YES!!

“I shall call him… Mini-Me!”

You know, I don’t think anyone wanted to contemplate Biden’s “bear”ness. Ewwww.

blergh!

Fisted?

My eyes, that pic burns!!

In the words of the famous Credit Card company:

Priceless!

lol eli!

Joe and his amazing technicolor outvote

Wasn’t there a band called Biden ‘N’ Cryin’?

Yet another Lieberman post? Wow!

For anyone who still took Joe Biden seriously after the alst five years, it is time to let go of the illusion. Clearly the man is as oblivious to the mess he has helped to create as Joemomentito himself. Good riddance to both of them. Perhaps now Dems can now focus on unseating the Repugs.

Joe Biden really thinks he’s running for president, eh? Why would he bother supporting Lowly Joe? That’ll sure help people forgive him for supporting the horrid bankruptcy bill. Biden’s motto: Power First, People Last.

Joe Biden really thinks he’s running for president, eh? Why would he bother supporting Lowly Joe? That’ll sure help people forgive him for supporting the horrid bankruptcy bill. Biden’s motto: Power First, People Last.

Yes, this is an absolutely brilliant strategy to capture the love of the Democratic base so he can triumph decisively in the primary.

Maybe Joementum can be his running mate…

This reminds me of the fake commercial on Saturday Night Live where the rabbi performs a bris in the back seat of a sedan to demonstate its smooth supsension and reliable handling. (sorry, sometimes I just have to drop a match in the gasoline)

This reminds me of the fake commercial on Saturday Night Live where the rabbi performs a bris in the back seat of a sedan to demonstate its smooth supsension and reliable handling. (sorry, sometimes I just have to drop a match in the gasoline)

Ah yes, the Oldsmobile Cutbriss Supreme…

a fractured french/spanish/italian translation of “pina collada” might equate to “glued dick”. just a random observation.

rwcole 9 — I’m in Connecticut. I guess you better get used to them.

a sticky wicket, punaise?

reposted from the bottom of the previous thread because it is important and you folks have gone All Joe, All the time:

OT & sure to be EPUd at this hour,

Just back from Anchorage. State Sen. Ben Stevens (President of the Alaska Senate and son of US Sen. Ted Stevens) has announced he will not stand for his seat in the fall election. Rumors have been around here for a couple of months that this would happen. Supposedly, US Rep. Don Young also wants to step down from his national house seat, but won’t do so until after the token primary, which Young will win. Then, the rumor has gone, the State GOP machine will annoint Ben Stevens to take Young’s place on the November ballot.

rwcole 9 — I’m in Connecticut. I guess you better get used to them.

Jane, I finally connected with that ronjazz fellow I mentioned at Pittsburgh DL. I’ll pass along his info and “introduce” you.

Frootz!

Crooks of a Farthing

….don’t they look darling.

ET,
Very interesting. Those Alyeskans can be pretty ornery and unpredictable when they feel they are being manipulated, in my experience…

ET #18: if you are still there: so what does that mean for the AK Congressional race? Is this an opening for the Democrat candidate, Vandersaar (sp?)?

Thanks, Eli.

Jamie. Bored. Pina Coladas.

Jane’s just biden her time…..

Just gotta say that picture is soooo gross – in so many ways – LMAO!

punaise #24: I thought that was the caption, Biden demonstrating his baby sitting aptitude. Guess I misunderstood.

Wonder who gets diaper duty?

Jane,

saw your comment that you didn’t want to hear about anymore “outside influence.” Anybody in CT been pickin’ on you?

Yes, this is an absolutely brilliant strategy to capture the love of the Democratic base so he can triumph decisively in the primary.

Maybe Joementum can be his running mate. . .

Campaign slogan: Primaries? We don’t need no stinkin’ . . .

Anybody? Anybody?

wow, ET, there is the same sorta family thing going on in AK with the Stevenses and Murkowskis that we have with the Greggs and Sununus here in NH.

that picture is truly vomitrocious.

