Now Joe Lieberman is the only Democrat who apparently cares about national security. Just ask him.
Lieberman said that this race is about whether the Democratic Party "will accept a diversity of opinion" on national security. He defined himself as a Democrat in the mold of John F. Kennedy, Harry S Truman and Bill Clinton - that is, one with "a real socially progressive record, and strong on national security."
He said a victory for Lamont will send a message to the country: "In the Democratic Party, there’s no room for strong-on-security Dems." He said that would be disastrous for the Democrats. "You can't win in this country," he said, "unless you assure people" that you aren't going to compromise on national security. He said he has backed the war on terror because he never forgets about the "radical Islamic terrorists who attacked us on 9/11 and want to do it again."
Oh, so folks who are unhappy with Lieberman are soft on national security and don't remember September 11.
What a self-serving, selfish, egotistical piece of Republican trash this man has become. So Joe Lieberman is claiming that everything is going great in Iraq not because he's out of touch, not because he has a seemingly inquenchable desire to pander to George Bush and defend him at all costs. Oh no. Joe Lieberman says that Iraq is going great because HE remembers September 11 and YOU don't. Because he is strong on national defense and YOU aren't.
Remember all those people who died in the World Trade Center? The hundreds who died in the Pentagon? The hundreds more who died in the various aircraft hijacked throughout the northeast?
Of course you don't. You see, you don't remember September 11. Only Joe Lieberman remembers September 11. Only Joe Lieberman apparently lost loved ones on that day, feared for their lives and their country. Yep, September 11 was all about Joe Lieberman. For the rest of us, it was Disneyland.
Who is running for Senate in Connecticut, anyway? Karl Rove?
So the only way for a Democrat to be "strong on security" is to pander to Republicans and trash his own party while lying to the American people about what's really happening in Iraq. And the only way for a Democrat to show they remember September 11 is to sit back, shut up and let the the Bush administration do whatever it wants, with no congressional oversight, and no dissent when our country begins to head horribly in the wrong direction. That is Joe Lieberman's definition of a Democrat.
Let Lieberman be clear: It's all everyone else's fault that Joe Lieberman is in trouble. It's not that Lieberman has lost touch. It's that he's the only guy left standing who actually loves America.
Marion is claiming that someone hacked Joe Lieberman's site. I reported that team Joementum didn't pay their bill and ran an update about the hacking rumor. Hotline is been on top of the story and threw out this theory.
One theory we'll throw out: the site has been hacked to make it appear as if the Lieberman campaign, running against the Netroots' candidate, forgot to pay its website bill. On the eve of the election. That's a theory.
Oh, great. Now you know the dishonest Marion is going to blame this "hack" on Lamont supporters in an attempt to smear the online community (a.k.a bloggers).
Hey Marion and Sean, just pay your bill and you'll have no problems.
Luckily, "Terrible" Tim Tagaris beat me to the punch and posted this comment on the campaign's blog.
I post because Marion Steinfels is running around proclaiming that someone hacked her site. This isn't the first time they haven't paid their bills, it happened when the stupid bear-cub ad ran and Sean Smith bragged all the traffic (from people mocking the ad) crashed their site. Same notice.
Hotline is playing the role of Scooby Doo and promise to get to the bottom of this mystery and I have a Scooby snack waiting for them...
FOXNews "fair and balanced" reporting on the Lamont/Lieberman race
Good grief! FOXNews sticks up for their favorite Democrat.
Why do people watch that awful network? Here's the analysis of the Lamont/Lieberman race in a nutshell (tip to PoliticsTV)
* Lieberman: If I lose tomorrow, the message is there is no room in the Party for "strong on security" Democrats
* Karl Cameron: Lamont has "smeared" Lieberman, according to many.
* Lieberman tells FOX he’s likely to run as an Indy if he loses primary
This is such bullshit but that's what happens when cable news attempts to cover a state event. I'd love to ask Cameron who he means when he says "many" told him that Lamont smeared Lieberman. George Bush's favorite Democrat is also full of shit when he says if he loses, it will mean that those Democrats who are strong on security is not welcomed in the Party. Who's Jack Murtha, a creampuff? No DINOBoy, there is no room for Democrats who make it a habit to undermine the Democratic Party which is why tomorrow, the voters are going to give you the pink slip and send you packing.
Cable news networks will try to walk in Connecticut, define the story behind the Lamont/Liebreman race, and pack up and go back to their DC bubble. I don't think they know who they're dealing with in this state and the bloggers here will be more than happy to set the record straight.
This isn't 2004 and no one is going to Swift Boat Ned Lamont. Also, there is NO WAY the cable media is going to be allowed to come into this state and tell us why Lieberman lost the election. NO WAY.
The days of cable news dominance as a source of information is over. I'll personally debunk any of their right-winged garbage and I can set up a portable television studio up and have video on the blogs just as fast as they can go live on the air.
The mystery person was without question John Boehner BUT he was doing a fundraiser for Chris Shays next door at Teluride, the restaurant next to the abandoned store with the big Lieberman sign The Lieberman people were just there doing visibility at the time. Although it's kind of strange that Lieberman people were around at the same time as Boehner, it's a political event and they were probably trying to get as much exposure as possible.
Also, Joe probably has a big hole in his schedule due to the fact that he might be doing a host of TV interviews during that time (which also makes sense). In any case, this mystery is solved.
Boehner...man that's a funny name. I have ten funny lines I could use with that name.
Okay, can I please move on from this now? So much more stuff to report on today and there isn't much time left in the day.
People are now saying that the mystery person was Majority Leader John Boehner which would make sense since 1.) he's from Ohio and 2.) he's in town for Chris Shays.
I'm willing to say that it's unlikely the mystery person is Hillary (AGAIN I DID NOT START THIS RUMOR, I READ IT ON ANOTHER BLOG) since the bus had Ohio plates on it but there are stil some interesting questions.
1.) Why did the Boehner go into a store in which the windows were covered and the only thing you could see where two big Lieberman signs.
2.) I talked the the blogger who broke the story and he told me that there were several people wearing Lieberman T-shirts in front of the place when the mystery person (Boehner) stopped by and there was a faily good amount of law enforcement around (which would make sense if it was the Boehner). The person also said he swore he saw Ken Dagliere there also (which is why he took off).
The place where Boehner visited is now closed up and it seems like some Lamont supporters made it down there and placed some signs in the area. I'm ready to concede that it was Boehner, what's the deal with him going to a Lieberman place?
I have someone at the scene now and although no one is there, he's going to get back to me if there is any more info. He also has a camera and will give me more photos of the place in question soon. Again, it looks like it was Boehner.
Now, we're bloggers in Connecticut so we're not use to all the D.C lingo so I can really use some help here. Since my blog traffic is going through the roof, I have a few questions that might clear up a few things.
Secret Service vs. Capitol Police
Now, someone just dropped me a message indicating that the Secret Service is based in Maryland and therefore, their plates would be Maryland and not D.C. Is this correct?
