Poeple Powered Media in action

Oh man, CT Bob nails Joe Lieberman again.

Had enough?

Photo from Down with Tyranny

Wesley Clark stumps for Ned Lamont at UConn

General Wesley Clark came to Connecticut to show his support for Ned Lamont. Over 300 students came out to see Clark and Lamont and hear why it's so important that we have a change in course in Iraq and in Washington.

Unfortunately, I could not make it to the event (grr) but other bloggers were able to make the trip to UConn and see Lamont and Clark in action.

I'll bring you updates later int he day but here's a video highlight via the campaign's official blog.

Lieberman can't bring himself to hold Hastert accountable

Joe Lieberman on Clinton/Lewinsky '98.

In choosing this path, I fear that the president has undercut the efforts of millions of American parents who are naturally trying to instill in our children the value of honesty. As most any mother and father knows, kids have a singular ability to detect double standards. So, we can safely assume that it will be that much more difficult to convince our sons and daughters of the importance of telling the truth when the most powerful man in the nation evades it. Many parents I have spoken with in Connecticut confirm this unfortunate consequence.

Lieberman on Foley/Hastert cover-up in 2006:

"Right now I'd say this thing is spinning out of control, it's become another partisan frenzy in Washington, that's the wrong way to go at it.

During a partisan right-winged attack on Clinton (remember Ken Starr) Joe Lieberman had no problem being the first Democrat to criticize Clinton but he can't bring himself to utter a word about Dennis Hastert's role in covering up the perverted actions of Mark Foley.

Let's go back and take a look at Hastert stumbling through his lies earlier this week.
With the number of conservatives calling for Hastert to step down growing by the second, Joe still following his kissing buddy's gameplan.

Will Lieberman hold George Bush or any of his ANY Republican friends accountable for anything?

Joe Lieberman (R-CT for life).

Brigadier General John H. Johns supports Lamont

Foreign policy expert, Brigadier General John H. Johns, spoke in support for Ned Lamont and talked about how the failed Iraq war policy is damaging our military last night in Hartford.

The great Spazeboy and Kirby from Connecticut Bob attended the standing room only event and filed two seperate reports.
Connecticut Bob:

I had the privilege to attend a speech by Brigadier General John H Johns in Hartford last evening. Spazeboy videotaped the whole evening's program (since it was Bob's last sailing night) and we got a knockout interview with this true American patriot who speaks so eloquently about the damage done to the country and our precious servicemen and women with this outrageous mess in Iraq.

Spazeboy:

...I'm told that this is the first time that General Johns has spoken at an event in support of a political candidate.

Kirby of ConnecticutBob.com and I were both at the event last night, and Kirby was kind enough to conduct this interview with the General after his speech.

That's People-Powered Media in action!

Please visit Spazeboy's site and make a small donation to his cause and help keep his site going.

Fantasy vs. Reality

Fantasy:

Jobs created from July 2004 to July 2006: 19,700. This is a net figure - meaning it reflects job losses as well as job gains.

Reality:

[T]he state's job growth remained sluggish, a federal agency reported today.

[...]

"Connecticut ranked 45th in job growth, though the state's unemployment rate of 4 percent was better than the national average. Many New England states have experienced slow job and population growth," [said Paul] Driscoll, [a regional manager with FDIC].

"Unlike much of the country, Connecticut and Massachusetts still have not fully recovered the jobs lost from the recession five years ago, Driscoll said. The higher cost of living makes it tougher to attract new residents," he said.

"It's a concern," Driscoll said. "It's something we're watching."

Any questions?

Lieberman's former manager to teach at Yale?

WTF?!?

[Steve] Smith, a campaign strategist who came from out of state to lead Lieberman's team, will teach the political science seminar "Modern Political Campaigns." Following the August loss, Lieberman fired his campaign staff, replacing Smith with Sherry Brown, who had run some of his previous campaigns. Smith, whose wife is Susan Hyde, an assistant professor of political science, is now senior vice president at a New York political and communications consulting firm.

[...]