I could be a still from one of the Sunday talk shows. Or a mystic clairavoyant snap of a future joint campaign appearance -Biden all Schumered up talking tough to the local yokals. Biden is the tough love social worker telling CT to take care of its precious baby. No credit, so who knows?

Edward Teller: please keep us updated on what the Stevens developments mean for the AK Congressional seat.

Linda,

How about, “We choose the candidate, so you don’t have to.”

Apologies if you’ve answered this already but is tomorrow’s debate on C-Span, and what time?

Campaign slogan: Primaries? We don’t need no stinkin’ . . .

Anybody? Anybody?

Oh, hey. Wow. Maybe *that’s* Biden’s plan! To run for *President* as an Independent if he can’t get traction as a Dem! No wonder he wants to back Joementum – he’s a trial balloon!

knuckledragger @ 33

With Alaska’s shenanigans, looks like that’s the joint congressional campaign slogan now.

I don’t want to reopen a sore topic from the earlier thread but I think we should be *very* careful of the whole jewish/anti-semitic theme re: Joe. He will use this – he plays his religion like W and crew do – and the minute I heard him talking about “diversity” I assumed that was the tipoff of one direction he will go in to attack Lamont. Let’s make sure we don’t give him any ammunition – and let’s make sure we don’t fall into anti-semitic comments. Critiquing policies related to Israel or pro-AIPAC is important and I’m not saying to drop that issue but I’d like to see the candidate’s personal religious views off the table and go after Joe and his ilk based on issues.

Apropos of not very much, here’s an amusing freeze-frame of Jane and her poodles on parade the other day.

Note the furry schnoz pointed right at the camera as the group strolls past. Which of the poodles is part ham?

The most credible Dem candidate in the upcoming primary is Diane Benson, a longtime progressive whose son was severely injured in Bagdhad while serving in the Army – he’s still in Walter Reed. Diane will be Young’s or his annointed successor’s opponent in November.

This could be a national opening for the Dems, as Ben Stevens is viewed as the most corrupt and least trustable serving politician in Alaska. His negatives are lower than Governor Frank Murkowski (father of US Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who was appointed to the senate by – ta-da! – her father after he left it to become Governor).

I appreciate all the effort put in by so many at this site in the CT primary. I feel I have pretty good political insticts, but I did not see this nearly as soon as others. Thanks for helping me take it to the next level.

debate at 7pm on cspan 1. msnbc also said they were covering it.

Note the furry schnoz pointed right at the camera as the group strolls past. Which of the poodles is part ham?

Without even looking, I’m going to guess that it’s Kobe ham.

I assume that commenters have come up for a name for what Lieberman will be, but I cannot find it in weekends posts. Is it Dimdependent? Dimocrat? Dinodpendent? What?

Siun 37 Amen
Angie 41 thanks

Swopa 38 — did you have to ask?

Of COURSE it’s Kobe. Big fat ham.

I assume that commenters have come up for a name for what Lieberman will be, but I cannot find it in weekends posts. Is it Dimdependent? Dimocrat? Dinodpendent? What?

Atrios’s contest winner was “The Bullshit Moose Party”, but I thought “The Donner Party” and “The Aristocrats” were better.

siun,

good point.

Jane, I wonder if you’ve had a chance to observe the people in CT enough to see what it is that turns them off about Joe? Ned’s positive traits are easy to identify, but Joe’s negative traits aren’t entirely something people can readily characterize without understanding the politics behind his bad decisions. Is there a visceral response you’ve observed that can be summed up in a few emotions? Can people smell his fear?

siun @ 37 — I strongly agree with you on this. The subject made me queazy in the other thread.

Billmon’s got his juices flowing again ! http://billmon.org/

Siun 37 Amen

If anyone wants to start “Jews Against Joe-sus”, just let me know and I’m there.

Are you saying Kobe never met a camera he didn’t like?

siun @ 37

Your point about not giving Joe ammunition is spot on. Thanks!