Capitol Police: High level senators have Capitol Police protection with the police often dressed in suits. Is this true? If it is, it might explain the DC plates and the ease in which the person took the pictures and was able to ask a couple of questions before team Joementum approached him.
Many questions and I need answers. Come on you big DC bloggers, put your heads together and get back to me.
UPDATE: A blogger claims it might be Hillary. I CAN NOT CONFIRM THIS but I think he's on to something here.
UPDATE 2: It wasn't Hillary. I don't know what Brigham was talking as I simply stated what he posted and I never made a prediction of Hillary stumping for Joe. I had no idea about the idenity of the mystery person and was looking for answers to some questions.
Ugh...that's the internet for you. It's all good, where just trying to get to the bottom of the story.
WHAT: TOMORROW TOUR BUS DEPARTS ROCKY HILL HEADQUARTERS DATE: AUGUST 7, 2006 TIME: 7:30 AM PLACE: Friends of Joe Lieberman Headquarters 1800 Silas Deane Hwy. Rocky Hill, CT
TIME: 8:30 AM PLACE: New Haven Fire House 952 Grand Ave. New Haven, CT
TIME: 9:15 AM PLACE: New Haven Construction Site 96 Wall St. New Haven, CT
TIME: 11:45 AM PLACE: Mass Mutual 100 Bright Meadow Blvd. Enfield, CT
TIME: 12:50 PM PLACE: Rajun Cajun 2790 Main St. Hartford, CT
TIME: 5:20 PM PLACE: Vito's by the Park 26 Trumbull Street Hartford, CT
TIME: 6:00 PM PLACE: Hartford Jazz Festival Bushnell Park Hartford, CT
TIME: 7:10 PM PLACE: Anthony Jack's 30 Center St. Southington, CT
TIME: 8:00 PM PLACE: Breen Field 335 Mix Street Bristol, CT
See something interesting? Joe has nothing planned from 12:50 to 5:20. Now the mystery person was spotted in Stamford with the Lieberman staff arouind 12:00. Whatever is happening, which means whatever is going on, will happen sometime from 2:30-4:30 (Hartford is about 45 mins away from Stamford. Joe's headquarters is in Rocky Hill so either way, Joe and the mystery person would have just hooked up with each other by now.
Local people: keep your ears glued to the local talk radio. Whartever is going down, it has to go down soon as Joe is running out of time. Even if he's cutting a new TV ad, he running out of time to air it.
Again, be on the lookout and email me with any info.
(post bumped to top) Team Joementum is up to something.
There are reports of something happening at the Lieberman office in Stamford and it involves the Secret Service and an inportant official from D.C.
I'll have more info soon. If anyone reading this is in Stamford right now, get down to Lieberman's office with a camera, take some photographs (and/or video) and get in touch with me.
UPDATE (1:13 P.M.): The word Secret Police was changed to Secret Service (sorry for the confusion). Just got off the phone with someone who took photos and I'll have something shortly. AGAIN, if you're in the Stamford area, go down to Lieberman's headquarters and get back to me. Photos are key and video is a plus. Also, if anyone gets a press release from the Lieberman campaign, please email it to me. I will not disclose your name so if you're in the media and have access to Lieberman press releases, feel free to email me.
Also, can someone with knowledge email me and tell me who outside of the President would have Secret Service protection. Kerry? Clintons? Am I missing someone?
Driving through Stamford for work at around noon, I noticed a bunch of activity on Bedford Street (I'm quite sure it was Bedford.) There was a storefront with Lieberman signs, an official looking black Suburban with DC plates, several police cars, a bus with Ohio plates, and at least one Secret Service agent. No idea what's going on, but someone big must be in town for Joe. The pictures are from my camera phone, so they suck. If anyone is in Stamford and can find out what's going on, post a commment here. Ironically, the whole thing was taking place next store to an army recruiting office. I guess the LieberKidz can look into enlisting.
Here are the photos. I have another photo which has the plate number of the Suburban and it's a DC plate (I will not post it for obvious reasons).
Lanny Davis talks out of his ass in defending Lieberman remark
Did anyone catch Lanny Davis on Meet the Press yesterday defending his pal Joe Lieberman?
First, let's read Joe's famous speech about Democrats who criticize the President (notice the part in bold).
It's time for Democrats who distrust President Bush to acknowledge that he will be the commander in chief for three more critical years and that in matters of war, we undermine presidential credibility at our nation's peril.
Now, read (and watch) as Davis thinks he can takes us for fools.
First let's read his spin...
MR. DAVIS: Absolutely not. The proof is in the pudding; he has criticized President Bush repeatedly for his inept handling of this war, for the lack of body armor, for the lack of the buildup with allies supporting the war. He's actually said in 2003, "If I were president, I'd replace Donald Rumsfeld." It is ludicrous to suggest that Joe Lieberman is against dissent in war. I was with Joe Lieberman in 1968 when he supported Robert Kennedy against an incumbent president. That comment was made about exploiting the war politically. He was referring as well to Republicans trying to use the war on terrorism for election purposes. That's really the misconstruction of his comment. I think if he had to do it all over again, he wouldn't have used those words.
Now, you're saying to yourself "are you kidding me" but wait, it's better if you watch him lie with a straight face.
LieberKids acting like jerks and taking things too far
There are reports of Lieberman people showing up to Lamont offices posing like people wanting to volunteer their time only to disrupt the office. This is a growing trend of Lieberman's people doing all they can to disrupt and intimidate Lamont staffers and supporters.
Disgusting.
Here's the report:
Two lieberkids appeared at the Watertown office this morning purporting to be volunteers. The Lamont person was skeptical, gave them some posters to hand out, and they ended up ripped up outside the office.
The Lieberman hit squad were spotted at a Starbucks earlier by a Lamont volunteer who was looking for directions to the Wartertown office. Here's the story.
This (Lamont) volunteer was lost so she stopped at the Starbucks to ask for directions to the Lamont office. So she asks these two nice-looking teenagers where the Lamont office is. One replies, "I don't know, probably in a communist country somewhere."
The volunteer looks down and notices they are wearing Lieberman gear. Same kids that stopped by the office earlier.
Reports of concern are also being reported at Lamont's Norwalk office. There was also a reports of coming in from other areas and I'll follow-up on those stories soon as they might involve the police getting involved.
Lieberman talks about Lamont running a misleading, dirty campaign when the complete opposite is true.
From passing around race-baiting flyers in the African-American communities and lobbyist Richard Goodstein and his band of LieberKidz coordinating an attack on Lamont's event in Meriden (with Goodstein yelling at Lamont's at close range), to Lieberman running more race-baiting radio ads on hip-hop stations over the weekend, sending his people to disrupt things at the Lamont offices, and supporters (or volunteers) of Lieberman attempting to vandalize "The Kiss float" while passing Lieberman material in New Haven Saturday night, Lieberman's campaign has set a new standard for dirty, disgusting campaigning.
You usually see associate these types of dirty tactics from Republicans not Democrats.
Based on the latest poll results, this race is still a dead heat and Ned Lamont needs your help!
