In the most hyped primary election of the year, Joe Lieberman lost tonight in the Connecticut Senate Democratic primary, to Ned Lamont. It's considered a triumph for the bloggers, for the anti-war forces, and for the left of the Democratic Party generally.
While I'm not a huge Joe fan and never had been, I was hoping he'd pull it off, and I don't like the message it sends that centrist Democrats are no longer welcome in the party, even after years of service. But I wouldn't draw too many conclusions from this. I wouldn't say that Connecticut necessarily speaks for the nation.
That said, I do think that Lieberman should stand down, and abandon the idea of his independent candidacy. The Democratic voters have spoken, and this is not such a dignified way for him to end his political career.
And speaking of finished careers, the most loathsome Democrat in Congress- that'd be Cynthia McKinney- lost big in her primary runoff in Georgia. Good job, J-E-W-S!
Posted by Stephen Silver at August 9, 2006 01:19 AMI have to disagree with you on Joe standing down.
In a campaign with a choice between an unexperienced multi-millionaire with one issue and no substance, and a right-wing republican who was chosen as a sacrificial lamb to Joe Lieberman (seriously, there are stories that at the Republican nominating convention, the crowd made bleeting noises when his name was announced) I choose neither.
Joe didn't abandon the Democratic party, OR his state, but rather his party (or more specifically the "nutroots") abandoned him in favor of ANYBODY.
When I bumped into a Lamont supporter campaigining just outside of the campaigning-free zone at my polling place yesterday, and asked him some simple questions about Lamont's positions, he couldn't even answer them. He knew nothing about his chosen candidate. He simply kept telling me to read the literature, and that Joe was in bed with President Bush. That hardly convinces me to vote for his man.
A large segment of the population of this state still wants Joe as their candidate, and I think that they should get him.
Posted by: Dan at August 9, 2006 07:51 AMYup. As I'm not registered with the democratic party, I couldn't vote in the primaries yesterday, but I would still vote for him as an independant in forthcoming elections because he's the most mid-leaning of all the candidates. It says something significant when Lamont's representatives can't even tell you why we should vote for him. A sample conversation from yesterday:
Voter: Why should I vote for your candidate?
Rep: Well, Lamont's fully against the war in Iraq.
Voter: That's all I've heard about him. Other than that, why should I vote for him?
Rep: *stammering* Well... um... you... uh... Well Lieberman's in bed with big businesses and Lamont's a man of the people!
Voter: Lamont OWNS big businesses, and last I checked the only person Joe was in bed with was Hadassa.
These people are idiots. A candidate running for office with only one stance on one subject, and only one stance, no matter how ill-conceived and pandering it is, should not be elected!
Posted by: Dan's wife at August 9, 2006 09:03 AMJoe Lieberman voted the party line 90% of the time. He did not abandon the party the party abandoned him.
Posted by: Floyd Wright at August 9, 2006 09:44 AMFormer Rep. Cynthia "Sugar Tits" McKinney.
Posted by: LilB at August 9, 2006 10:07 AMIt is indeed a sad day for moderates. Lieberman was one of the most honest and ethical senators. During his victory speech last night, Lamont was surrounded on stage by Al Sharpton and Jesse Jerkson--arguably two of the most loathsome Dems in the country who never miss a chance to stick it to a "hymie."
Posted by: Ev at August 9, 2006 03:25 PM