Smith praised the department for offering a class taught by someone whose knowledge of campaigns comes from practical experience - though he hastened to add that he has a master's degree from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. He said he hopes to bring in guest speakers, including, perhaps, Lamont campaign manager Tom Swan, or Tim Tagaris, who ran Internet netroot operations for the Lamont campaign. Smith said he would welcome students of any political leaning in the class, even if they had worked with the Lamont campaign.

Ah, yeah, the day Tim Tagaris comes to speak at YOUR class is the day he'll stop rooting for the Chicago Cubs...and I don't see Tom Swan stoping by your class anytime soon (that thought really cracks me up).

Who's going to this class? If memory served me right, team Joememtum LOST the primary and HE was fired. Anywho, why take a class when you can get all the experience you need by joining a campaign? You have the 2006 elections, the 2007 mayor races and the big show, the 2008 presidential elections. With all that going on, why take a class taught by a loser?

Well, at least some students echo by feelings.

But some students questioned whether they could learn more about elections by volunteering for one, rather than taking a class.

"It seems it's much more the sort of thing you learn by doing, and not by studying," one student, who asked to remain anonymous, said. "When you try to fit a campaign into something formulaic, that's when you get in trouble."

[...]

Other students, mostly Democrats, questioned the value of a campaign strategy class taught by someone whose choice of strategy ultimately proved unsuccessful.

"It's kind of like if after David fought Goliath, Goliath went on to teach a class about how to use a slingshot," said Brendan Gants '08, president of the Yale College Democrats, who have endorsed Lamont.

Dude, do yourself a favor and skip that class and go volunteer.

Farrell, Shays square off

Well, Chris Shays and Diane Farrell had their first debate and the Stamdford Advocate has all the details.

It took Farrell less than a minute into her first response -- to a question about the Republican leadership's handling of the scandal involving former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla. -- to mention the Iraq war.

"This is one more illustration of what has been happening with the existing Republican leadership," Farrell said of the Foley scandal, alleging House leadership knew the former congressman sent sexually explicit e-mails to a teenage page but did not take action to stop it.

"It has been one mistake or one scandal after another, and the one that is the most substantive right now is, of course, where we are in the war in Iraq," she said.

Oh, it has to be tough being aRepublican right now as it seems like the Party is imploding. Farrell is wise to attack Shays from the start and slap him right in the face with the the biggest news story of the last week, the Mark Foley scandal/cover-up, and the current events in Iraq.

Shays knows that he's going to be held accountable for Congressional record and it seemed like he did more defense than offense (never a good sign).

Shays spent most of his 15 minutes defending his vote to authorize military force in Iraq, as well as his recent call to set a timetable for troop withdrawal after returning from his 14th trip to the country and reporting no political progress by the Iraqi leadership. After the debate, he called on Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to resign over his handling of the war.

Stop the press! Shays asking Rumsfeld to resign, asking for a change in direction in Iraq?

Two words: Ned Lamont.

Shays was a HUGE cheerleader for this war and Farrell took no time calling him out on this nonsense.

Farrell suggested Shays was switching his position in light of the Democratic primary win last month of anti-war candidate Ned Lamont over incumbent U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn. Shays responded angrily that he would not suggest policy based on politics.

Brandishing a packet of letters and observations about Iraq, including a letter to the Bush administration written before the primary, Shays said his position has been extensive, sincere and real.

"I have attended five funerals," Shays said. "I would never, ever, ever have a policy on Iraq based on my personal election."

Farrell, who supports a diplomatic solution by establishing benchmarks for the warring Iraqi factions, chided Shays for his letters, saying his recommendations have done little to change the minds of the Bush administration.

"This is not an action item. Too passive for me," she said. "Not for where we are today."

Wow, I wish was there is see this in person. If anyone attended the debate, drop a line in the comments.

Murphy and Johnson in dead heat

No wonder Nancy Johnson has been running those lame attack ads on Murphy. She's in a bit of trouble and No More Nancy has the details.

A new internal poll conducted by the Murphy campaign shows the fifth district race in a dead heat. The same poll showed Johnson with a nine point lead back in June. Clearly, voters are responding to Murphy's positive message of change and aren't buying into Nancy Johnson's fear mongering.

Murphy's 41 towns in 41 days tour definately had a positive impact and his quick rebuttal to Johnson "Battlestar Galatica inspired" attack ad didn't seem to win her any new fans.