This election is going to come down to one thing: TURNOUT! Take a day off work and get down to any of the Ned Lamont offices and help get out the vote. Click here for more info.
UPDATE: MoveOn.org has a phone banking system in place in case you want to make calls from your house or cell phone. Click here for more details.
Come on people, Ned needs our help big time and there is not a moment to lose. Joe has a large operation and is outspending Lamont by a huge margin. Turnout is key to a Lamont victory. You can either go to a Lamont office and phone bank or click on the MoveOn.org link and phone bank from home so PLEASE do what you can.
Connecticut likely Democratic primary voters back challenger Ned Lamont 51 - 45 percent lead over incumbent Sen. Joseph Lieberman in the U.S. Senate race, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.
This compares to a 54 - 41 percent Lamont lead among likely Democratic primary voters in an August 3 poll by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University.
In this latest survey, 4 percent of likely Democratic primary voters remain undecided, but 90 percent of voters who name a candidate say their mind is made up.
In the Democratic primary for Governor, likely voters back New Haven Mayor John DeStefano 48 - 41 percent over Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy, with 10 percent undecided. This compares to a 48 - 38 percent DeStefano lead August 3.
In this latest survey, 28 percent of likely Democratic primary voters who choose a candidate say they still might change their mind.
From July 31 - August 6, Quinnipiac University surveyed 784 Connecticut likely Democratic primary voters with a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percentage points.
Both races are very close...VERY CLOSE. AS I said before, turnout is going to be the factor in this race and you can bet Lieberman and Malloy are going to campaign hard in the next 24 hours to catch up to Lamont and DeStefano.
Here's the raw data.
1. If the 2006 Democratic primary for governor were being held today and the candidates were John DeStefano and Dan Malloy for whom would you vote? (If undecided q1) As of today, do you lean more toward DeStefano or Malloy? This table includes Leaners.
1b. (If candidate choice q1) Is your mind made up, or do you think you might change your mind before the primary?
[...]
4. If the 2006 Democratic primary for United States Senator were being held today and the candidates were Joseph Lieberman and Ned Lamont for whom would you vote? (If undecided q4) As of today, do you lean more toward Lieberman or Lamont? This table includes Leaners.
4b. (If candidate choice q4) Is your mind made up, or do you think you might change your mind before the primary?
* CT Democratic primaries historically skew liberal
* Intensity is unmeasured, as is GOTV
Observations:
* Lamont's favorable/unfavorable: the unfavorable remain relatively low at 42-18%, so negative ads haven't worked
* Lieberman's have slightly improved at 40-34%, but he's the incumbent and is below 50%
* How much does Lieberman's support of the war in Iraq influence your decision to vote for Lamont - Is it the main reason you are voting for Lamont, is it only one of the reasons, or is it not a reason at all?
LIKELY DEM PRIME VOTERS NL voters
Main reason 36% Only one reason 54 Not a reason at all 9 DK/NA 1
* The above means for 90% of voters the war matters (the national press conclusion), but that other factors matter for more than half the voters (the local conclusion, generally ignored by the national press).The out-of-touch national media will never understand the appeal towards Ned Lamont and they'll come into town tomorrow and try to define this race (like they've been here the entire time). The John McLaughlin piece goes to show you just how much these pundits don't understand what's going on in this state. Just remember this when you watch the talking heads tomorrow night.
Also, polls can't guage turnout and with a race this close, GOTV is more important than ever.
John McLaughin discusses "The Kiss" and the fall of Lieberman
I've always kind of liked John McLaughin but his analysis on "The Kiss" goes to show you just how out of touch these DC-insiders really are when it comes to the this race in Connecticut.
Case in point, when did Lamont criticize Clinton's visit?
When did the Lamont campaign pay for "The Kiss float?" This is new to me (and I'm sue dad isn't getting paid one dime).
Watch and listen.
I think someone needs to contact the show and see get a clarifcation. Obviously John's comment was a screw-up (?)
BTW: You know you're in trouble when the entire roundtable says Lieberman is going to lose Tuesday.
In a sudden blow to the nation's oil supply, half the production on Alaska's North Slope was being shut down Sunday after BP Exploration Alaska, Inc. discovered severe corrosion in a Prudhoe Bay oil transit line.
BP officials said they didn't know how long the Prudhoe Bay field would be off line. "I don't even know how long it's going to take to shut it down," said Tom Williams, BP's senior tax and royalty counsel.
Here are a few photos I took on Saturday at the Blogger's party. I was hoping to take more photos but I got wrapped up conversation. You see, I forget sometimes that other bloggers MIGHT want to talk to me about my blog. I got so caught up talking and showing people how to import video and photographs, that I didn't take as many photos as I wanted to and I didn't do any videotaping (dumb move). Hopefully, I'll be able to catch up with the photos and video tomorrow night.
Lamont video flashback: My first encounter with Ned Lamont and the start of my videoblogging
Date: Jan 21 2006
So you want to know who all this videoblogging stuff happened. Well, the story starts here and this is the tale.
First, a little background info is needed.
Little was known about Ned Lamont when he first appeared on my little radar screen. Now, I knew Joe Lieberman was in trouble going as far back as December 2005 when a poll showed that Joementum would have a bit of a problem if Lowell Weicker decided to challenge him. Unfortunately, it was quite known that Weicker wouldn't throw his hat in the race so it was only a matter of time until some Democrat would step to the challenge.
Enter Ned Lamont.
Ned who?
The first time I heard of Lamont was in The Hartford Courant and on the new blog My Left Nutmeg back during the first week of January. I was interested in learning more about this Lamont guy but at the time, it was hard it was to find ANY information on Ned. Real hard! I googled and googled and all I could come up with was a brief blurb and this one photo.
That's it!
Needless to say, I was pissed. I couldn't stand the thought of Joe Lieberman as a senator for another six years but I knew nothing about this Lamont guy and it was driving me nuts. I mean, here I am a blogger of a site called ConnecticutBLOG and I knew nothing about a person who was challenging a three-term senator.
That's when a light bulb went on in my head and changed things forever.
I never forget saying to myself "man, this guy doesn't have a chance in hell of beating Lieberman as no one can find any information on him and he has only a couple of months until the state convention. I knew he needed exposure but at the time, I thought the best thing to do was to take as many pictures of him as possible. I had no idea about YouTube and at that time and embedding video was a bit more complicated than it is. Back then, bloggers with no money (a.k.a me) had to place a video file on a FTP server provided your local ISP (which usually had a 20 meg limit) and link to it. Since my background is photojournalism, I thought it would be cool just to take some photos of Ned and report on the event.
As I was about to leave my place, I walked passed by my camcorder and said, "oh, what the hell, I'll bring the thing along." Now, this camcorder was not digital (which you'll see when you watch the videoclip) but I thought it would be smart to record Ned just in case I could post the video online in the future.
Smart move.
