

But Jane @ 26 says: “The plans are to reward Rahm with Nancy Pelosi’s job if he loses, so no downside to the incumbency protection racket for him.” Pelosi’s job is Minority Leader. Hence, my “huh?”

Eli – one thing I’ve sensed on some of the YKOS press work (countering some floated rumours, etc) was that the established pols still have no idea how to deal with netroots – net consultants or not. Remember Daou is hired to consult on net stuff, not policy – and it would be interesting to know how much input he has for inner circle strategizing.

What I see is the est. pols trying to appeal to us but not understanding that we are not a simple interest group that they can appease with one or two votes but a complex poodle that watches everything they do … and does not forget.

I have no idea what HRCs strategy is – so I’m genuinely not saying the following about her or any other specific candidate. I think there is still a tone of “oh those crazy kids – give them the car keys this weekend but then send them back to their rooms.” Only over time will the est. pols begin to understand we are demanding real change and real commitment to people power and some may learn some very unpleasant lessons as they try to appease while also trying to undercut.

What I see is the est. pols trying to appeal to us but not understanding that we are not a simple interest group that they can appease with one or two votes but a complex poodle that watches everything they do … and does not forget.

I asked the question at the DSCC blog as to whether they were actually paying attention to anything we said, or if the whole thing was just a “potemkin blog” to make them *look* hip and in-touch.

Trex – beautiful as always!

you do have a way with those purty words!

Hey Gang. TRex…yer a mighty beast! I gotta wonder though if this whole staying on in the job even if the electorate says otherwise is just the first salvo of the Right toward their plans of clinging to power under any circumstances, floated out through the airwaves by their mole-zombie Joe. Hope I’m just high from the fireworks…

I gotta wonder though if this whole staying on in the job even if the electorate says otherwise is just the first salvo of the Right toward their plans of clinging to power under any circumstances, floated out through the airwaves by their mole-zombie Joe.

No, I think that would be more likely to be either a declaration of martial law, or a Supreme Court ruling that any electoral victories by Democrats are unconstitutional (they’re only one justice away…).

How about a movement to get Joe to acknowledge reality? Someone could collect petition signatures (more than it would take for him to get on the ballot), that says:

Joe, acknowledge reaity: You are a Republican! Stop pretending to be a Democrat.

Signed

(Your Name Here)

I’d also like to see some form of gentleman’s agreement (not that Joe is one), where he and Ned agree not to campaign against each other for the primary and Joe agrees to run as an Indy right away. Then again, if Joe’s polling is as bad as I think it is for the primary, he might not have anything to lose by doing that now. If Ned mops the floor with him him on Thursday and then again in August, Joe might be better off leaving now.

Then again, I’d be thrilled to have Joe do us all a favor and leave the party now (officially, versus how he’s been doing it for years).

The debate on Thursday gives CT Dems a chance to further subsidize a Democratic incumbent with the imprimatur of the Democratic Party, who just told them he wouldn’t commit to being a Democrat.

I hope someone there is considering postponing the debate. If Leaverman won’t commit to the Primary process, why not give Leaverman a “Plan B,” the Democratic party will just anoint Ned the winner of the Democratic primary, and focus everything on November. I am not saying they should do that, but postponing the debate might give Joe some pause and the other national Democratic leaders as well.

I hope someone there is considering postponing the debate. If Leaverman won’t commit to the Primary process, why not give Leaverman a “Plan B,” the Democratic party will just anoint Ned the winner of the Democratic primary, and focus everything on November. I am not saying they should do that, but postponing the debate might give Joe some pause and the other national Democratic leaders as well.

I don’t think it would be out of line for them to declare that the debate is for Democrats only, and Joe’s not invited. If Lamont is the only Dem running, then there’s no point in having the debate at all.

Eli,

You got me thinking: If the DSCC supported Lieberman after he lost the primary, could regular members of the democratic party sue their leadership of Misappropriation of funds?

As you say, it would be a criminal waste of money. Perhaps it’s a track we should make Schumer and his incumbent protection racket, aware of.

Ron Russell

“If the DSCC supported Lieberman after he lost the primary, could regular members of the democratic party sue their leadership of Misappropriation of funds?”

I doubt that a lawsuit based on that proposition would get very far. I assume that the DSCC’s bylaws, or articles of incorporation, or whatever say that the DSCC can do whatever the hell it wants with our money. That’s why I no longer give to them, having seen the way they operate.

I finally got to read the whole the John King interview on CNN, and I think the national single-issue groups need another round of having their noses rubbed in what their “strategic” support of incumbent Lieberman has gotten them:

My opponent is campaigning against me on one issue: Iraq. I have the support of a host of progressive groups: the labor movement, the environmental movement, the human rights political action fund, which is the advocacy group for gay and lesbian Americans, Planned Parenthood. I could go on and on.

What a vindictive piece of turd. Ex-lax Joe, he’ll turn your movement to diarrhea. Get the hose.

Ron Russell, I love your 10:08.
I would suggest that the statement say that Joe submit to support the winner of the Democratic Primary.

I bet the registered CT Dems could provide 50,000 signatures fast. That’s @7 times more than the 7,500 that Joenertia needs.

Who is sponsoring the debate? Is it the CT Democratic party, or the League of Women Voters, or what?

You got me thinking: If the DSCC supported Lieberman after he lost the primary, could regular members of the democratic party sue their leadership of Misappropriation of funds?

As you say, it would be a criminal waste of money. Perhaps it’s a track we should make Schumer and his incumbent protection racket, aware of.

The law-talking folks who dwell here would probably have a better handle on that than I, but it’d be worth a shot. Personally, I think that simply supporting a non-Democrat against a Democrat should be grounds for immediate dismissal from the DSCC Chair position, but what do I know.