I’m still wondering about Boxer, though. Maybe this is revisiting the “Clueless” post from a while back, but what’s Boxer’s angle here? She’s my senator, and so far I can’t see why she’s going out of her way to back Joe in the face of comments she would smack down loudly and publicly in a heartbeat if they came from someone challenging her for her seat.

I’ve emailed her office again today, and if I hear anything, I’ll pass it along.

I thought Kobe was beef!

Jane @ 45 — No, not really. :)

Glad to see everybody is excited about this. Please do not forget the point of this exercise.

Elect Lamont.

We must do this. It’s step one in the people-powered move to retake our nation from the ReThug Fascists and their Democratic enablers. Biden, Boxer, Salazar…these folks are not ‘accidental democrats’ they are all financed by corporate America. And they don’t give fuck about you or your children.

If yer serious about change in this country do whatever you are able to help Lamont get elected.

Having met him and talked to him when he visited us in CA I can personally attest that he is deserving of progressive support.

Elect Lamont.

siun @ #37,

well said! We also need to be on the lookout as a new generation of trolls get launched upon us by the GOP. The way this came down in the previous thread, I’m thinking more and more in terms of the old Soviet model of sleeper mole, a person trained to live a legend until somebody says “would you like to play some cards?” or says ?

This night is going to fast for me. Sunburnt from walking the parade here in town yesterday, and now doing doors today.

Has anyone else posted a link to the General’s pro-Joe ad?
http://patriotboy.blogspot.com…..1341578203

The General makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside, in a purely heterosexual way. (TM)

Night all, got a morning radio interview, wish me luck!

I’m still wondering about Boxer, though. Maybe this is revisiting the “Clueless” post from a while back, but what’s Boxer’s angle here? She’s my senator, and so far I can’t see why she’s going out of her way to back Joe in the face of comments she would smack down loudly and publicly in a heartbeat if they came from someone challenging her for her seat.

She is one of only *three* Democratic senators out of 43 who are actively campaigning for Joe. The other two make sense to me as triangulating whores, but Babs has always been solidly liberal. There is a back story to this (she must owe him big for something, or else he has the goat-sex negatives), and I want to know what it is.

Ed*ard,

Why don’t you pass the time with a nice game of solitaire?

I think in the picture, Little Joe is about to do to Biden’s hand what he’s been doing to the Democratic Party for years.

Forgot to mention, if Howie sees this, Kelly Parrson gives him a big HOORA for the article he posted.

The way this came down in the previous thread, I’m thinking more and more in terms of the old Soviet model of sleeper mole, a person trained to live a legend until somebody says “would you like to play some cards?” or says ?

Joe Lieberman is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I’ve ever known in my entire life.

TexasHippie 48 — I should probably watch a bit more TV (read: turn it on). The people I’ve interfaced with and spoken to at length have all been Lamont supporters very involved in the race so everything about Lieberman irritates them. It’s sort of like being airlifted to ground zero. I didn’t get into a lengthy conversation about politics with the two lesbians at the designer dog food store. Maybe as I get settled and have a bit more time to catch my breath I will.

There’s plenty of reasons to dislike and attack Lieberman without going for the stereotype jabs. Joe does like to play his false piety as a strength, although, so it shouldn’t be completely off-limits. But why go for cheap shots about his faith and heritage when it’s just so damned easy to rip him to shreds on his positions and arrogance and whininess?

ET: thank you. I haven’t read anything about Benson, but just looked at her site. She looks like a more credible candidate than Vondesaar(-Anti Fascist) the only site I can find for him is something that looks like an entry on some one elses homepage and part of his background is being a “politcal prisoner in Homer since 1989″ 1989? Was there a coup in Alaska in 1989? Thanks for the info.