Once I made it to New Haven and after seeing the large crowd and hearing Ned speak for about one minute, I knew I was watching something special so I dropped my camera and re-directed my energy to videotaping everything. There were a couple of other bloggers in the room as well as two guys handing out these buttons called "The Kiss". As soon as I saw them, I knew I had to hang with these guys...they were fucking nuts and I knew as long as I hung with these two guys, there would be PLENTY of things to report on...plenty.
I'll never forget meeting Ned for the first time and introducing myself and before I could get the name of my blog out of my mouth, Ned says "how did I do up there? Do think I was okay?" Puzzled that his first words to me owuld be somehting like that, I simply said this to him, "Ned, if you keep talking from the heart like that and be yourself, you're going to be just fine" at which point he smiled and I told him about my blog and promised him that he would see more of me pointing a camcorder in his face.
The rest is history.
I came home and came up with the bright idea of pouring my video into my Tivo and downloading the video to my computer. I had to cut the video into really small clips and compress the video down as small as possible so I could post it on my small FTP server. No longer did I have to write about something, I could let the video tell the story and who better to practice this new thing called "videoblogging" with than Ned Lamont (a person NO ONE KNEW).
Blah, blah, blah, enough of me already! This should be more about Ned but I left that I needed to explain how all this videoblogging in Connecticut (if not the nation) really started. It's still funny that this whole adventure started with me thinking twice and bringing my camcorder along with me on that cold winter’s day in January. Maybe I made a difference in the way people view blogs with the incorporation of video but whatever, I'm still poor so what the fuck. Anyway, you guys are here to see the video and there are plenty of more video moments that I’ll talk about later.
Here, for the first time, is my first raw video recording of Ned Lamont in New Haven dated Jan 21, 2006. WARNING: The video clip last twenty-four minutes but I encourage you to watch the clip as you can sense the intense dissatisfaction towards Lieberman.
A FEW THINGS:
1. I had no idea how to use this camcorder I was dealing with at the time so the time stamp you see if wrong.
2. This is totally raw footage as I want everyone to see the event as it really happened. Even back then, there was this intense feeling that you were witnessing something special, the only problem was that the general public was unaware of this yet. The edit at the beginning of the clip was due to me pressing the pause button by mistake when trying to set up the camera.
3. You'll notice at the beginning of the video the very moment when I decided that it was better to videotape then take pictures (when I grab the camcorder off the floor) but, as the camera is on the floor, listen closely to what Ned says when he talks about Iraq. You'll notice something...HE HAS NEVER CHANGED HIS OPINION ABOUT IRAQ OR HIS PLAN ABOUT RE-DEPLOYMENT although Lieberman's dishonest campaign would have you to think otherwise.
Enjoy (and don't laugh at the bad camera work, I got better with time!) If you're smart, you'll notice many of the other bloggers in the room as well as many people who attended the event before they became a part of Lamont's campaign.
You can see all the photos from that day by clicking here.
Douglas Schwartz breaks down the latest poll on Face the State
Man, that Douglas Schwartz guy us all over the place nowadays.
The Director of the Quinnipiac Poll talked to Al Terzi of Face the State about the latest poll relsuts for the primary races. Interesting interview if you're glued to the governor's race.
Lamont spokesperson smacks Sean Smith upside the head
Oh man, this was ugly. I never knew Liz had a dark side...
Lamont spokesperson Liz Dupont-Diehl wipes the floor with Seam Smith's head today on Beyond the Headlines. Smith looked pitiful, defeated, and had the face of a person who's facing unemployment soon.
Okay, now in the final hours of his political career, Millionaire Joe Lieberman launched his most dishonest speech to date.
I was looking towards showing everyone a Lamont video feature I've been working on but Joe had other plans for me.
Seems like team Joementum convinced Max Cleland to come up and campaign for Joe today. It's ironic that Joe took this time to unleash a dishonest speech against Ned Lamont which is full of smears that rivals the smear campaign the Republicans unleashed against Cleland.
I hope your proud of the campaign you ran Senator Lieberman...based on the trend in the polls, your nonsense convinced no one nor will this last desperate speech.
Since you unleashed this last attack against Lamont, it will be my honor to unleash my enitre video archive to counter your lies.
It's going to be a couple of very busy days...
First, Joe's mishonest speech in full.
I am honored to be joined by my friend Max Cleland, a true American hero, to talk to you about the truth and consequences of this campaign.
In two days Connecticut Democrats will be going to the polls to choose their candidate for U.S. Senate. This evening I want to make my closing argument for your support.
Throughout the last several months, I have done my best to highlight what's at stake in this race. I've talked about all the work I have done to protect and create jobs, to lower the cost of health care, to improve our schools, to clean up our environment, and fight for social justice. And about the clear differences between my experience and my opponent's, and who can best deliver for Connecticut and for our future.
Sadly, my opponent has done his best to distort my record, spending at least $4 million of his own money to mislead people into thinking that I am someone I am not. Not unlike what happened to Max Cleland four years ago.
The more I have talked to voters in these closing days, the more I am concerned they have been shortchanged in this campaign. Instead of hearing an honest debate about the issues that really matter to people, they have been overwhelmed with bogus charges about my Democratic credentials. Instead of having an honest discussion about your future, we're getting negative politics at its worst.
You deserve better than that. You deserve the truth. I have always leveled with you, and I'm not going to stop now. When you go into the voting booth on Tuesday, I want you to know the facts and have a fair chance to make an honest choice about what's best for your family, our state, and our future
Let's start with the biggest lie being told about me by the other side - the false charge that I am George Bush's best friend and enabler. As Max's friends in Georgia would say, that is a load of hogwash.
I am the only Democrat in America to run against George Bush in a national election twice. I even beat him and Dick Cheney once, if all the votes had been counted.
I campaigned against George Bush because I believe that his agenda was wrong for our country and our future. And that's the truth.
In the Senate, I have acted on that conviction time and time again, standing against the President on most every big domestic issue. I did so because I believe that his policies were damaging to our state and country. And that's the truth.
I opposed the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy that hurt the middle class.
I opposed the Bush ban on stem cell research.
I opposed the Bush constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.
I opposed the Bush bankruptcy bill.
I opposed the President's efforts to undermine affirmative action in the courts.
I opposed his unilateral decision to pull out of the Kyoto global warming pact and the International Criminal Court.
I opposed his ongoing assault on the environment. In fact, I led the fight against his plans to drill in the Arctic Refuge and to weaken standards for power plant emissions.
And contrary to the lies of my opponents, time after time I stood with my fellow Democrats to oppose George Bush's plan to privatize Social Security.
Now with all that said, I will never hesitate to work across party lines when it helps me get something done for the people of Connecticut.
Like saving the Groton sub base with Governor Rell and the entire Connecticut Congressional delegation. Like dramatically increasing transportation funding for Connecticut, cleaning up Long Island Sound, and targeting more money to public schools in our cities. Or like passing the 9/11 Commission bill with John McCain over the opposition of President Bush.
That's something that separates me from my opponent - I don't hate Republicans. I know that some times the best way to get things done in the Senate for my constituents is through bipartisan cooperation.
That doesn't make me a bad Democrat. It makes me a better Senator.