The first sentence on the About the DSCC page: “Our mission is to elect more Democrats to the United States Senate.” This “independent Democrat” BS is designed to make support for Lieberman sound like it’s perfectly in line with their mission statement, but it still isn’t.

Actually the debate should help Ned – if he can do well and I think he can. The audience will be considerably larger due to the Lieberman defection than it would have been, Ned is still less-known so he gets to address that audience and he also gets the intangible benefit of being on the same stage and therefore equally qualified.

We should want the debate – and the primary since momentum from the primary will help Ned and make Joe look even worse.

BarbaraB-

There was a thread a while back- dont remember when- where the gist was basically if the Dems DID NOT take the house, Rahm would be rewarded w/ the Minority Leader position.

Jane was rightfully pissed, as that seems like a mighty big disincentive.

There was a thread a while back- dont remember when- where the gist was basically if the Dems DID NOT take the house, Rahm would be rewarded w/ the Minority Leader position.

Jane was rightfully pissed, as that seems like a mighty big disincentive.

The Democrats are apparently resorting to cargo-cultist attempts to imitate Republican ways in hopes of emulating their electoral successes. I guess they’ve latched on to negative accountability as one of those keys to Republican power.

Not that I’d be sad to see Pelosi go, but Rahm would be even worse. Murtha would be… interesting, assuming he’d even want the job. Very far right for a Dem, but not afraid to kick ass.

Eli at 10:22 p.m.

“I guess they’ve latched on to negative accountability as one of those keys to Republican power.”

Right. Like Bush giving the Presidential Medal of Freedom to some of the idiots who screwed up Iraq. “Heckuva job.”

Since Joe needs a party name for his petitions, but by law it can’t incorporate the name “Democrat,” I suggest the “DINO Party.” Yeah, everyone knows it refers to Democrats, but it doesn’t actually contain the word. And it would produce the very accurate ballot line:

Joseph Lieberman – DINO

Hey, guys. I’m here. Just got off the phone with a friend who is being a big drama queen.

siun at 10:19, upon further review, I think you’re absolutely correct.
I think Joenertia is banking on his national name recognition, thanks primarily to being Al Gore’s running mate, simply lulling voters into voting for him. In the real world, Ned probably needs the debate a ton more than Joenertia.

Right. Like Bush giving the Presidential Medal of Freedom to some of the idiots who screwed up Iraq. “Heckuva job.”

Next we’ll see Democratic candidates rambling incoherently and smirking.

siun at 10:19, upon further review, I think you’re absolutely correct.
I think Joenertia is banking on his national name recognition, thanks primarily to being Al Gore’s running mate, simply lulling voters into voting for him. In the real world, Ned probably needs the debate a ton more than Joenertia.

Personally, I think all CT Dems need is to be aware that there’s an alternative to Joe and they’ll grab it like a life preserver.

I think that Hillary just fired a shot across more than one bow. Don’t forget, she’s running in a contested primary herself against a sort-of netroots candidate. That was a statement that she supports the Party, and when she gets the nomination, there had better not be any independent candidates out there even thinking about a run. And it was a very major, if subtle, warning to her fellow NY Senator not to monkey with the machinery. It isn’t just the blogs who are mad at Boltin’ Joe. As Jane notes, a lot of the party pros are furious with him. OK, so a lot of them may be hacks by our lights, but they work hard by theirs, and I can just bet they are not pleased with being dissed. If Shumer has been floating trial balloons about maybe supporting an “independent Democrat” after the primary, that sound you just heard was a very loud pop.

I do worry, though, that some of those pros are going to blame Ned for all this instead of focusing their ire where it belongs — on Lieberman. After all, if that young whippersnapper hadn’t come along, etc. etc. etc. I suspect that was the gist of a lot of those shouts over the potato salad.

I think he should drop of the democratic primary right now.

re Jane’s #5:

It’s all on Chris Dodd. Dodd will have to save the Democratic Party in Connecticut, and you can bet that Hillary coordinated her statement today with Chris Dodd.

He’s Connecticut’s senior Senator; he’s gonna have to get the gubernatorial candidates to make nice after the primary, and he’s gonna have to sit Joe-nertia down when Ned beats him and say: “Joe, ya gotta go.”

And WATB Joe will go up to 1600 Pennsylvania to ask Chimpy to fire Dumsfeld or Skeletor.

But it’s gotta be Chris Dodd. C’mon, Chris, you know it’s up to you. Tell Joe NOW to put the filing papers in a drawer. It’s up or down on 8/8, the whole enchilada. No do-overs.

Can’t wait for the next Quinnipiac poll results. I assume it will be issued sometime later this week or early next week. The last Quinnipiac poll was published on June 8th and showed a 15 point spread for Joenertia. A Rasmussen Report poll in mid-June indicated it was down to a 6 points (but that poll had a very small sample size and big MOE of 7%).

Any guesses on what the next Quinnipiac poll will say?

I’m going with a 3 point lead for Joenertia with Nedrenaline closing fast and furious. That might be a tad optimistic but there is so much “buzz” that it is hard not to get excited about Ned’s chances.

Aside from the expense of campaigning to win the primary – and it does cost and Joe can make it cost and will – a big primary win is good for Ned since it says he is not just a flaky guy with netroots backing but someone who can win an election. People do not like to “waste” their vote on someone they are not convinced can win an election.

Joe is prob. planning on spending big on the primary and thus forcing Ned to do the same in an attempt to leave Ned without resources for Nov but Ned can use campaigning for the primary and winning it to build a party structure for Nov so I think it’s a decent trade off.

TRex at 10:25 p.m.

“Just got off the phone with a friend who is being a big drama queen.”

TRex! You mean, you were on the phone with Joe Lieberman? I knew you were getting famous and all, but that’s really something!