Who would you vote for if the election were held today? (June results)

Murphy: 42% (34%)

Johnson: 42% (43%)

Undecided: 12% (21%)

Will you definitely vote for Murphy/Johnson, or might you change your mind before the election?

Murphy: 78% Definite, 21% Might Change

Johnson: 68% Definite, 31% Might Change

In short, people want a change in Washington and Nancy Johnson needs to exit stage right. Her tenure in Congress has only help her deep pockets as she rakes in the money from special interest groups and voters want someone who will go in a new direction.

Joe and Imus have a laugh over torture

Democrat de facto Republican Joe Lieberman was babbling away on Imus in the Morning and President Bush's kissing buddy made a funny about Imus' treatment of Democrats who are loyal to the party.

I have particularly appreciated your interrogation of some of the other Democratic elected officials. And I'm very comforted to know that your interrogation is not covered by Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions. Heh-heh-heh.

Yeah, we know how much you love ignoring habeas corpus Joe.

The Democratic vote in the Senate on Thursday against legislation governing the treatment of terrorism suspects showed that party leaders believe that President Bush’s power to wield national security as a political issue is seriously diminished.

[...]

Democratic opponents of the legislation said their political position was driven by a substantive determination that the bill, which creates rules for interrogating and trying terrorism suspects, is fundamentally flawed and a dangerous departure from founding American principles.

"The only reason to worry about the politics of it is if you don't understand it and don't have the guts to stand up and defend your vote," said Senator Christopher J. Dodd, Democrat of Connecticut, who is considering a presidential race.

Over all, 32 Democrats voted against the measure while 12, including some of those in the most difficult re-election fights, backed it. Among the latter was Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut, whose perceived support for Mr. Bush has brought him political trouble at home.

Funny Joe, real funny.

Hat tip to Joementum for catching Joe's joke.

Colin Powell on Iraq: Staying the course isn't enough

President Bush, Joe Lieberman and the war hawks who stubbornly refuse the accept the reality of the situation in Iraq.

With over thousands of dead American and hundreds of billions of dollars, the United States is stuck in the middle of a bloody civil which seems to have no end in sight. Yet, people like Joe Lieberman continue to cheerlead a president who is leading the country in a wrong direction.

Now, even the former Secretary of the State Colin Powell sees the writing on the wall and says the obvious.

The United States and allies can not resolve the current sectarian violence in Iraq, former Secretary of State Colin Powell said today during a lecture in Minneapolis.

"Only the Iraqi people can resolve this," Powell said.

[...]

In Iraq, "staying the course isn't good enough because a course has to have an end," Powell said.

Wow, Powell sounds like someone I know and he issued this statement.

"Secretary Powell is the latest expert to say that it is time for a change, and Connecticut deserves a straight answer from Senator Lieberman about why he continues to ignore these experts by pushing a failed 'stay the course' strategy," said Lamont. "Last week, our intelligence agencies said 'stay the course' is endangering our security. Early this week, Bob Woodward reported that the administration has misled the American people about the reality on the ground in Iraq. Now, a distinguished military and diplomatic leader like Colin Powell is saying stay the course is a failed policy. When will Joe Lieberman finally face reality?"

Immediately after the Democratic Senate primary, Lieberman aired a campaign ad claiming "I want to help end the war in Iraq." But he has voted against every major legislative effort to pressure the Bush administration to develop an exit strategy. A month after making his pledge to "help end the war in Iraq," Lieberman gave a speech declaring his support for the President's "stay the course" policy. Lamont, by contrast, has said he supports efforts to redeploy American troops and force the Iraqi leadership to begin assuming responsibility for the country's security.

"How much more does America's national security have to be compromised before Senator Lieberman stops being an apologist for the Bush administration?" Lamont said. "We now have one of the Bush administration's own national security icons saying it is time for a change. Connecticut deserves a senator who actually listens to our military and intelligence officials - not one who is so reliant on the Bush White House that he refuses to start pushing for a change in a war that is harming our country's security."