Link to “Clueless” thread on June 10:

http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/06/10/clueless/

earlier today, there was a oddly firmly pro-Joe comment — I checked the IP — it came from a major tobacco company! they are lurking out there…

But why go for cheap shots about his faith and heritage when it’s just so damned easy to rip him to shreds on his positions and arrogance and whininess?

The shots I’ve been seeing (here, at least) have been couched in, “A-ha, so *that’s* why Babs is supporting Joe! They’re both part of the Great Jewish Collective!”

earlier today, there was a oddly firmly pro-Joe comment — I checked the IP — it came from a major tobacco company! they are lurking out there…

Joebacco.

Seriously, if there’s anyone who thinks Joe Biden isn’t the biggest horse’s ass in America, will you please say so?

Seriously, if there’s anyone who thinks Joe Biden isn’t the biggest horse’s ass in America, will you please say so?

I don’t. He pales before Joementum and any number of Republican wankers.

tommy yum,

feeling sleepy now……..no, wait. Aha! The Ace of Clubs. Or was it supposed to be the Queen of Hearts? Or the deuce of Diamonds?

I’d never make a sleeper mole or a blackjack shark.

Sorry, Ron. I’d have to pin that on Bill Frist. God, there are so many.

We can agree that Biden is a big horse’s ass.

That’s a messed up picture. It’s seriously disturbing.

siun @ #37,

Thanks for the post. I heard just yesterday Joe reads all the FDL comments.

(49) Jane, be sure to keep us updated if you do find out. I think a key of understanding what makes people tick is being around them when they begin to express themselves, show interest, make connections and feel involved. We all know that the Dem consultants aren’t doing any ground work on this one, but it’s a very important part of the grassroots which the netroots occasionally loses sight of.

Thanks for the post. I heard just yesterday Joe reads all the FDL comments.

Oh, I Joepe so.

Point well taken, Eli. Biggest horse’s ass in the Democratic Party, except for Joe Lieberman?

(64) rather…. Jane, be sure to keep us updated if you do find out. I think a key of understanding what makes people tick is being around them when they begin to express themselves, show interest, make connections and feel involved. We all know that the Dem consultants aren’t doing any ground work on this one, but it’s a very important part of the grassroots which the netroots occasionally loses sight of.

Joe, read this: Don’t go away sad, just go away.

I’d never make a sleeper mole or a blackjack shark.

But you could make a woodchuck chuck.

Must be bedtime!

wesgpc @ #66:

‘89 = Exxon Valdez, my son being born, 20th anniversary of the Good Friday quake (same day as Exxon Valdez), no coups…..

Peterr 53, maybe its just good old fashioned political horse trading. Maybe Joe sold Boxer his vote a while back for a future consideration, and the future is now.

ET 57, BINGO. See my 255 last thread.

its working folks. no on the ground news from iraq on a.p. or reuters since who knows when. heads up.

Joe Biden is probably the greatest living example of a gas bag we have. Every so often he says all the right things, but he absolutely never, ever follows through with his actions. I guess he’s nothing more than a hot airhead.

Point well taken, Eli. Biggest horse’s ass in the Democratic Party, except for Joe Lieberman?

That last part is superfluous, really.

Actually, right now I think Shrumer is a bigger horse’s ass unless he unequivocally pledges to support the primary winner – better yet, unless he also pledges to stay *out* of the primary.

And then if you open it up to the House, you’ve got Cuellar and Jefferson…

Has the DSCC made an official announcement on the CT kerfluffle?

Joe Biden is probably the greatest living example of a gas bag we have. Every so often he says all the right things, but he absolutely never, ever follows through with his actions. I guess he’s nothing more than a hot airhead.

Arlen. Specter.

But at least he has the excuse of actually being a Republican, so letting Bush shit on the Constitution is kind of his job.

Good night, all. See you tomorrow.

Re: Boxer’s motivation, maybe Jane’s “Clueless” pissed her off more than we’ll ever know, so , goddammit, she’s just digging in her heels.

Eli — The shots I’ve been seeing (here, at least) have been couched in, “A-ha, so *that’s* why Babs is supporting Joe! They’re both part of the Great Jewish Collective!”