For anyone who want to inform the WaPo about our concerns wrt Joenertia,
washingtonpost.com’s Daily Politics Discussion
Charles Babington
Washington Post Congressional Reporter
Wednesday, July 5, 2006; 11:00 EST

I am also going to ask politely when I can look forward to reading their story about mAnn Coulter’s plagiarism.

Any guesses on what the next Quinnipiac poll will say?

Do the polls show results among people who know who Ned is? I would be interested to know how much of Joe’s support comes from people who simply are not aware that there is a viable alternative.

“Just got off the phone with a friend who is being a big drama queen.”

TRex! You mean, you were on the phone with Joe Lieberman? I knew you were getting famous and all, but that’s really something!

I was going to say something like that, but the word “friend” tipped me off.

a big primary win is good for Ned since it says he is not just a flaky guy with netroots backing but someone who can win an election.

Is it possible that a truly resounding defeat could make Joe realize just how unloved and unwanted he is, or would he just ignore the primary results no matter what they are?

Dodd is Lieberman’s best buddy – the only thing that would pull Dodd’s support away from Joe is if Dodd still thinks he can someday be prez.
But Dodd’s integrity on issues – think running around as the “liberal” on Central America while voting to fund the death squads – is not good.

Eli, I’m going with b) Joe continues to ignore reality

TRex! You mean, you were on the phone with Joe Lieberman? I knew you were getting famous and all, but that’s really something!

Naw, girl. It was Jason Zengerle.

http://apoeticjustice.blogspot…..rdfor.html

THRUSTING AMERICA’S LOVE OUTWARD…..

Eli – Joe is a little toughguy or so he thinks – I can’t imagine him backing down from the independent run after announcing it.

If the Q-Poll (not even gonna try to spell that!) is in the field 7/9 or later, I’m going with Ned up 10 points on Joe.

Having seen Ned at that picnic table on teevee yesterday, I have high hopes for his debate performance. And I expect Lieberman to come across as entitled, WATB, and petulant. As long as Ned uses the word “lapdog” in a respectful way, he’ll win the debate. And be up 10 points in the next Q-Poll.

That’s the time for Chris Dodd to talk to Joe.

who was it who wanted to know what blogwhoring was earlier … perfect example at 98

Eli at 10:37 p.m.

“I was going to say something like that, but the word “friend” tipped me off.”

Yeah, but you know, TRex is a big pundit now, and you saw what that did to Joe Klein…

I thought someone said that since the poems are really, really great, that 98 was okay? Not that I’m saying that, since I’ve never clicked over, but I remember it being said….

From the Middletown Press
A recent Quinnipiac University Poll showed Lieberman still leads Lamont among likely Democratic primary voters by 55-40 percent, but that the challenger is gaining ground. The survey also showed Lieberman winning a three-way general election contest with 56 percent of the vote to Lamont’s 18 percent and 8 percent for Schlesinger.
Lieberman’s announcement Monday that he would file to begin a petition campaign for the November ballot was forced largely by the requirement that such signature petitions be filed with the state by Aug. 9.
Lieberman also said the primary could be decided by as few as 105,000 Democratic voters, or just 5 percent of the total number of registered Connecticut voters. He said the decision on his future should be made by “all the people of Connecticut.”
Several high-ranking Democratic leaders Monday refused to criticize Lieberman’s decision, saying only they intend to continue to work to help him win the primary.
“I am working to see that Joe Lieberman wins the Democratic primary on Aug. 8,” said U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3. “I will not speculate on the results of the primary. I fully expect Joe to win.”
From this, it appears clear that Joenertia is blackmailing the party leaders. Their only way out is, “I fully expect Sen. Leaverman to win the primary.”
They are avoiding the consequences of his “Plan B” insurance policy, because they know they cannot run as independents, their survival depends on the primary.

Teddy – well, you may be right but just popping in to draw traffic to your own site with no contribution or relevance to the discussion sure looks like it to me – the quality of the other blog doesn’t matter in my book.

Hey, they really don’t pay me to do this, I just think these chatz are a great place to push TradMed journalists on the issues that matter to us. Also, it’s fun to chat with Froomkin, in person or in pixels. Questions accepted now, early and polite always helps!

Charles Babington (Congressional reporter) at 11am eastern
http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..01137.html

Froomkin at 1pm eastern
http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..01676.html

Mark Plotkin (local politics) at 2 eastern
http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..01088.html

Polling information form a CT article dated today:
http://www.middletownpress.com…..&rfi=6
I quoted from it liberally in a longer post that is “awaiting moderation.”

Hey, Teddy. I see you are getting lots of comments over at your Give ‘em Hell Harry blog. Anyone who wants to tell Harry Reid what a mistake it would be to back Joementum other than as the Democratic nominee can go to:
http://giveemhellharry.com/pag…..group/vips

Once they register, they can leave a comment for Harry on one of his blog entries, or they can post their own.

Or, I should say, they can also leave a comment on Teddy’s blog. Or even mine.

Urban Pirate et al. — Thanks for clearing up my Emanuel/Pelosi confusion. I must have missed that discussion — not surprising when people keep ignoring my plaintive requests to write short superficial comments so I can keep up. Siun, I remember the now-vanished liberal Republican. I even voted for Javits. Couldn’t do that now, of course. Lovely job as usual, TRex. Whitney Brown was pretty funny too, but then as a SNL alum/current Daily Show writer he’s supposed to be. Anyway, you’re better. ‘Night, all.

Here’s the gist of it:
“Lieberman still leads Lamont among likely Democratic primary voters by 55-40 percent, but that the challenger is gaining ground. The survey also showed Lieberman winning a three-way general election contest with 56 percent of the vote to Lamont’s 18 percent and 8 percent for Schlesinger.”

Eli at 92. “Do the polls show results among people who know who Ned is? I would be interested to know how much of Joe’s support comes from people who simply are not aware that there is a viable alternative.”

