Joe Lieberman on a tightrope with Chris Shays
(Imagine Senator Ned and Speaker Pelosi)
By Mark Kilmer Posted in 2006 — Comments (6) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
The Hartford Courant today describes liberal Democrat Senator Joe Lieberman as continuing "his tightrope walk" between R's and D's, "swaying back and forth." As we all know, Lieberman needs Republican support this election after his party's nomination was hijacked by fringe types from outside the State of Connecticut. The paper says that Lieberman is walking the rope by dismissing Republican nominee Alan "Foxwoods" Schlesinger, who is now declaring himself "viable" after a convincing performance in Monday's Connecticut Senatorial debate. Schlesinger calls Lieberman, "patronizing."
Far be it from me to judge. Well…
There are two other candidates in this race: Tim Knibbs of Concerned Citizens (Constitution Party) and Greenie Ralph Ferrucci, who seems to be an unreconstructed Naderite, prattling about corporations and career politicians.
So much about this election is unreconstructed, from Ned reviving the war protests of yore to Lieberman being Lieberman. (Is he unreconstructed or immutable? This is not a per se bad thing, see: "Reagan, President Ronald.")
In another twist found in the Courant piece, Joementum "told reporters in New Haven that he hopes Democrats regain control of the House of Representatives." That wasn't so hard, Joe, was it?
Read More…
Then throw in this:
U.S. Rep. Chris Shays, R-4th District, told reporters his own re-election was secondary to the re-election of Lieberman, whom he called "a national treasure."
The New Haven Independent has a blow-by-blow surrounding this in today's edition. They have vid, including of the Shay's comment and the recommendation that Lieberman can communicate well with both parties.
Joe can work with both parties. Here's a campaign slogan for Republican voters: "Joe Lieberman, not the freak." The freak is Ned, and the Connecticut GOP has decided that it is more important to defeat the freak than it is to prop up their candidate who's candidacy is essentially a formality to keep the GOP alive and in the State until brighter days arrive. He will not win the election, but he can make a name for himself for some future election. Against Chris Dodd in 2010, if the old man opts to seek another term? Or for the open seat.
One wonders, though, if Schlesinger's debate success will lead Connecticut to the nightmare of Ned, given that his effective performance might strip some conservative Republicans away from the lefty Lieberman Perhaps not, as Lieberman's most significant selling point with these voters, besides being the one thing standing between State and the disaster which is Ned, is his personal integrity. Joe Lieberman is a decent man.
Joe Lieberman's current dance is by no means out of character for him, and it is the best way to be sure Connecticut and the United States don't have to deal with a Senator Ned. And I would not hold such talk against Chris Shays; after all, he seemed to be saying that… well, Joe Lieberman is a decent man; I hope conservatives in Connecticut's 4th CD cling to both Lieberman and Shays. The alternative just might be Senator Ned… and Speaker Pelosi.
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Joe Lieberman on a tightrope with Chris Shays 6 Comments (0 topical, 6 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
Shays knows how to win in this district. He will do so again this year.
If people want to judge Schlesinger on their own, here's the debate sequence on North Korea, and here is Schlesinger going after Lieberman on Social Security.
The man's no idiot.
it could be that Schlesinger, who would be formidible in a standard open election where conservatives are given respect, could be an uwitting tool of the political left.
If Schlesinger takes ten points from what Lieberman has now, Ned is a U.S. Senator.
. . . it's not unwitting.
As far as the "these circles" line is concerned, I doubt you'll find members of the orange community who has taken more grief from people for defending Lieberman during the past year than me. I posted a link. If I was trying to deceive you guys, I'd create a new alias and start from there, but that is not my intent, nor would I do that to Mike.
Schlesinger could be an "unwitting tool" if he did not know that his candidacy was being used as one. Of course, I can only applaud him for winning that debate with the best answers. This reflects on Lieberman and on Ned.
I don't follow the goings-on over in the "orange community," but I'll take you at your word. And it speaks well of them that they would tolerate someone who ventured astray from the orthodoxy of so important a point as Nedism.
Respect for Mike? That's a splendid trait and speaks well of you.
Cheers!
A new poll conducted for the Democrats finds Republican Representative Chris Shays trailing Democrat Diane Farrell by 3 percent, 41 - 44, in Connecticut's 4th Congressional District.
The poll was conducted October 10-12 and has a +/- 4.9% margin of error.
I live in the 4th CD and the result of this poll just doesn’t feel right. I see few signs for Farrel and ton of signs for Shays.
An Advocate/Greenwich Time poll, conducted September 25 - October 1, found likely voters prefer Shays over Farrell, 44 percent 40 percent.
Shays beat Farrell by 4 percent, 52 to 48, in 2004.