Lieberman has skipped half of all U.S. Senate votes on Iraq - and cast the deciding vote against legislation to force the Bush administration to report to Congress on efforts to stabilize Iraq. Lieberman last week pledged to "get tough" with the Iraqi leadership, and then the next day the Hartford Courant reported he "had a pleasant conversation" with the Iraqi president - a conversation where he did not demand the Iraqis take responsibility for their security.

Had enough? Then help spread the word about Ned Lamont and lets vote for a change.

Rell gets on the bus...again.

Oh man, here we go again.

Why does Gov. Rell do things like this?

...the governor was in New Britain, standing at a vacant lot where a bus terminal would be built if the long-stalled New Britain-to-Hartford busway ever opens. Rell chose the site to say $4.6 million in state bond funding was earmarked for the project.

Now, this busway nonsense is old news, real old news yet the governor is making a show of this in an effort to show that she's actually doing something.

Local politicians have been talking about the busway for at least eight years; construction wouldn't start until 2008, and the first bus wouldn't roll until 2012. Even a staunch supporter of the busway called it "old news."

This type of stunt is nothing new to those who follow the governor's activities and John DeStefano called her out on this stunt.

And her Democratic challenger, John DeStefano, charged that it is no coincidence the governor announced busway funding just six weeks before the Nov. 7 election - but nearly six years before the busway could open.

"She's using taxpayers' money for what are clearly campaign events," said Derek Slap, DeStefano's spokesman. "As the governor continues to use public tax dollars to fuel her campaign events, you're going to see a presence" of protesters from the DeStefano campaign.

There is nothing new from this governor, just re-announcing old initiatives and pulling the wool over everyone's eyes.

Local legislators from New Britain, along with the mayor, had gathered at the city-owned vacant lot - the site of a former supermarket that has been kept undeveloped in anticipation of the busway. State Rep. John Geragosian, D-New Britain, a major busway supporter, said the project had already been announced and re-announced in the past.

"I'm sure it's six or seven times," Geragosian said at Rell's announcement. "This is nothing new. I'm sure she's doing this all over the place."

The lying liars at camp Joementum strike again.

I interrupt this blog for another DANGERstein alert.

Here are the details.

Meanwhile, nationally syndicated columnist Robert Novak reported last weekend that a Lieberman campaign fundraiser held last week in Washington, D.C., shows that President Bush has "moved a step closer" to Lieberman's re-election bid.

A Lieberman campaign spokeswoman, Tammy Sun, had told the Journal Inquirer that the fundraiser - which she said netted the three-term incumbent $400,000 - was organized by the campaign itself and had no prominent sponsors.

[...]

A top Lieberman campaign aide, Dan Gerstein, said today that he didn't know whether Novak was correct to identify Kuhn and Shelby as sponsors of the fundraiser.

Ahem.

George W. Bush moved a step closer to Democratic Sen. Joseph Lieberman's re-election bid in Connecticut as an independent candidate when Tom Kuhn, the president's college roommate and close friend, co-sponsored a Lieberman fund-raising luncheon Thursday in downtown Washington.

Kuhn, president of the Edison Electric Institute, raised more than $100,000 for Bush in the 2000 and 2004 presidential campaigns. Also among the Lieberman event's sponsors was Rick Shelby, a longtime Republican operative who is executive vice president of the American Gas Association.

The luncheon's sponsors pressed fellow Republican lobbyists to pay a minimum of $1,000 a ticket. Lieberman has announced he will stay in the Democratic caucus if re-elected.

But Republicans backing him against anti-war candidate Ned Lamont, the Democratic nominee, hope for a change of heart by Lieberman.

Joe Lieberman (R-CT)

UPDATE: Who do you believe, the conservative Bob Novak, or Joe Lieberman campaign?

Danbury Anti-Immigrant Xenophobes To Latino Community: "Speak English or DIE"

(Is this the type of Connecticut we want? This is an important cross post I wrote on My Left Nutmeg and originally covered on my other blog, Hat City Blog (stories here and here).

For the last month, I've attempted to bring to everyone's attention the shameless mentality of the Republican Party in Danbury. Now I've talked about the political silliness of the Republican majority but now, I'm going to expose you digusting ultra conservative side of the Party that has a chokehold on the area.