But don't take my word for it. Ask the state AFL-CIO, NARAL, Planned Parenthood, the League of Conservation Voters, the Human Rights Campaign, and more than a dozen other leading progressive organizations that are standing by me in this primary, because I have stood by them in the Senate.
Or ask Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Chris Dodd, Barbara Boxer, John Lewis, State Treasurer Denise Nappier, Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez, state AFL-CIO President John Olsen, and dozens of other national and state Democratic leaders who have endorsed me - including many who opposed the war in Iraq.
Do you really think all these people would be strongly supporting me if they thought even for a minute that I was too close to George Bush?
On Iraq, as you know, I supported the resolution giving the President the authority to use force to take out Saddam Hussein, as did most Senate Democrats. I still believe that was right.
What I don't think is right, as I have said over and over again, are many of the Bush Administration's decisions regarding the execution of the war. The fact is, I have openly and clearly disagreed with and criticized the President for, among other things:
not winning the support of our allies in the run-up to the war;
not having a plan to win the peace;
not putting enough troops on the ground;
putting an American in charge of the Iraqi oil supply.
And I said that if I were President, I would ask Secretary Rumsfeld to resign.
I know as well as anyone we have made a lot of mistakes in Iraq and we have suffered more casualties than we should have. Don't think for a minute I do not grieve for every casualty of this war.
as someone who voted for the war, I feel a heavy responsibility to try to end it as quickly and successfully as possible
I have been to the front lines four times. I have been to Walter Reed and visited the brave men and women who have suffered awful injuries and sacrificed for their country the way Max Cleland did. I have visited with the families who have been devastated by the death of a son or daughter, a husband or a wife.
The last thing I want to do is needlessly add to that kind of heartbreak. I want to get our troops home as fast as anyone, probably more than most, and as I have repeatedly said, I am against an open-ended commitment.
But if we simply give up and pull out now, like my opponent wants to do, then it would be a disaster to Iraq and to us. We would run a high risk of allowing Iraq to become like Afghanistan when the Taliban were in charge, and Al Qaeda had safe haven from which to strike us. It's precisely because of the horrible cost of the war, and the impact that has had on public support for our mission in Iraq, that I have tried to present an honest, non-partisan, balanced picture of what's happening on the ground there. I have been encouraged by the formation of the Iraqi unity government. But like a lot of Americans, both supporters and of opponents of the war, I am increasingly troubled by the sectarian violence in Iraq.
Now I understand that many Democrats in Connecticut disagree with me and are very angry about the war. I don't think there is anything I can say to change your mind about whether we should have gone to war or when we should bring the troops home, and at this point I'm not going to insult you by trying.
What I will say is this: I not only respect your right to disagree or question the President, I value it. I was part of the anti-war movement in the late 1960s, so I don't need to be lectured by Ned Lamont about the place of dissent in our democracy. My opponent wants you to believe otherwise, to cement his distortion campaign against me. That's why they keep repeating and misrepresenting a single comment I made in one speech, in which I said we undermine the President's credibility at our peril.
I did not suggest that the President or anyone else -- including me -- should be immune from criticism. The best proof of that is I myself have challenged the President's policies on many occasions.
The point I was trying to make was about how we disagree. My concern was, and remains, that if opponents or supporters of the war go beyond disagreeing to exploiting the war for partisan political purposes, much like Republicans did to Max Cleland on homeland security, we could lose more than an election. We could put our mission in Iraq, the lives of thousands of American soldiers carrying it out, and our national security at risk. That is what I care about.
Here's the bottom line: When you sort through the fact and fiction, the truth and consequences, you will see that I am the same person you have always known, fighting for what I sincerely believe is right for my state and country.
The big difference between my opponent and me is that I believe in solving problems. That you can remain true to Democratic ideals and find common ground to get things done for your constituents. That you can be compassionate in domestic policy and tough in foreign policy. That you can stand up for progressive values and still work with the other side to help people make a better life for themselves.
That's what this all about. Not me. Not Ned Lamont. Or George Bush. This election is about you and which one of us is best qualified to give the people of Connecticut the best future you can have. My opponent can distort my work all he wants. But he can't change the fact that my record of experience and results makes me the best Democrat to serve Connecticut in the U.S. Senate.
The proof is in the pudding: 35 years of fighting and delivering for you -- for your jobs, your security, your health and safety, your environment, your opportunities, your families, your rights, and your future.
That's why every major newspaper in Connecticut, including three more today, have endorsed me in this campaign. Even though many of them disagree with my position on Iraq, they recognized that I have worked my heart out to solve problems and produce results for you, and that I am the candidate who Connecticut Democrats can count on to build a better future for our state.
So let me close by saying this. If after hearing the truth about where I stand on Iraq, you still want to cast your vote solely on that one issue, then I respect your decision. But if you care about all the other issues facing us, and want to make real progress on them, then I ask once again for your trust and your vote on Tuesday.
Okay, now you read the garbage, time to pick apart this speech and expose each one of the lies. Anyone want to help me out? This should be fun.
NOTE: Post editied. Hat tip to a smart reader who picked out something I didn't intend to state (and could be easily taken the wrong way...ouch).
"In the 1960s, as a college student, Joe Lieberman fought for equality and marched with our civil rights leaders in the South," a narrator says. "Ned Lamont says he will stand up for all the people of Connecticut, but did you know that for 16 years, Ned belonged to Round Hill, an exclusive country club not known for its diversity?"...
"Ned Lamont only resigned from Round Hill after he decided to run for the Senate because he was afraid it would become a campaign issue. Born into wealth, Ned Lamont is trying to buy a seat in the United States Senate. Membership may have its privileges, but the Senate isn't one of them."
Any wonder why this ad is ONLY being played on hip-hop stations? Without any evidence that Club Round Hill Country discriminates, Millionaire Joe Lieberman decides to end his 18-year senate career by once again using the race card.
Do you think Dr. Martin Luther King would approve of Lieberman's tactics?
Please give this desperate, dishonest, pathetic poltician his walking papers on Tuesday.
Embattled Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman - facing a possible primary defeat Tuesday because of his strong backing for the Iraq war - yesterday launched a Hail Mary attack on the Bush administration's handling of the war.
"I supported our war in Iraq but I have always questioned the way it was being executed," Lieberman said.
"This administration took far too many shortcuts. We continue to suffer the consequences, as do the Iraqi people."
Desperate move from a desperate politician you say? You haven't seen anything yet.
I know everyone is looking at the latest polls and saying "Lamont has this in the bag" but this is FAR from the case. In fact, this race is close...REAL close.
In multiple outlets, super-secret Lieberman leakers are telling the world that they are toast.
In Political Wire and the Washington Post, among other outlets, leakers tell reporters that their ground game is so dismal that they are scrapping it. From the Post:
Facing a likely defeat, Lieberman has scrapped plans for a massive and costly get-out-the-vote operation on primary day, according to several Democratic sources.