That’s just nuts. You might as well presume she’s supporting him because they’re both rabid skeet shooters. No evidence of that either, but hey it’s a bit more imaginative as assumptions go.

ET #82: thanks for reminding me. that caused a lot of harm to people I know, so I won’t laugh. I am glad some one like Benson is running though -she seems like a viable candidate and Vondesaar doesn’t.

Suin@33—>Op99@——->Absofookinlutely.

I was at a 4th party with a bunch of right wingers(you can’t choose family), and didn’t get into a political discussion till the very end of the evening.

It started with an inlaw(former police officer, RayGun lover) going off on Clinton again, on the same tired issue.

So I inquired about the NSA and the Rule of Law.

Woo Hoo game on.

Ten minutes later three people are scrambling to yell at me while everyone was agape. So I raised my voice( I really try, to keep it very civilized, when chatting with someone I disagree with) and told them if they were going to verbaly lynch me, I was walkin away right then….they chilled.

Truth, respect, and civility provide a striking contrast to the unprincipled behavior typified by a majority of right wingers.

The uhh…discussion, ended with me claiming ignorance on a Red
Herring, and Mr. Policeman Inlaw acquiesce on at the least oversight was needed on the NSA issue.

Have a Great Night All!

Peterr @ 53

but what’s Boxer’s angle here?

I have a theory — which I admit might be completely wrong. I think Boxer is trying to make her bones in the party power structure.

For so many years, she’s been identified with “the loony left,” but lately Senator Boxer has acquired a lot of juice. Leaving aside that the juice was squeezed by lefties, I just think she wants to establish her bona fides — and enhance her influence — within the party itself. This is something I want to see happen, since she happens to support policies I am for. I just wish she’d realize where her power truly is coming from.

op99,

I’ve seen that before. “Damn, I got caught being stupid! Now I’ll be stupider.”

With her performance at the Ykos conference and now with her pledge to campaign for Lieberman, it sounds like Boxer too could use a Peter Daou to inform her about opinion, position, and memory in the blogosphere. Anyone have any ideas how this might be accomplished?

LindaR – You may be right, but this is just about the worst way imaginable to do that.

Ed*ard Teller at 57:
well said! We also need to be on the lookout as a new generation of trolls get launched upon us by the GOP. The way this came down in the previous thread, I’m thinking more and more in terms of the old Soviet model of sleeper mole…

Or alternatively, how it came to be conventional wisdom in the Vietnam era that the person in a group advocating violence was always the FBI mole. (Or so I’m told; I’m not quite old enough to have had personal experience. Perhaps others can enlighten us.)

OFG 95 LOL.

As I vaguely recall from the Tom Daschle campaign, it was somehow considered shocking that Frist actually went to South Dakota and campaigned for Daschle’s Republican opponent. It violated all kinds of Senatorial courtesy stuff. No one expected Frist to support Daschle, but campaign against him? Even when securing a bigger majority was a huge Republican priority? Heavens to betsy, no. Now that struck me as very strange at the time, but it did stick in my head in a fuzzy kind of way. That in turn suggests to me that in the Club of 100, incumbency is somehow officially “special.” The Senate has institutionalized protecting the members’ seats. And of course we know that the official policy of the DSCC is not neutrality in a primary, but active support of an incumbent.

So, do we really have to look very far for why Boxer, Biden, and Salazar are campaigning for Boltin’ Joe? It’s not about issues and it’s not really about party. It is about religion, but not the kind that gives rise to sectarian division. They are all incumbents, and they all worship at the shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Reelection.

And if you need any more explanation than that, consider this: extortion works. They really don’t want to have have to deal with the consequences of Joe Boltin’.

Eli at 97 — Maybe not. As long as she doesn’t campaign for him post-primary if he loses, it could get swept up in the usual “we’ve had our differences, now unite behind the candidate.” Heck, if she was really clever, she could be positioning to be the person who tells him the “independent Democrat” bit isn’t going to fly, and he should drop it for the good of the party.