Under the leadership of Republican Mayor Mark Boughton, I've watched as a once quiet city has become a hot-bed of radical extremism, bigotry, and outright hatred.

This picture tells the story. Now, it's bad enough that the wanna-be skinhead can hold such a disgusting sign...what's even worse is that REPUBLICAN-ELECTED OFFICIALS had no problem standing next to this jerk.

Look at the woman on the left hand side of this disgusting image. That person just happens to be the Danbury's City Clerk, Jean Natale.

Now could you imagine if a Democratic official stood next to a pro-immigrant supporter who held a sign stating "kill all xenophobes" or "White people, speak Spanish or Die". Yet, people like Natale , and others such as Republican Majority leader and State Rep candidate Pauline Basso will stand next to people who echo this type of sick mentality.

The usual excuse I hear from the xenophobes is "we're not racist, we just against illegal immigrants." Where in that sign do you see anything about ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS? The statement expressed in this disgusting sign is at the core of their belief that their vision of old Danbury (which was something right out of a Norman Rockwell picture) is being radically altered by non-white Latinos.

Mayor Boughton is leading the fight against the illegal immigration and is using extreme measures against the immigrant community as a whole.

What we need is common sense approaches to the problem of illegal immigration, not extremism.
This is the type of stuff you don't see in the media.

This is the type of stuff Jodi Rell won't talk about (she lives in the town next door).

This is the type of stuff the mayor doesn't want YOU to see.

I'll make sure the real story about the troubles in my city are told to the public.
 

For more on this story, read how this latest episode started at Hat City Blog. Also, if you're just as outraged as I am, please feel free to leave a comment here or on my blog.

...developing.

UPDATE: I called Jean Natale the Town Clerk when she's actually the City Clerk. My bad and BTW: the Town Clerk, Lori Kaback is a really cool Dem.
UPDATE 2: Post editied for grammar and content. I know, I know...spell check.

Republcian Speaker Dennis Hastert grilled over his role in the Foley cover-up

As each passing day goes by, I become more fascinated with the implosion of the Republican Party and their leaders role in the Mark Foley cover-up.

You see, conservatives have long considered themselves the Party of morality and decency while attacking Democrats on this topic whenever they get a chance. How ironic it is to see the Republicans in hot water now.

Unlike the Jack Abramoff which involves all types of dirty dealings and political lingo, the Mark Foley case is simple and easy for Americans to understand; Foley is a pervert who likes boys...nuff said. The fact that the Republicans knew about this months (if not years) ago has everyone in America outraged and rightfully so.

The latest in a long list of Republicans on the chopping block, House Speaker Dennis Hastert.

Watch as Hastert stumbles through this interview on America Morning earlier today. Poor guy can barely keep his glasses on his face and lie at the same time and even tops the interview off by pulling the Condi Rice "I don't remember" card. I swear he look so beat up in the interview that it look like he about to drool on himself.

Priceless.
Why is this important in Connecticut you ask? Well, before this disgusting scandal broke, the Democrats needed to gain 15 seats to take back control of the house and with the help of Foley, that number just went down to 14. When you add in the fact that several Republicans covered this story up, expect that magic number to go down even further. Connecticut has three seats up for grabs and the Democrats have a possibility in winning all the races.

As that magic number continues to go down, the more important it is for the Democratic Party to win big in Connecticut.

Johnson gives back Foley money

Nice going Nancy, Mark is going to need that money for his legal defense.

In Connecticut's 5th District, Republican U.S. Rep. Nancy Johnson said she would return $1,000 that Foley's campaign donated to her re-election bid in December. She is running against Democrat Chris Murphy.

Get the message

Ned Lamont released a new TV ad entitled "message" today.

Wanna help spread the message? Send your "family, friends and neighbors" inside CT a physical postcard explaining why you support Ned Lamont.

Another staged Lieberman photo-op caught

People-powered media strikes again.

Joe Lieberman would like you think he has any amount of grassroots support, but the whole thing is a mirage … a carefully crafted mirage for the newspaper reporters, their photogs and any television camera within eyeshot.

From the ice-cream cone bought for Marion Steinfels’ little brother, to the bus driver, to elated Liberkidz sulking in the sun and erupting in spontaneous applause as their hero appears.