Mmmm hmmm.... National Journal, also today, reports another notion that's bubbling up - everyone in the party is thinking about a Lieberman loss (something they wouldn't do unless they thought he was going to actually lose):
If Democratic challenger Ned Lamont beats Joe Lieberman in Connecticut's Senate primary next Tuesday, we're told, Democrats will sigh heavily and wring their sweaty palms for the rest of 2006.
So who are these sources that are calling the time of death for Lieberman, days before a vote is even cast?
My bet is on Team Lieberman itself. This is the campaign's true Hail Mary - declare the whole thing over in hopes that Lamont volunteers and voters exhale a little before election day, and maybe jolt soft Lieberman support into gear, by painting scenarios of a Joe-less world.
In campaigns, this type of tactic happens on a much lower scale all the time; it's called lowering expectations. Whether it is predicting lower fundraising than you really have just before quarterly reports are filed, or pretending your opponent is an Oxford-level debater and yours is Howdy Doody, whispering to reporters that you're not as good as they say is a fun game.
But predicting your own political death is the "nuclear option" of campaigns. It could work, and get Lamont's network to take a little rest and pat themselves on the back prematurely, or it could backfire and completely destroy the morale of the Lieberman network of voters who lay down their arms and surrender before Tuesday.
It's simple, Ned Lamont has a great amount of work to do and he needs your help BIGTIME!
Donate a portion of your time this weekend and help GET OUT THE VOTE!
So I just reached D.C. lobbyist Richard Goodstein on his cellphone. Goodstein the lobbyist confirmed that he is indeed the guy on the front-page of today's Record-Journal who appeared to be heckling Lamont in a diner.
[...]
As the Record-Journal reported, a man named Richard Goodstein shouted at Lamont: "Are you a Bill Clinton Democrat, or an Al Sharpton Democrat?" Several blogs have since speculated that Goodstein is a corporate lobbyist in D.C.
Well, Election Central just reached out to the office of registered-D.C.-lobbyist Richard Goodstein, got his cell number, and reached him. When I asked him if he was a Lieberman supporter and was the man in the pic on the front of the Herald-Record, he confirmed that, yes, he was a Lieberman backer and that he was the same man as pictured on the paper's front page. Then the conversation went south.
When I asked him if I could confirm that he'd said what the paper said he had, Goodstein asked me why I wanted to do that and whether I worked for the paper. I said I didn't and noted that I wanted to get confirmation of his quotes straight from him.
After a hurried back-and-forth, Goodstein said: "Do me a favor: Email me the last good story you wrote about Joe Lieberman." When I asked why that was relevant, Goodstein said: "Bye. Bye." End of conversation.
Well, at least now we know for certain who the mystery man in the diner was, and that he's the same Richard Goodstein as the D.C. lobbyist Richard Goodstein. But I didn't get to ask him about the nature of the Lieberman supporters' surprise of Lamont or about the nature of Goodstein's relationship to the campaign. I've got a call into the Lieberman campaign about this. Hopefully we'll have more soon.
Why are the best people covering this eleciton from out-of state? Where everyone's favorite senior political reporter, Mark "fire in the belly" Davis when you need him. Still running after that Halliburton story?
Team Joementum: keeping us laughing since Feburary 2006. Pity it's all coming to a crashing end on August 8th...
Remember that anti-war rally held back in March 2006 in Hartford?
You remember, it was the largest rally held at the Old State House and the event ended right in front of Joe Lieberman's office.
Remember how the people (in the freezing cold) placed coffins in front of his building people read letters of disappointment in Joe Lieberman’s unwavering support for the war?
It's coming back to you now...ah, good.
Well, try this on for size. Out of all the people who were present at the rally, can you pick the only supporter of Joe Lieberman in the following pictures?
Did you say the man in the last picture? DING, you're right, it’s AFL-CIO President and outspoken critic of Ned Lamont, John Olsen.
In honor of Olsen's glowing endorsement of Millionaire Joe Lieberman, I present you this flashback video of his emotional speech at the rally.
Ironic, don't you think?
UPDATE: Wow, didn't know so many of you loved the photos. If you want to see all the images from the anti-war rally, you can view them here.
Ok, so this is instructive, so bear with me for a bit while I walk through one particular person who seemed to be spearheading he Lieberman charge at the cheeseburger joint yesterday. The Record-Journal story pointed out that the main guy harrassing Ned was named Richard Goodstein.
"It was supposed to be a laid-back event and (they) ruined it." "We're just using our right. We're just exercising our rights to enjoy a burger," said Lieberman supporter Alex Hoffman of Boston. Supporters of each candidate debated outside on the sidewalk while many Lieberman supporters continued to badger Lamont, who acknowledged most questions. Richard Goodstein, one of the most vocal Lieberman supporters, repeatedly shouted, "Are you a Bill Clinton Democrat or an Al Sharpton Democrat?" Lamont calmly said he supported both.
Seems like Mr. Goodstein isn't too bright because WE have a photo of him yelling in Meriden yesterday. Take a look at the picture from yesterday against his bio at the National Home Infusion Assocation's 2nd Annual Legislative Conference.
Mr. Goodstein is now Washington Representative for Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., and for Air Products Healthcare, one of the most prominent companies in the home medical equipment field. Mr. Goodstein has been an active advocate on behalf of Air Products Healthcare in Congress and with the administrators of the Medicare program. Mr. Goodstein also appears regularly on the Fox News Channel, MSNBC, and other TV networks to offer political and legal analysis.
So Lieberaman is now bringing in lobbyists to do his dirty work. Now which campaign is acting like rotten children?
-PPM
(Hat tip to Lamontblog for the photo and Aldon for the research)
From yesterday, here's Quinnipiac Poll Director Douglas Schwartz's press conference. Schwartz explains what the latest poll means in a way that very easy to understand.
Sen. Joe Lieberman's campaign denied Thursday that they are hiring Republican college students to help get out the vote in Tuesday’s primary. "It is another lie the Lamont campaign is pedaling," said Dan Gerstein, a Lieberman volunteer and former spokesman for the three-term senator. Liberal Web sites associated with the Lamont campaign have posted an e-mail from a Princeton University student that suggests Lieberman wanted to hire Republican college students to work on his re-election campaign. The e-mail, the bloggers suggest, reaffirms Lieberman’s cozy alliance with the GOP, saying: "Look who's getting organized on behalf of Joe Lieberman." The e-mail, sent to collegerepublicans@PRINCETON.EDU, suggests an “unconventional primary campaign opportunity” in volunteering for Lieberman.
[...]
Gerstein said that the e-mail was sent without authorization from the campaign. Elissa Harwood, a Princeton student and Lieberman supporter, was trying to drum up some volunteers for the campaign from among her fellow Democratic friends, he said. "She shared the information with a friend who happened to be Republican, and without permission the friend sent the e-mail to Princeton Republicans," Gerstein said. "Our campaign did not solicit any volunteers from college Republicans and the friend shared the information without permission."
Wow, there is so much stuff to cover. I can't seem to keep up with everything.
The governer's race between Malloy and DeStefano is really picking up pace with Malloy catching up to DeStefano with a few days to go till primary day. Lamont and Lieberman...well, you know about those two.
