The stupidity of Alan Schlesinger: the GOP wants to help Joe Lieberman edition

The magical mystery tour of Alan Schlesinger's campaign seems to be coming to an end.

The Hartford Courant sent a bunker bomb in to Connecticut Republican U.S. Senate hopeful Alan Schlesinger's flagging campaign today with revelations that the former legislator was successfully sued for thousands of dollars in casino debts he ran up in Atlantic City venues. Schlesinger’s campaign was rocked last week by the news that, among other things, he had gambled in a Connecticut Indian casino under an assumed name, Alan Gold. His luck will have run out now.

Word of his gambling debts will renew calls for Schlesinger to abandon his tattered candidacy. His falling fortunes caused much speculation Thursday on a successor candidate in the wake of a Quinnipiac poll showing Democrat challenger Ned Lamont leading incumbent Joseph Lieberman for the first time in the August 8th primary. Fainthearted Republicans who had declined to run in the spring, when they thought Lamont a minor protest candidate, are witnessing the rare second chance in the simultaneous declines of Lieberman and Schlesinger.

Two words for Alan: It's over.

Although everyone should of seen this coming (including those who knew about Schlesinger's past when he first announced that he was campaigning for the senate seat) people should probably start paying attention to the real story: Gov. Rell and the GOP are planning to help Joe Lieberman's re-election campaign in order to increase Republican voter turnout which will benefit the Republican Congressional incumbents.

Any Republican hopeful will have to overcome a Lieberman boomlet. Advisors close to Republican governor Jodi Rell, who tried to get Schlesinger off the ticket last week, are scheming to give Lieberman a safe harbor on the GOP line in exchange for adding his drawing power to what they hope will be Rell’s. The potent combination would help three Republican congressmen, constitutional office candidates and some legislative hopefuls. State Central Committee would likely resist. Monday’s visit to Waterbury by former President Bill Clinton to rescue Lieberman's primary campaign will be a bitter reminder at the wrong time that Lieberman is very much a Democrat. Lieberman pal John McCain, wildly popular among Connecticut GOP, might be able to smooth the path to a fusion ticket.

Isn't it time for the media to start asking Rell's camp and GOP chariman George Gallo some quesitons such as:

1. Has the GOP and/or Rell's campaign been in contact with the Lieberman campaign?

2. Why did it take so long for Schlesinger's problems to surface if his troubles stemmed from things that happened over ten years ago?

3. What are your opinions of Joe Lieberman?

4. Has the GOP considered endorsing Joe Lieberman's campaign and/or has the GOP talked to the Lieberman camp about this possibility?

At this point, one should be very suspicious with the actions of the Republican Party as this looks like something that comes right out of the playbook of Ken Mehlman and Karl Rove.

Think about it. The Republican Party knows that they have three Congressional seats, which are in danger of falling into the Democrats hands but unlike the problems the Republicans face in other states, Connecticut is unique because it has a very popular Republican governor and a senator in Lieberman who enjoys a high approval rating among conservatives.

What better way to hold onto those Congressional seats than to use the popularity of Joe Lieberman and Jodi Rell to the benefit of the Party on the national level? For Joe, he could care less how he's re-elected as the only thing that matters to him is that he is re-elected. For Rell (who already loves Lieberman) her main goal is to possibly grab some legislative seats and for Rove and Mehlman, using Lieberman will help Johnson, Shays, and Simmons and which could be enough to keep control of the House.

Remember, Connecticut WILL be the new Ohio and Florida in 2006. Three Congressional seats are up for grabs as well as the possibility of the GOP losing their favorite Democrat. The Republicans know how to play dirty and with polls showing that Americans want Democrats to control Congress, the GOP are looking at any scenario that could help them retain power.

I said this several times and I'll say it again, KEEP AN EYE ON JODI RELL AND THE GOP as they're up to something and it’s becoming more and more obvious as we get closer to primary day.