Here’s the link to the last Quinnipiac Poll
http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x11362.xml?ReleaseID=922

“The survey includes 751 registered Democrats with a margin of error of /- 3.6 percentage points, and 465 likely Democratic primary voters with a margin of error of /- 4.5 percentage points.”

The 15 point spread in the last poll was for “likely Democratic primary voters.”

Take a look at Bush’s approval ratings in that poll. 72-24 disapproval for all voters; 93-5 among Dems. Joe is gonna have one very hard time spinning his manlove for The Decider in that state.

who was it who wanted to know what blogwhoring was earlier … perfect example at 98

Actually, I would consider that spamming. I used to blogwhore, but I participated in the discussion as well.

Nice catch siun.
IIRC, it was Oklahoma Kiddo.

Has there been a new poll taken since Leaverman’s presser?

siun says:
July 4th, 2006 at 9:54 pm
Hilary must have realized that her run for the prez is in jeopardy if she keeps pissing us off %u2026 a few good gestures to progressives she thinks will win us back. Helps Lamont but the real question is how far she will go with that and what weight she throws around off-stage.
———————————————————-
I think Bill was behind this move, to be honest. It feels like him, anyway. And you know he had to LOVE doing it. “Sorry I kept it so long, Joe, but here’s your knife back.”

neuro pimps, neuro whores, neuro scores!

;>

ding ding ding: Frank Probst wins this round. Of course it was Big Dog, why didn’t I think of that! Not that the Senator isn’t capable of cunning on her own, but the knife comment really sold me on your theory.

“neuro pimps, neuro whores, neuro scores!

;>”

Gee, that was kind of fun. Maybe I should get myself a real blog to whore for…

Thanks, Norm!

“Connecticut Democrats say 56 – 34 percent that Lieberman deserves to be reelected.” The HELL???

Also, amusing to note how much higher Joe’s approval rating is among CT Republicans than Dems. Actually, Joe’s approval rating with CT Republicans is 5 points higher than Bush’s…

Those numbers are why Tim Tagaris (sp?) was cautioning on kos last night that this race is now won and still needs everyone’s support – active support.

Lamont will win the primary easily it seems (though no win is easy) but up against Joe with the independents and repubs tossed in, it is gonna take a ton of work. And you can count on Joe to pull every nasty trick possible and Rove et al to be working the background. Add in DSCC support?

This one ain’t over for all the fun of the past 2 days and we can’t forget that for a minute.

“Connecticut Democrats say 56 – 34 percent that Lieberman deserves to be reelected.”
If Joenertia were confident that those numbers would hold until the primary, he never would have announced “plan B.” IMO, he has some savvy pollsters who told him that his shit support is weak with Democrats likely to vote in the Primary.
Joenertia gave the CT liberals a platform and a standing that they could not buy with a billion dollars with his little Plan B stunt. That doesn’t mean Ned will win, but I think his chances are better now than they were before “Plan B.”

“now” was meant to be “not”
in fact, emphatically *not*

Now, if we could just convince Rove that sending Bush to Connecticut to campaign for Leaverman would help his favorite Democrat get re-elected…

Lamont will win the primary easily it seems (though no win is easy) but up against Joe with the independents and repubs tossed in, it is gonna take a ton of work. And you can count on Joe to pull every nasty trick possible and Rove et al to be working the background. Add in DSCC support?

I think Joe was definitely looking at that three-way race number, which had him beating Lamont 56-18. I hope that number starts moving in Lamont’s favor now.

Hey neuro, did you notice that Harry Reid’s own blog posts get between 3 and 8 responses, while yours and mine combined have gotten more than 45 comments? I betcha somebody’s webmaster’s gonna tell the Leader about that tomorrow morning, dontcha think?

off to bed here …
sleep tight you little firepups!

Now, if we could just convince Rove that sending Bush to Connecticut to campaign for Leaverman would help his favorite Democrat get re-elected…

And if we could somehow get him to hire Bob Shrum as his campaign manager…

LOL Teddy I hope it does get his attention…

Hey neuro, did you notice that Harry Reid’s own blog posts get between 3 and 8 responses, while yours and mine combined have gotten more than 45 comments?

Teddy, maybe you should update your “Website” for your comments so people can get there just by clicking on your name?

Signing off here, too. Happy Independence Day, firedogs!

Eli, like this?

Happy Fourth, TRex, and thanks for the Late Nite enjoyment and smoothness!

Eli, like this?

There ya go. I probably get about 5-10 click-throughs a day from mine, and I’m pretty much a nobody here.

Thanks, Eli, we’ll see if that bumps up the Leader-blog comments. I’m sure you get the click-throughs for your cleverness, though….

nite TRex

Keep in mind that the Quinnipiac Poll that keeps getting referred to is OUTDATED. The survey period was May 31 – June 6. Lots of good buzz for Lamont since that time.

Pretty sure we’re going to see at least a nice shift in Lamont’s favor with the next results later this week. Actually, I think Joenertia’s people probably have some internal polling that is spooking them pretty badly (which would perhaps explain the timing of his Leaverman presser). Maybe we’ll see an earthquake type shift in the next Q-Poll.

I hope Ned has a very good debate team that is getting him prepared for the Thursday showdown with Joenertia. Ned needs to just be himself and he’ll be fine. Easy for me to say. I can only imagine how much pressure that kind of event will be for someone who hasn’t gone through it before.

I’m sure you get the click-throughs for your cleverness, though….

More like “Is he really as much of a crackhead as he appears? Why, yes. Yes, he is.”