Today, Senator Lieberman went door knocking. Our tracker says he hit two doors total for the press. Both people answering had Joe Lieberman t-shirts on. What a joke

Typical Lieberman.

You would think Joe would have learned his lesson from the summer when we documented every staged event he pulled for the media (I'm praying Joe does another bus tour).

I guess it's true what they say about old dogs...

GOP easily pass bills for Johnson, Shays, Simmons

The national GOP is doing everything they can to protect the three Connecticut Congresional seats up for grabs.

The House's first major order of business last week was not Iraq or military tribunals, but Rep. Nancy L. Johnson's Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Wild and Scenic River Study Act.

By week's end, the House had quietly and quickly passed it and dozens of other noncontroversial bills, often only of local interest - bills that could help GOP members like Johnson whose Election Day prospects are considered shaky.

[...]

Connecticut's other two Republicans, Rep. Rob Simmons and Rep. Christopher Shays, who also face tough re-election races, were among those who had long-sought bills fly through the House last week.

Simmons won passage of the Long Island Stewardship Act, a measure that had been bottled up in a committee for some time. The Senate also passed the bill and it now awaits President Bush's signature.

The House passed Shays' HOPE VI bill, a major national housing initiative that will help Shays with lower-income urban residents back in his district.

[...]

Democrats said the passage of the noncontroversial bills is a brazen attempt to paper over a lack of Republican accomplishments.

"The Republican Congress' last-minute scramble is too little, too late," said Courtney spokesman Brian Farber.

Who going to fall for this stunt? Voters know that Johnson and Shays are rubber stamp Republicans for the President and I doubt the passage of these small local bills will have an impact on anyone's minds come election day.

It seems like someone else echo's my statement.

Experts say, though, that the bills are not the boost they may appear to be. Years ago, Ratchford said, such bills would have been the subject of small news stories and perhaps a mention on television news back home.

But now, he said, "there's diminished coverage of Washington, and to get the message out you have to buy time to talk about those bills."

Even if a lawmaker does that, "these things probably only help at the margin," said Howard Reiter, chairman of the politics and government department at UConn. The three Republicans have all been in office for years, and are well-known, so "I'm not sure these bills will make a difference."

Nancy Johnson caught red-handed with Mark Foley's money

Their isn't a dollar Nancy "donut hole" Johnson won't accept, even if it's from a right-winged pedophile.

In researching the Mark Foley's money trail, it seems like the shameless Nancy Johnson not only accepted money from his PAC, but according to Down with Tyranny, she's doesn't have any plans to retrun it.

Loaded down with bribe money from Big Business, Foley has a leadership PAC he's used to buy affection from his Republican colleagues. Among the Republicans who are refusing to return the money that was given to them by the pedophile right winger are:

Vernon Buchanon (R-FL)
Geoff Davis (R-KY)
Jim Gerlach (R-PA), long rumored to be a "special friend" of Foley's
Nancy Johnson (R-CT)
Bob Ney (R-OH)
Deborah Pryce (R-OH)
Clay Shaw (R-FL)
Curt Weldon (R-PA)
Pete Sessions (R-TX)
Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
Norm Coleman (R-MN)
Mel Martinez (R-FL)
Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL)
John Doolittle (R-CA)
Tom Feeney (R-FL)
Mike Ferguson (R-NJ)
Katherine Harris (R-FL)
John Thune (R-SD)
Mark Kennedy (R-MN)
Robin Hayes (R-NC)
Ric Keller (R-FL)
Tom Lathan (R-IA)
Mike Rogers (R-AL)
Rob Simmons (R-CT)
Heather Wilson (R-NM)

Why won't these Republicans give back the money? Whose side are they on-- ours or the child molesters'?

Johnson has no shame as she refuses to give back the 1,000 she received from Foley's PAC. It's one thing when she allows disgraced friends of John Rowland to raise money for her, it's a completely different story when you refuse to return money you received from a sick pervert who Speaker Dennis Hastert and other known about for months.

Oh yeah, that same pervert just checked himself into a rehab facility.

...developing.

NOTE12:00 p.m.: Post updated for content.

Volunteer for team Lamont

CTBob shows why volunteering for Ned Lamont is FUN!