by Wolfmoon Lady » Mon Aug 21, 2006 8:52 pm
I realize the JonBenet thread is raging but I thought I'd remind folks who care that we in CT are still at it.<br><br>Latest developments --<br><br>I'm sure you've all heard that John Edwards and a few others (LOL) finally endorsed Lamont. This picture cracked me up, so I thought I'd share. Caption, anyone?<br><br><!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://www.courant.com/media/photo/2006-08/24990543.jpg" style="border:0;"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--><br><br>Next, it seems there's a law on the books whereby Lieberman can be removed from the Democratic Party. A local group, based in New Haven, is requesting that Joe be given the formal boot:<!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-lieberman-dems-0821,0,7247090.story" target="top">Lieberman's Independent Run Questioned By Democrats</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br>6:04 PM EDT, August 21, 2006 <br>Associated Press <br><br>Critics asked a New Haven election official to remove Sen. Joe Lieberman from the Democratic Party on Monday, a request which could potentially lead to a hearing in which the longtime Democrat would have to argue that he still adheres to the principles of the party.<br><br><!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>The group, whose members described themselves as peace activists, said Lieberman cannot belong to the Democrat Party while running for office under the "Connecticut for Lieberman" party banner.</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--><br> <br>"The law is pretty clear he is no longer a member of the Democratic Party in good standing," said group leader Henry Lowendorf of the New Haven Peace Council. "There was an open vote and he was voted out. He joined a different party."<br><br>Sharon Ferrucci, the Democratic registrar of voters, said she would research the request, which she said was the first such in her two decades on the job. Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz said Ferrucci could choose to deny the request.<br><br>Lieberman campaign manager Sherry Brown said the effort was "dirty political tricks at its worst."<br><br><!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>Also on Monday, a university professor filed complaints with state officials to try to keep Lieberman's name off the November ballot.</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--><br>John Orman, a Fairfield University political science professor and a former Democratic candidate in the Senate race, filed complaints with the Secretary of the State's Office and the State Elections Enforcement Commission accusing Lieberman of creating "a fake political party" to resuscitate his re-election bid.<br><br>"He's doing anything he can to get his name on the ballot," Orman said.<br><br>Lieberman campaign spokesman Dan Gerstein said Lieberman has followed the law in his re-election campaign. "This is dirty politics at its worst," Gerstein said of Orman's complaint.<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END-->Meanwhile, another strand in the already tangled web. <!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>Did Harry Reid make a private deal with Joe Lieberman?</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--><br><!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-lieberman0818.artaug18,0,1390319.story?coll=hc-headlines-politics" target="top">Would Party Forgive Joe? Lieberman Says Democrats Can Count On Him If He Wins</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br><br><!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>"Sen. Reid left no doubt in my mind that I would retain my seniority and committee assignments within the Senate Democratic Caucus should I be re-elected," Lieberman said Thursday, "and that has been confirmed to me by several other members of the Democratic caucus."</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--><br><br>Reid spokesman Jim Manley confirmed that the two men spoke but would not comment on the substance of the conversation. And he added an asterisk: Ultimately, Lieberman's fate is up to his colleagues, who would vote on his status after the election.<br><br><!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>Privately, some members and their advisers are increasingly concerned that Lieberman is becoming political poison for any Democrat who backs him</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--> - someone who is too closely identified with President Bush's support for the Iraq war and is getting too much Republican support for his re-election.<br><br><!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>But at least four factors could help Lieberman retain his status in the Senate, which includes the possible leadership of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee if Democrats win the majority.</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--><br><br><!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>One is Reid. The Nevada Democrat usually is able to bend his caucus to his will, so an endorsement for leaving Lieberman alone would probably carry weight.</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--> He could also be aided by Dodd. An impassioned pitch by his Connecticut colleague could move members into Lieberman's camp. Dodd, who stumped for Lieberman during the primary campaign but is now backing Lamont, is vacationing and could not be reached for comment.<br><br><!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>Then there's the power an individual senator holds. One person can block Senate legislation or nominations indefinitely,</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--> so "the cost of alienating a single member is high," said congressional expert Randall W. Strahan, associate professor of political science at Emory University in Atlanta. "Democrats may not want to treat him in a manner that he sees as heavy-handed."<br><br><!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>Finally, there's Lieberman himself</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END-->. "I don't think there's any personal animosity toward him," said Strahan. "<!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>He's never been a bomb thrower, and he's been a good institutionalist</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END-->."<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END-->I'll leave the last word to Chimpy:<br><br><!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-bush-lightman,0,1098274.story?coll=hc-headlines-home" target="top">Bush Avoids CT Senate Race</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br><br><!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>Bush today pointedly refused to endorse Republican Senate nominee Alan Schlesinger. "I'm staying out of Connecticut," he said, "because…that's what the party suggested, the Republican party of Connecticut, and plus there's a better place to spend our money, time and resources."</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--><hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END--> I don't know whether to be glad or insulted! <p></p><i></i>