Norm, somebody commented in an earlier thread that there was a Democrats-only phone poll this weekend in Connecticut. I recall there were only two questions: who ya voting for for Gov, and who for Senator? Given the timing, I gotta wonder if that was Joe’s poll, and if the news wasn’t good for Joe. He needed to know what to do before the debate on Thursday, since he didn’t want to look like he decided to bolt based on the debate. Thus the poll, and the announcement when no one was supposed to be paying attention.

Glorfindel, graphic but apt.

Teddy, I can’t figure out how to leave a comment. It said “You have not created a blog.” Nope, didn’t intend to, either. So I left. What did I do wrong?

For all of Joe’s whining about the “small number of Democrats” in the primary, they are the truly committed ones, and as such, they are the “connectors” (to use “tipping point” terminology) who are likely to sway the opinions of many others before the general election. So it’s patently obvious that he intends to rely on the votes of non-Democrats. He essentially admits this when he talks about wanting to give “all of his constituents” the chance to decide whether he keeps his seat.

So much for “loyalty,” and “being a Democrat.”

OXYMORONS AND “OFFICIALS SAID”: CALLING ROBERT FISK

Hi firepups -

Happy 4th to all – and hopes that next July 4th sees King George impeached.

The following seems OT – but does carry on Joe’s “yes is no” act.

(…and Florida and Ohio and “compassionate conservative” and “Patriot Act”…)

Robert Fisk would love this –

In the following, we are mightily threatened by the ….. little squibs that couldn’t.

Hmm…

On this July 4th, we are told Pyongyangs’ pathetic projectiles threatened the US.

Sure – and our patriotic pyrotechnics pulverized Pluto.

How do we know to fear today’s imminent threat?

“Officials said”.

(07-04) 21:51 PDT TOKYO, Japan (AP) –

“A defiant North Korea test-fired a long-range missile Wednesday that may [? - kjm]] be capable of reaching America, but it failed seconds after launch. The North also tested five smaller missiles in an exercise the White House called “provocative” but not an immediate threat.

Ignoring stern U.S. and Japanese warnings, the isolated communist nation carried out the audacious tests even as the U.S. celebrated the Fourth of July and launched the space shuttle.

None of the missiles made it as far as Japan, all crashing into the Sea of Japan separating the island from the Korean Peninsula, officials said……”

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/arti…..259D27.DTL

PS – in the real world, I never expect RF to see this as he eschews email.

and eschews surplus verbiage, to boot!

keeping up with the Joeses.

According to news reports, bloggers in Mexico are largely responsible for stiffening the backbone of Presidential candidate Lopez Obrador to demand a recount in the razor-thin election there.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/…..MEXICO.TMP

more at the jump

The fast-moving electoral controversy appears to be driven as much by Lopez Obrador’s grassroots supporters as by the candidate himself, and has illustrated the emerging power of Mexico’s bloggers.

On Monday morning, Lopez Obrador had announced meekly in public that he would accept defeat if announced by the Federal Electoral Institute. That appearance, in which his haggard face seemed depressed and defeated, detonated a whirlwind of Internet organizing. Within hours, his supporters had deluged the headquarters of Lopez Obrador’s Democratic Revolution Party, or PRD, with e-mails alleging inconsistencies in the vote counting and reporting process.

PRD bloggers furiously gathered allegations about fraud and distributed instructions on how to report problems to the PRD campaign and how to contact the media. By Monday night, Lopez Obrador had emerged again and announced that his party’s lawyers would lodge legal appeals with the electoral institute’s independent tribunal. He cited several photos of apparently contrasting poll booth count documents that had been sent to him, and he repeatedly asked his followers to keep up the e-mail barrage.

“In the meantime, we are going to ask, or keep asking, the citizens to keep helping us find many inconsistencies,” said Lopez Obrador.

In the ongoing discussion on the ethics of blogwhoredom, I would like to point out that there are relative degrees of blogwhoredom, ethics-wise. For example, someone like our friend Eli might be forgiven for occasionally mentioning his blog on FDL, considering that if you actually go there, you will find that he has listed FDL on his blogroll. So there is mutual benefit involved. That is in addition to the fact that he is an active participant in topical discussions at FDL, not just a pop-up ad like some are. And that he actually has something to say.

Prof – re potentially stolen Mexico election – earlier post with link to Greg Palast article.

Here’s what I posted at the DSCC website:

I think this issue helps point out what a phenomenally bad idea it is for politicians to control organizations that donate money to other politicians’ campaigns. TRMPAC anyone?

IIRC, those polls lumped “leaning” voters in with those who expressed a definite preference, and they’re pretty old now. By polls standards, anyway. I’ll put good money on the following proposition: Joe the Schmoe’s internal polling asked about both preference and intensity of preference and discovered — surprise — the Ned’s voters strongly prefer him while Joe’s are lukewarm. Precisely the sort who will either switch or not bother coming out. And the trendlines are in Ned’s favor. Joe also knows he can’t starve Ned out — all those cracks about “buying” the election, remember?

If Joe thinks the Prez is going to come in and campaign for him in the general election, though, he’s not just delusional, he’s genuinely insane. There’s a Republican candidate who suddenly looks like he’s got a shot at it. The Bush machine will pour money into that campaign, and it won’t be for someone who would vote for Harry Reid. Look at what they’re spending on Puddles Chafee.

And then all those numbers making Joe happy now start to look very different. He’s counting on Republican votes he can only get if the Republican doesn’t stand a chance. No wonder the local Republicans are happy campers; Joe Lieberman just turned into Ralph Nader. And now it really is bedtime!

punaise

Stolen Mexican election = South-of-the-border disorder

eschew cashews

neuro – neatly mowed grass = lawn order

Chuck eSchewmer should refrain from supporting Joe Leaverman.

Be alert. The world needs more lerts.

Is anyone ever just whelmed?

When people are merely whelmed, it doesn’t merit comment. It’s only when they get overwhelmed that anyone notices.

neurophius,

that reminds me of a former boss who’s coffee mug bore the inscription “I’m comfortable with my mediocrity.”