I don’t actually think she’s that clever, but it would be nice if it were true.

Redshift 97,

It’s true, FBI moles are usually the agents provacateurs. Look at the Seas of David yahoos arrested in Florida: it was the FBI undercover agent that incited them into talking about their crazy scheme. Nothing like praying on fringe groups and exploiting people of questionable rationality.

op99 says:

“maybe its just good old fashioned political horse trading. Maybe Joe sold Boxer his vote a while back for a future consideration, and the future is now.”

This sounds a lot like:

“Someday – and that day may never come – I’ll call upon you to do a service for me. But until that day, accept this justice as a gift on my daughter’s wedding day.”

Hugh 103, that image was in my mind as I wrote that! Great minds, etc.

Redshift, it still seems unnecessary to me. It’s like she somehow forgot which CA senator she was.

(Damn, agents provocateurs. If I’m going to use fancy words I should get the spelling right.)

New TRex Late Night thread, BTW.

But until that day, accept this justice…

Or as Richard Pryor said about prison, “You go in there looking for justice, and that’s what you find, just us.”

Eli 59 – don’t hold your breath dear for Barbara Boxer is a stubborn little cuss and always needs time to figure out a graceful exit or not. Her staff in California has been innudated with calls, faxes and emails after a five day weekend so I think it a safe assumption her Washington staff is a bit overwhelmed too.

In my last message to her SF office I suggested my good Senator read the comments on the DSCC site and am now moving on to Hillary in the hope she’ll rescue her old friend with a pithy word or two.

My take is she won’t say anything until after the debate tomorrow.

Sen. Boxer at least made an appearance at YKos, albeit not wildly received, she at least had the courage and wit to show up.

The netroots are very bewildering to our professional political class with pitifully few exceptions and my hope is her brilliant ghost writer will weigh in with some unvarnished truth.

One last speculation – Boxer is probably much more sympathetic to Mrs. Lieberman than pathetic ole egotistical Joe Nomomentum.

just another voice saying f*uck yeah
great image
I hope these bastids roast on their own arrogant petards
haven’t we learned that centrist appeasement doesn’t work yet?

I really do hope Lamont beats Joe in the primary

Wish I were registered in Conneticut

Cook County, Illinois has politics every bit as thirteenth century as Alaska or New Hampshire. A republic if you can keep it, indeed.

Another Republican endorses Lieberman
http://patriotboy.blogspot.com…..6363792660
It’s good to see someone has Joe’s back in these troubled times.

Happy July 4th to all of you. I just made a flash game where uncle Sam is seen throwing knives at Joe Lieberman called Back Stabbing Lieberman. Check it out at my site here: http://zenwire.com/flashmedia-lieberman.php. There are also other games there: bush rampage, bush-rice-terror, bush shootout, dancing bush and Blair and other political games as well. Feel free to comment for I plan to make more.

Anyways, back to the meaning of July 4th for my kids.

