July 25, 2006
MANNISH BOY:
Ex-president takes step into Connecticut's fray (Peter S. Canellos, July 25, 2006, Boston Globe)
Should national Democrats back Lieberman in big numbers, they would stand accused of abandoning the party's core antiwar voters. However, if leading Democrats supported Lamont, and if Lieberman were to win, there would be no end to the havoc a bruised and resentful Lieberman could wreak on his party. If control of the Senate were at stake, Lieberman could choose to vote with the Republicans. [...]A few weeks ago, Clinton bemoaned the fact that Democrats were warring among themselves over the Iraq issue. ``If we allow our differences over what to do now in Iraq to divide us instead of focusing on replacing Republicans in Congress, that's the nuttiest strategy I've ever heard in my life," he said.
Clinton knows that if national Democrats abandon Lieberman, Republicans will argue that Democrats are the captives of the angry, antiwar left. He also knows that the party's leading presidential aspirants -- especially Hillary Clinton -- can't embrace Lieberman without alienating the increasingly influential liberal blogosphere. A former president can get away with such things far more easily than current contenders can.
Kind of sad that the only adult supervision in the Democratic Party comes from Boy Bill. Posted by Orrin Judd at July 25, 2006 10:41 AM
This is a move by the Clintons to protect their left flank.If Lieberman is defeated, it empowers the crazy lefties, and may force Hillary to placate them. This shift on her part will make her presidential aspirations less likely to succeeed.
Hence, Bill's strong support for Joe.
Posted by: obc at July 25, 2006 10:56 AMHow? Lieberman still wins the general in a walk--quite possibly on the GOP ticket.
Posted by: oj at July 25, 2006 11:32 AMobc, Your short and sweet analysis is right on target.
Posted by: erp at July 25, 2006 11:34 AMOJ, you're assuming the Kos crowd would logically conclude they don't have the power they thought they did if Joe loses in the primary and wins the election. Odds are if that happened, they'd start screaming about Diebold computer fraud, Karl Rove mind control devices and some shady Bush-Clinton alliance that stole the election from Lamont.
The left is still a long way from any serious introspection on why they keep losing almost every major election.
Posted by: John at July 25, 2006 1:12 PMJohn:
No, I'm assuming that America has no interest in Kos and that the Party can safely ignore them, as Bill is.
Posted by: oj at July 25, 2006 1:25 PMBill?
Posted by: erp at July 25, 2006 6:45 PM"you're assuming the Kos crowd would logically conclude they don't have the power they thought they did if Joe loses in the primary and wins the election. Odds are if that happened, they'd start screaming about Diebold computer fraud, Karl Rove mind control devices and some shady Bush-Clinton alliance that stole the election from Lamont."
They'll do that if Lieberman climbs 5% in the polls.
Posted by: mf at July 25, 2006 8:51 PMKarlikurod4
Posted by: Karlikurod1 at September 13, 2006 6:50 PM