Mommybrain:

Do you have a blog? Is it supposed to be linked to your name on your comments? Because your name is underlined, signaling a link, but when I click on it I just get a “The page cannot be displayed” message.

Punaise 151 – gesundheit

A bit late reading this post, but better late than never. So glad I dropped in before hittin’ the hay. This one is priceless. :o)

Thanks for the gut busting laugh TRex, and what a wonderful way for me to end the evening.

Happy 4th everyone!

Neurophius – well sort of but not yet. I was playing around and set one up to do local blogging tied in to the 26th CD (Dreier’s seat). Not launched yet, may never be. I had no idea it was linked! I didn’t do it on porpoise.

Mommybrain

I think it happens when you type your url into the box that says “Website” above the box where you type comments.

Was this pure satire or did I miss Boltin’ Joe saying he was never gonna leave?

testing blog link

Hey, it works!

finagle filberts

Mommybrain

The A Whitney Brown part is satire. Here is my favorite line:

“The President needs me, and I just think it would be counterproductive to set a timetable for leaving my office.”

Joe has not said he will not leave office–I don’t think he can imagine losing both the Democratic primary, and the general election as an independent.

Mommybrain 159 – merci, I feel better now

Donna Brazile nuts? or not

punaise

Did you bite off more than you could eschew?

whelm, ah friends….

sometimes you feel like a nut
sometimes you don’t
Almond Joy’s got nuts in it
Mounds don’t

it’s all a Macademian exercise

What’s going on? I asked.

Walnut much, he said.

Double dang it, pun, now I’ve got that stuck as an ear worm.

Mommybrain — from the results, it looks to me like you had “/” in the “Website” box when you submitted your comment (or you put that in once by accident and the system remembered it.)

mommybrain,

was that me you were urging on in an earlier thread today? I assumed that was the case, but might have had it wrong.

sorry Suzanne!
giddy ’bout the diddy?

cleter 17

I had a friend in high school whose girlfriend broke up with him. He more or less failed to acknowledge this breakup. The resultant behavior was uncomfortable, sad, and a little creepy.

Joe is stalking his Senate own seat – you know, the one that won’t belong to him for much longer (timetable or not)

neurophius monk

Gonna fling ya the morning papers then back up and read what’s gotta be a very hot thread . . .

NYT: Angry Democrats Dog Lieberman at Parade

WaPo: Sen. Clinton Hedges Lieberman Support

AP (via LAT): Sen. Clinton Won’t Support an Independent Lieberman

lotus,

Yeah. The Kiss float made the NYT. No mention of the poodles, though.

Did anyone see this diary at kos yet?
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/7/5/2251/15436

The topic is a possible slush fund used to pay for push polling from the firm involved in the New Hampshire phone jamming..

Very interesting if true…but its definitely not clear that is the case.
I’m reserving judgement one way or another at this point, but i would love to hear more comments from people that can verify one way or another…

Well, there is that “dog” in the headline. Yet another example of Kobe exerting his influence, while disguising his identity as the true Blogfather!

buenos galapagos, todos

OT – tip toeing quicky (only because I’m way past my bedtime) on this excellent post and comments.

Please indulge an old newspaper brat. Did I imagine or actually read something on this thread quite encouraging about Ahnold’s challenger? Am not seriously pursuing dishing Phil Angel but he is dodging my questions about his state leadership’s circle. It is quite a temptest in a teapot that I’d like to think he has nothing hide and those Dems will just have to do their own explaining. Either way it giving me second thoughts. Connecticul is not the only state the Dems need to be united.

For at least the last nine years out State Democratic Leadership whore themselves to corporate Pebble Beach Company and their partners ATT & god knows besmirching the great American golf world.

Follow the money but Phil keeps dodging the question so what’s a girl to do?

Just sayin’ if he wants the usual good turnout by local dems in my Carmel cornercircles he’d better answers a few questions – on and/or off record.

My theory is that Hillary’s announcement that she’ll support the winner of the Democratic primary in CT also served the purpose of taking an indirect shot at the senior senator from NY and DSCC chair Chuck Schumer. Here’s why:

When Schumer made his ridiculous statement where he said the DSCC would not rule out supporting Leaverman if he ran as an independent (conditioned on a promise to caucus with the Dems) … he couched that statement using the word “electability” and even slipped in a reference to 2008 to boot. “Electability” is a code word that is often used (negatively) in reference to Hillary’s presidential ambitions in 2008 (whether those ambitions be real or imagined). Shumer says “electability” is the issue in a possible three-way race in the CT primary. But really, I think Schumer is getting a two-fer here and also referring to Hillary in 2008 and her “electability” issues.

So Hillary sees some possible similarities between Lamont’s situation in CT and what she might be facing in 2008 (strong support from Dem base in primaries but lots of long knives coming out from the “insiders” who will want to derail her candidacy on the grounds that she can’t get win in the general election). She takes the lead and says she’ll support whoever wins the CT primary but in the process she might also be taking a shot back at Chuck Schumer.

It’s only these weird times we are in that it could be viewed as courageous for Hillary to declare that she’ll support the duly elected winner of the Dem Primary in CT. This should be a given.

Can someone get a photo of the next white house 3-wayer between goatboy, Lieberman, and McCain?

BTW, I think McCain is a real threat to take the repub nomination for 2008. That’s why he’s giving junior prostate-gland massages with his tongue.

I also think he’s nuts.

Really.

Gah, lucky us — TWO Katherine Harrises. In two different states and parties, someone with a Name runs amok and the state’s party-members be damned, for the crazed candidate is convinced, “I’m gonna be your Senator no matter what you think. It’s all about MEEEEEEEEEE!”