I have plenty of video to post including the latest Q-poll news conference which I'll post shortly. I'm also going to do something I've haven't done before and I'll get into that later today. If everyone helps out, it should be rather fun.
Jesse Jackson told us to focus and trust me, I'm trying my best but what happened yesterday was way over the line. I noticed a writer on another blog didn't notice any coverage of the event in the press. I felt that it was important to show him that this story did make it to the front page one major newspaper in the area. Other press were there and I'm sure more stories of what happened will surface as things really did get ugly.
It's sad that after all this time, the Lieberman campaign decided to turn things this ugly but I'm moving on because this is not important. What's important is that we get out the vote and make sure those people who would vote for a change make it to the polls on Tuesday.
So I just tracked this down with several sources, and something really strange is going on. Lieberman's campaign seems to arming his supporters with aggressive talking points in order to pick fights at Lamont events. There were two separate events today where this happened. At a Machinists union endorsement event for Ned, some Lieberman supporters (probably paid) started arguing with union members, and a sign got torn.
Later in the day, Ned was ambushed at a diner stop. At 5pm, Ned was scheduled to stop at a cheeseburger joint in Meridan (Ted's Cheeseburgers). The burgers were really good, apparently, and the place is famous for delicious cheeseburgers. Mmm. As I write this it's dinner time.
Anyway, Lamont was going to the restaurant for a scheduled stop to do a meet and greet. The field organizer got there 20 minutes ahead of schedule. A bunch of Lieberkidz were already inside, but they were disguised because they weren't wearing their standard white T-Shirts. They were just sitting in the booths, in the smallish restaurant.
There were about 15 Ned supporters outside, holding signs and milling about. There were also some reporters, a photographer, and a bunch of journalists. Ned arrived at 5:05, and spent about 10 or 15 minutes outside before heading in to give a speech and eat a cheeseburger. He goes inside, and all of sudden the field organizer who was behind Ned heard a lot of screaming directed at Ned.
There were only four booths and six stools in the whole place, and they were basically all occupied. When Ned went in, all of the supporters ripped off their 'civilian clothes' and revealed their Lieberman T-Shirts.
A large man, around 50 years old or so, then started screaming at Ned, "Are you an Al Sharpton Democrat, or a Bill Clinton Democrat?" Ned was trying to answer, and the gentleman kept yelling. The Lamont press secretary tried to intervene, and meanwhile, the people behind the counter who owned the restaurant were horrified and embarrassed. Then Ned Lamont went up to the few people in regular clothes and introduced himself, even as the Lieberman supporters kept screaming. He also tried to introduce himself to the Lieberman staffers, but to no avail. The screaming continued, and it was so abrasive that he left, and the whole crowd followed him outside.
These kids poured out, and a half a dozen reporters were mostly outside. The large man kept yelling, and was joined by one particularly obnoxious Lieberman supporter who started yelling about national security and how Lamont would endanger the country. The messaging seemed rehearsed. The Lieberman supporters started getting aggressive, pushing some of the Lamont staffers. When confronted, the Lieberman staffers said that they are just doing what the bloggers did.
In the whole affair, one photographer caught an elbow and got a bloody nose. It seems that the Lieberman campaign is explicitly setting up their supporters at Lamont events in tense and aggressive situations, all in the presence of reporters. When asked, the Lieberman campaign is expressing outrage at the unsavory and unruly behavior of the Lamont supporters. Joe better call the dogs off before we catch them on video.
Okay folks, this is way over the line. Say what you will but I never heard of a Lamont supporter pulling this type of crap at a Lieberman event. This is totally uncalled for and disgusting. Whenever I'm at a Lieberman event, I'm as professional as any other report on the scene. I'm there to report the story NOT and not to be part of the story. I've never heard of a pro-Lamont blogger or supporter of Lamont act like a unhinged wacko and we have all the video online to prove it.
I might disagree with Joe but that does not mean I would ever go up to him and scream in his face. Say what you will about Sen. Lieberman or Lamont but they are human beings for crying out loud. It's one thing to get pissed off at Lieberman's campaign, it a totally different story when you become physical.
Joe, I might not agree with you on several issues but I always thought you were better than this. Call off the dogs, it's very uncool and you know Ned does not deserve that type of treatment. Say what you will about Lamont supporters but you know there has never been a case where you, your staff, or any reporter felt threatened.
I think you should take some advice from Ned and have a lemonade and chill.
Sen. Joseph Lieberman's (D-CT) Tour for Tomorrow continues to be punctuate with today's struggles to save his troubled campaign. In the aftermath of a Quinnipiac poll this morning showing the three term Democrat far behind behind challenger Ned Lamont in Tuesday's primary, Lieberman must decide how or if to salvage his get-out-the-vote operation.
Word is leaking out of the campaign that efforts to hire and organize several thousand itinerant campaign workers have fallen far short of expectations and necessity. Lieberman and his battered brain trust will now have to decide whether to continue investing funds in that effort or save money for November. These primary troubles are a preview of what he can expect in his new life as an independent should he lose on Tuesday. Much of his weak campaign organization will dutifully head to the triumphant Democratic nominee or simply sit out the race.
Party professionals are appalled at the parlous state of Lieberman's campaign organization. And that's something it takes more than a few weeks to build. The invoice for neglecting Connecticut Democrats for the past six years is now due. It's a ruinous sum for George Bush’s favorite Senate Democrat.
No time to smile right now. Save the champaign for Tuesday night when the results are final and until then, consider this a close race.
It's really easy to lose focus when covering this wacky senate race.
For me, the thing that sent me down the wrong road was the disgusting race-baiting tactics from team Joementum. Personally, not only was this the lowest point in this campaign but, in my opinion, should go down as the one of the darkest moments in Connecticut politics and the lack of media attention regarding this sensitive subject was simply inexcusable as Sen. Lieberman tried to leave an impression in the minds of African-Americans that Ned Lamont somehow doesn't care about race relations (trust me, if this was the case, I would have nothing to do with the man).
Also troubling to me (and wound up sending me down the wrong path) was the inability of certain members of the local media to properly challenge Lieberman's cheap and utterly despicable race-baiting tactic in a timely fashion (although one television reporter openly admitted knowing about rumors the Lieberman campaign were spreading about Lamont in the African-American community weeks ago).
Simply put, the press failed in their obligation of being a watchdog for the public and certain reporters were bamboozled into echoing talking points spoon-fed to them by team Joementum simply on face value. When finally realizing that they were being used for fools, the press refused to press the Lieberman camp to get back on topic and settled for Marion "the last comic standing" Steinfels signature "no comment" remark. The utter failure of some members in the local media to engage the Lieberman campaign on the relevant issues (i.e. Lieberman's independent petition drive, views on the Iraqi PM statement on the Israeli bombing in Lebanon, Lieberman's views on John Bolton, etc) left me questioning some reporters sense of "objectivity" and balance in their reporting.
I lost focus and needed a wake up call.
Thank goodness for people like the Rev. Jesse Jackson to put you back on the right path.