I was watching all the fireworks outside with my kids, and my 8 year old daughter asked me to explain what was Independence day all about. I gave her the story about colonial settlers under British rule and how we united with help to fight off the Brits and finally won our independence for the right to self rule. And when I told her that this is when our founding fathers wrote the Declaration of Independence, and she asked me what was that? I did not remember most of the words, but incredibly my wife did and we utter some of those magic words together. I told her that when I was a kid and read those words, I thought that they were the most beautifully written words I had ever read. And I told her that the meaning and values of that document was why I love America so much; this was the country that taught me what it meant to be equal and fair, good and just. But I also told her that half of it is no longer true, and my son, a typical Nintendo kid, interjected: “You mean, like Bush.” I did not even have to reply or convince him, somehow he already knew. In a way I should be glad that even my kids can see what is going on, but somehow I actually felt sad. Sad because they don’t know the full weight and tremendous implications of those words written so long ago. Sad because they don’t realize the power of words and the actions they can generate; and those specific words were so powerful that countless men have willingly died through the eons in their fleeting attempt to manifest and live out those words and its ideals. And sad because I grew up in a world full of idealistic ideas and enthusiasm, teaching us to not only help and improve ourselves, but all of humanity and mankind as well. Reaching the moon and back was just a small sampling of things to come. I am what I am is because of these words and it makes me sad to realize that my kids will not have these words and the absolute belief and trust in those very words (inscribed by our founding fathers) to guide and instill in them a sense of justice and equality. They know the world is not fair and they will never expect it to be fair. I have always hoped the world will be so, but I can no longer say this with a straight face to my kids that the world will be this way when they grow up or if it will ever even get any closer to those ideals; just like the moon is no longer feasible to travel to anymore, there is easy money to be made elsewhere subjugating the people of this planet.

Kerry Not Endorsing Lieberman in Primary, Will Back Nominee – http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=3529

Hi Jan, Christy, TRex, Pach and all the gang. I linked over to ABlog and watched that great Schoolhouse rock cartoon.

My personal favorite and the point in my life that I can definitavely trace my interst in politics back is this one…

http://getintheirface.blogspot…..-1987.html

Perhaps someone should play it for Bush the next time he adds a “Signing Statement”.

Re: Boxer et al. I think they see the future and it’s that once the blogosphere turns its collective head and focuses its collective eyes on a phoney his/her days are numbered. They want this blog push for Lamont to fail – if not, they are next. Even if it does fail, they’re next. Very soon, we’re gonna start winning each time out.

Zenseeker 114, while driving my granddaughter aged 10 to school in a conservative Florida county that went for Bush both times, she offhandedly mentioned that ‘everybody at my school hates Bush’. When I asked if it was teachers or kids, she said both. I found that strangely heartening.

JOHN KERRY will support the Connecticut primary winner; won’t stump for Lieberman…

Boston.com

The Boston Globe/ The New York Times
Unlike some peers, Kerry not endorsing Lieberman in primary

By Rick Klein, Globe Staff | July 6, 2006

WASHINGTON — Senator John F. Kerry announced yesterday that he will support whoever wins next month’s Democratic Senate primary in Connecticut, despite the decision by incumbent Senator Joseph I. Lieberman to run as an independent candidate if he loses the primary.

The announcement was made a day after a similar declaration by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, who, like Kerry, is considering a presidential run in 2008.

But unlike Clinton, Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid, and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee — all of whom pledged to support Lieberman in the primary — Kerry is declining to choose between Lieberman and his Democratic challenger Ned Lamont, said Amy Brundage , a spokesman for Kerry’s political operation.

Brundage said the Massachusetts Democrat generally does not get involved in primaries, though Kerry has made exceptions in the past for candidates he favors. Earlier this year, he helped raise money for three Iraq war veterans who were involved in contested Democratic primaries for House seats.

Last month, Kerry endorsed Jim Webb in a race against another Democrat, Harris Miller, for the nomination for a Senate seat for Virginia. Kerry raised $32,000 for Webb via e-mailed fund-raising appeals, recorded a message for automatic calls to likely primary voters, and appeared at a Webb rally the night before the primary.

Brundage said that this year, Kerry is endorsing only candidates in contested primaries who are veterans.

“Since Kerry has made his personal mission for 2006 electing veterans to the House and Senate, he’s likewise only taken sides in Democratic primaries to back candidates who are veterans,” she said. “Connecticut will choose the Democratic Senate nominee, and John Kerry will support him.”

Lieberman has said he would remain a Democrat even if he runs as an unaffiliated candidate. Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee officials are supporting Lieberman in the primary but have refused to say who m the committee would support if Lamont wins the Democratic nomination.
Copyright 2006 The New York Times Company

If Lieberman runs as an independent he will split the democratic vote and hand 2008 to Jeb Bush.