Okay then, I say we call Joe’s new party “Alligator Bags for Bush.” But I just hope he’s marginally saner and can be stopped from doing to Connecticut’s Dems what the original is doing to Florida’s Goopers. This is a very shaky hope, and if Dodd, the DSCC, et al. don’t have sense enough to come down hard and fast behind it, forlorn.

How much longer must we yell at them, “WHAT ARE YOU THNKING?!”

THINKING?!

Sheese.

Fresh Air heads-up: today Terry interviews Jane Mayer on her Addington article.

NK fired 7th missile. OK Kim Jong Il, it’s getting a little old now.

All these prima donnas — I declare, twolf1, they’ll be the death of us.

the missiles are a publicity stunt that is working. there is no need to test SCUD missiles. I think Kim Jong Il just needs a friend. Every time I see him on TV, I can’t help but think about the Trey Parker and Matt Stone movie Team America: World Police

Here’s a Youtube clip of Kim Jong Il:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=g2v…..search=kim jong il

CNN – China issues statement re NK’s missile tests- urges calm and restraint.

Good morning, dear hearts. I’m hungover.

tommy yum – have a drink with breakfast. a little hair of the dog can work wonders

twolf,

I’ll just tell the kids it’s “Daddy’s Juice.” Actually, I’m working on the country song with that title.

Actually, I’ll stick with coffee.

Good morning, hurtin’ tommy. Try to concentrate on how much fun it was . . .

I so appreciate North Korea sending up some firecrackers to help us celebrate yesterday!

ABC – Scientists Spruce Up Nation’s Oldest Nuclear Bombs to Extend Their Shelf Life
http://abcnews.go.com/Technolo…..id=2153892

Prime example of service to no one but himself..
We must get this mindset of ownership of post in DC…voted out no mater who it is…
I always felt Joe to be a self-serving man

Well, NK won’t mean much to Joe, his loyalties being focused on making sure there’s plenty more where this came from.

NY Times, July 5, 2006
In Ramadi, Fetid Quarters and Unrelenting Battles
By DEXTER FILKINS

RAMADI, Iraq, July 4 — The Government Center in the middle of this devastated town resembles a fortress on the wild edge of some frontier: it is sandbagged, barricaded, full of men ready to shoot, surrounded by rubble and enemies eager to get inside.

The American marines here live eight to a room, rarely shower for lack of running water and defecate in bags that are taken outside and burned.

The threat of snipers is ever present; the marines start running the moment they step outside. Daytime temperatures hover around 120 degrees; most foot patrols have been canceled because of the risk of heatstroke.

The food is tasteless, the windows boarded up. The place reeks of urine and too many bodies pressed too close together for too long.

. . .

So it goes in Ramadi, the epicenter of the Iraqi insurgency and the focus of a grinding struggle between the American forces and the guerrillas.

In three years here the Marine Corps and the Army have tried nearly everything to bring this provincial capital of 400,000 under control. Nothing has worked.

Now American commanders are trying something new.

Instead of continuing to fight for the downtown, or rebuild it, they are going to get rid of it, or at least a very large part of it.

They say they are planning to bulldoze about three blocks in the middle of the city, part of which has been reduced to ruins by the fighting, and convert them into a Green Zone, a version of the fortified and largely stable area that houses the Iraqi and American leadership in Baghdad.

The idea is to break the bloody stalemate in the city by ending the struggle over the battle-scarred provincial headquarters that the insurgents assault nearly every day. The Government Center will remain, but the empty space around it will deny the guerrillas cover to attack. “We’ll turn it into a park,” said Col. Sean MacFarland.

. . .

We had to destroy the village neighborhood country representative democracy in order to save it.

TRex — great post AGAIN! The fact that we have no house of Lords is one of those truths I consider to be self evident…

Tommy Yum: Memories are made of this
Get better and clear that head for the upcoming summer weekend of potential BBQ and beer!

Hey, imm! Are you back home now or still in NY?

Lotus,

I am back home and happy to be here. It was nice to see my mother, brothers and realtives; but much of the area is wiped out. My son and i helped my brother clear out his basement (8 inches of water) and then helped a neighbor of his clear out his house (2 feet of river in his living room). Of course, just like in N.O., the poorer a homeowner was, the more they lost. FEMA is already hated there.

I read when I could and was sorry to miss so much. Did Mary ever come up with her post I hope? I’ll go check.

We did get

Ah, those poor people — first the flood and now the tender mercies of FEMA. For the first time, I get Reagan’s “joke,” “We’re from the gummint and we’re here to help.”

Well, I’m glad you’re home, imm. Some month your family has had.

Mary’s post hasn’t appeared yet.

Holy Joe’s middle initial is “I.” Coincidence?

For “Isadore,” Matt O. But you’re right, “I” sums him up better.

Lotus –

I was thinking “I” as in “me, me, me” AND “I” as in running as an “independent.”

If we say Joe’s full name (Joe Lieberman), we should always use the “I,” emphasize it if necessary.

If there’s one slim (extremely, excruciatingly slim) consolation in the 2000 result, it’s that JIL won’t go down in history as a Vice President of the United States.

There is no “US” in Lieberman …

*ilson — unless it really turns out to be “come to Joe-sUS time”

That was classic Trex.

What gets me about all this is how stupid Lieberman’s campaign has been. The time to make an announcement of an independent campaign was right after the convention, when it was clear that he’d lost the core of the CT Dems. Then he could have made a clear appeal to the center, the right, and the people who just vote for incumbents. This having it both ways is untenable. That’s all he’s gonna hear for the rest of the campaign.

