Anonymous said...
He's going to give the Iranians a reason not to build a nuclear bomb
Like what, give the Ayatollah his lapsed membership in the Round Hill Club? -- Connecticut Local Politics
The anonymous blogger has a point: Most terrorists are fairly hard-headed, and there may be no permanent solutions in the Middle East, only a past soaked in blood and a doubtful future. Diplomatists talk as if it is possible to negotiate the suicide pack off the chest of the suicide bomber. They are wrong.
The post-primary blogs have a different tone and message than the pre-primary blogs, which suggest considerable movement in Connecticut’s political templates -- for primaries are different than general elections.
Primaries are intra-party struggles for prestige and power; general elections are much broader in scope and purpose. In showing Sen. Joe Lieberman the door, Lamont supporters – a Pequod crew of anti-war protesters, energetic college and high school students, gone-to-seed-former shakers and movers within the McGovernite anti-Vietnam War wing of the party, holier than Joe-momentum Democrats, assiduous readers of DailyKos and the Huffington Post, Lowell Weicker, his major domo Tom D’Amore, once a Republican Party chairman, and other eager progressives – were nailing above the gates of the Democrat Party the following notice: “Tremble all ye who enter here; who is not with us is against us.” The intra-party war is not a war of all against all; it is a duel to the death between the McGovernite wing of the party and those who follow the precepts of the Democrat Leadership Council. It is a struggle, in other words, between moderates and leftists.
It was not so much the peck on the cheek between Lieberman and President George Bush that mobilized the senator’s opposition. It was Lieberman’s embrace of Republican positions – especially on the war in Iraq -- and his unwillingness to needlessly shed Republican blood for the sake of Democrat solidarity that placed him beyond reach of his party's true believers.
It may have been this feeling of utter frustration and betrayal that induced Jane Hamsher, an ideological carpetbagger on loan to the Lamont campaign from FireDogLake, a progressive blog site, to put up on the Huffington Post a doctored picture of Lieberman in black-face with his sidekick Bill Clinton. See, we’re making a point here folks. Jane just took it to the max. You got a problem with that?
With the general election stretching out before them like a brilliant sunrise, Lamont supporters now have a few serious problems on their hands.
In the pre-general election period, Lamont supporters often argued that primaries were good because they offered voters choices they otherwise might not have; for the same reason, third party challenges generally are considered good by independistas – especially those who, like Weicker, have engaged successfully in such campaigns. But an independent bid by a candidate defeated in a primary is not good … because?
Lamont supporters might argue that a Democrat defeated in a primary should not have a second bite at the apple. But the apple – the ability to run in a general election as the designated Democrat and claim all the rights and immunities associated with party nominees – already has fallen to the victor. A Lieberman challenge would not dispute Lamont’s place in the Democrat universe. It would simply give voters in the general election an opportunity to cast their ballots for an additional candidate. And this is bad … because?
Connecticut tumbles forward into the future with such questions yet unanswered. Lamont -- not to mention roomfuls of frothing bloggers -- can’t wait to assume his seat in the world’s best and brightest debating society. And when he arrives in Washington atop “The Kiss” float, a paper mache representation showing a lip-locked Bush and Lieberman, one can be sure there will be no kissing of Republican presidents. A polite handshake in the rose garden may be in order, but no smooching.
First, however, Lamont must get by Lieberman in the general election, and it is no great encouragement that he will have at his command the same political engines of the Democrat Party that so signally failed Lieberman – including oodles of cash and the vigorous support of Bill and Hillary Clinton.
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