Last night in New Haven at the Dixwell's Mount Bethel AME Church, I was fortunate enough to get an interview with a person I idolized as a child. Although it was an honor to interview Rev. Jackson, what I wasn't prepared for was how he was able to put me back on the right path adn remind me about what was really important in regards to this senate race. As I questioned Rev. Jackson on why he so vigorously supported Ned Lamont’s candidacy, his answer should be a reminder for many of us who have somewhat lost focus and forgotten what Lamont’s primary challenge to Lieberman is all about.
Enough of my rabbling, all I ask is that you simply watch, listen and focus.
Did you get the Rev. Jackson's message? Is everything coming back into focus now.
Remember the Iraq War?
Remember the way Lieberman undermined the Democratic Party?
Remember how Lieberman failed to hold the Bush administration accountable for anything?
Remember Lieberman's statement regarding womenm, the Plan B pill and Catholic hospitals?
Remember Lieberman's support for Cheney's Energy Bill?
Remember Lieberman's role in Katrina (including the 42 minutes of shame which led to Michael Brown becomming the head of FEMA)?
Remember the countless other reasons which led to Ned Lamont to challenge Lieberman in the first place?
Focus. Is it coming back to you now? Good!
Do yourself a favor...stay focus, keep your eye on the prize and help Ned get out the vote! Also, today is the last day to sign up for the family friends and neighbor's program so if you haven't signed up, NOW is the time.
...and thank you Rev. Jackson for getting me back on the right path. I knew there was a reason why always held you in such high respect.
People, there isn't a moment to waste. Now is the time. You know what to do.
(NOTES: Thanks goes out to CTBob for assisting me in this interview. I am in your debt. Due to a very busy day I'm having, I'll post my full report on Rev. Jackson's visit to Connecticut later today.)
Momentum for Ned Lamont, the anti-war Connecticut U.S. Senate candidate, increases as he rolls to a 54 - 41 percent lead over incumbent Sen. Joseph Lieberman among likely Democratic primary voters, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.
This compares to a 51 - 47 percent Lamont lead among likely Democratic primary voters in a July 20 poll by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University.
In this latest survey, 5 percent of likely Democratic primary voters remain undecided, but 85 percent of voters say their mind is made up.
Among Lamont supporters, 65 percent say their vote is mainly against Lieberman.
Lieberman's support for the war in Iraq is the main reason they are voting for the challenger, 44 percent of Lamont voters say, with 50 percent who say the war is one of the reasons.
"Sen. Lieberman's campaign bus seems to be stuck in reverse. Despite visits from former President Bill Clinton and other big name Democrats, Lieberman has not been able to stem the tide to Lamont," said Quinnipiac University Poll Director Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D.
[...]
"Three months ago, Lamont was virtually unheard of, except perhaps on the blogs. As Democrats get to know Lamont better, they like what they see. Lamont has established himself as a credible alternative to Lieberman," Dr. Schwartz added.
Connecticut likely Democratic primary voters give Lamont a 46 - 14 percent favorability rating, with 20 percent mixed and 19 percent who say they don't know enough to form an opinion.
Sen. Lieberman gets a split 37 - 34 percent favorability among Democrats, with 26 percent mixed.
Oh my, it looks real ugly for Joe. I guess Sean is packing his bags.
Interesting things pop out in this poll for instance, the appearence of Bill Clinton had NO impact on people, the trend for Lamont is off the charts, and it seems like most people have their mind made up.
What's rather interesting is Lieberman's favorability among people who who make under 50,000 per year. This shows that Joe is popular among lower income people but whether or not this translates into votes (August primary, low income people tend to work more than one job) remains to be seen. Also interesting is the fact that the Q-poll didn't survey Lieberman running as an indy in a three way match against Lamont and a Alan "Gold" schlessinger. In other words, this is a limited poll so a victory for Lamont is not a guarentee so GOTV is important more than ever (remember, Lieberman has an army of people hitting the streets).
Still, it's nice to see that someone who NOBODY knew months ago is kicking the stuffing out of a three-term senator (after all of Lieberman's dirty tricks). If Lamont wants Joe's indy run to come to an end, he HAS to win big time so again GOTV is very important with primary day around the corner.
Here's the highlights from raw data (click on the data to enlarge).
4. If the 2006 Democratic primary for United States Senator were being held today and the candidates were Joseph Lieberman and Ned Lamont for whom would you vote? (If undecided q4) As of today, do you lean more toward Lieberman or Lamont? This table includes Leaners.
TREND: If the 2006 Democratic primary for United States Senator were being held today and the candidates were Joseph Lieberman and Ned Lamont, for whom would you vote? (If undecided) As of today, do you lean more toward Lieberman or Lamont? This table includes Leaners. 9. (If Lieberman voter q4) How much does Bill Clinton's endorsement of Lieberman influence your decision to vote for Lieberman - Is it the main reason you are voting for Lieberman, is it only one of the reasons, or is it not a reason at all? 11. (If Lamont voter q4) How much does Lieberman's support of the war in Iraq influence your decision to vote for Lamont - Is it the main reason you are voting for Lamont, is it only one of the reasons, or is it not a reason at all?
This afternoon, CTBob (a.k.a. happiest aggressive interrogater) asks Millionaire Lieberman a few questions while George Bush's favorite Democrat tried to put on his best face (so sad).
Did Genghis get a push-polling call regarding Joe Courtney?
Check out what he has to say and judge for yourself. First Nancy Johnson, now Rob Simmons? Isn't a little easy for these people to be making these type of polling calls?
Books for children in low-income homes and universal preschool are keys to closing the achievement gap between rich and poor students, Democratic gubernatorial candidate John DeStefano said.
His $73 million education plan called "Every Child Reads by Third Grade" could mean a tax increase for Connecticut's wealthiest residents."Wouldn't it be great if we could be a state where every third-grader reads at grade level?" said DeStefano, the New Haven mayor. "I want preschool for every 3- and 4-year-old to be a fundamental right."
One week before facing Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy in the Democratic primary Aug. 8, DeStefano unveiled his education plan at Mill Ridge Primary School.
DeStefano was joined by six campaign supporters, including former Danbury Mayor Gene Eriquez and former U.S. Rep. James Maloney of Danbury.
"The greatest investment we can make is in early childhood education," Eriquez said at the small rally.
DeStefano said he chose Mill Ridge because Danbury is one of the state's 19 priority school districts. These district have a large achievement gap. "This is a municipality that is not always thought of as distressed," DeStefano said.
Children from low-income families enter kindergarten with vocabularies of 5,000 words, DeStefano said, while children from high-income families enter kindergarten with vocabularies of 30,000 words.
To pay for the program, DeStefano wants to increase income taxes on residents making more than $1 million per year. He also wants to maintain the estate tax.
Specifically, the proposal would provide preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds.
The plan also calls for a Books for Children and Families program, in which the state would work with nonprofit groups to buy books for poor families, to encourage parents to read to their children.
Finally, the proposal calls for increasing the number of teachers who specialize in literacy for young children.