OT but still on topic. You know the Iraqi girl raped and killed was at most 15, perhaps as young as 14. But the US MSM still largely refers to her as an adult. The non-US MSM is widely and honestly reporting her age and the fears she had over advances from the US troops. news.google.com no longer has stories on the issue but news.google.ca does. Does anyone have a problem with this?

le jackel at 219 — I would understand it, perhaps, if the media was worried about tainting a jury pool with inflammatory coverage, but this is going to be a military trial under the UCMJ because it happened in the course of performance of his military duties…so those same jury panel tainting concerns are much more limited. I do find that very odd…

I’ve just spent an hour in fruitless search for a comment from, I believe, siun, who Monday recounted Lieberman’s whole right-wing history. I think we all (especially those who missed it first time around) could use another long look at that comment.

Could somebody whose fetching skills are better than mine please try to snag it again? Mooch grass.

AP: Iraqi PM Wants Rape – Slay Investigation

J., last time I heard (that tricky word of mouth), Howard Dean was a little p.o.’d at certain unnamed persons. Any word on that? Still no apology from Schumer. That’s frustrating. So frustrating, I have two words for Schumer: Bite me.

Via Raw Story, here’s a CSM story that’s well worth reading in full: After 9/11 highs, America’s back to good ol’ patriotism.

. . .

A Gallup poll released July 3 finds that American national pride has sunk back to pre-9/11 levels, with 57 percent of Americans saying they are “extremely proud” to be American, compared with 55 percent in January 2001. Among the seven subsequent Gallup surveys asking that question, the high point for “extremely proud” was 70 percent in June 2003.

. . .

The numbers have declined among all political subgroups: Conservatives have declined from an average of 79 percent “extremely proud” in the 2002-2004 period to 71 percent today. Moderates are 56 percent “extremely proud” today versus 68 percent in ‘02-’04. And liberals are down to 40 percent “extremely proud” today, from 55 percent before.

. . .

Is it any wonder that many Muslims hate the West?

From today’s ToL:

Lords reject Bangladesh poison claim
By Times Online and Agencies

A lawsuit that could have cost British taxpayers millions of pounds in compensation to victims of arsenic poisoning in Bangladesh was dismissed by the House of Lords today.

The law lords upheld an earlier ruling by the Court of Appeal that a claim brought by Binod Sutradhar, a 59-year-old Bangladeshi man, against the Natural Environmental Research Council was “hopeless”.

The British Geographical Survey, a branch of the research council, had failed to detect naturally occurring arsenic in Bangladeshi aquifiers while involved in a major irrigation project from 1984 to 1988. The wells were later used as a source of drinking water, resulting in what has been described as the largest mass poisoning in history. As many as 80 million people are believed to have been affected.

. . .

Jane # 5

The way I read the polls in blue Connecticut, a Holy Joe third party run cuts both ways for Dems and the GOP and could, as the campaign unfolds, hurt the GOP equally.

To skeptical Democrats and deaf pundits, Ned Lamont can fairly argue that when he wins the Democratic primary, Lieberman’s continued presence in the race as an independent will ultimately split the GOP vote more than the Democratic vote since the overwhelming Democratic majority vote is moving inexorably toward the Lamont campaign.

Lieberman’s high poll numbers in a general election, at this early stage, only reflect name recognition. Remember, Lieberman was at 50% in California in 2003 leading up to the 2004 presidential campaign based only on name recognition. The same phenomena are in play in Connecticut right now.

The GOP candidate in the general election will have to seriously worry about being marginalized by Lieberman as the GOP voters worry about losing their reliable Lieberman vote and someone who is generally popular, albeit a lapdog, among moderate CT Republicans.

The Democratics in the House races, in contrast, can count on a Lamont campaign exciting the electorate & Democratic base to get out and vote for them, which is something Lieberman CANNOT offer them.

The polling and vote splitting dynamics are and will continue trending toward Ned Lamont.

slinte,
cl

“what do we mean by political parties?”
- Joe Lieberman

What a card.

Didn’t care before, but now he has sent me in the opposite direction. He has no respect and I can see him pouting now (after he and his old party lose a seat and he gets a Bush appointment but wonders why people stare at him, or laugh at his pathetic historic persona).

If Gore could choose someone better than this loser we might have a party. This is all showing me how bad a decision maker Gore was. Also how this center right Democratic movement doesn’t know their A from their E.

caoimhin laochdha

Moreover, the weekend’s brouhaha is gonna raise Lamont’s name recognition. It’s been very peculiar. For this entire race, Lieberman’s been running like a challenger, effectively raising Lamont’s name recognition. His internal polls must be really, really bad.

In which case, I don’t understand why he didn’t just go for the Independent line earlier. I think there’s a good chance that he’ll withdraw from the primary, and just focus on the Independent candidacy. (I think the equivocating senators are going to realize they have to follow Hillary’s lead, and that will take out his only argument–that he’s widely supported by other Democratic leaders.)

Strategically, I think it’s better for Lamont if he doesn’t withdraw–every day that passes in these weird dual party mode, Lieberman reinforces Lamont’s messages about Bush’s favorite democrat and his abandoning of the party (and CT citizens) on key votes, while at the same making him look like a self-serving weasel to independent voters.

Thirty minutes or so, I received a solicitation call from the Democratic Senatorial Election’s Committee (I should have the initials memorized by now, but I’m acronym impaired). When the solicitor (sounded like a young lady to these old ears) paused for breath between selling points I politely told her I preferred to give my money to senatorial candidates directly because I was not satisfied with the behavior of her organization in the primary season, specifically with regard to the campaign in Connecticut. She, also politely, thanked me for my time, and we parted on pleasant terms. I didn’t demand to have my name taken off the calling list. I suspect I’ll get another call in a few days. When I do, I plan to repeat the performance. Eventually, perhaps the Committee will “get it”.

(230) I am not giving *any* money to the Democratic party, as I formerly did, until we see some more statements that pledge to support the winner of the CT primary. After seeing the union video . . . all I can say is that Clinton, Schumer, etc. should let the democratic process run its course.