Disclosure: I worked for the Lamont campaign doing web design and production and some writing for the official blog (from 9/5/06 to 11/07/06).

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

 

Schumer To CT Dems: "DROP DEAD"

Giving a big middle finger to Connecticut Democrats, Chuck Schumer said today that the DSCC would not necessarily support the Democratic candidate for Senate in November.

The DSCC is now officially just an incumbent protection racket. It has nothing to do with any party.

I don't think Chuck really understands what he would be getting himself and the party into if he were to follow through with this.
Comments:
Schumer, what don't you understand about this. Democrats in Ct. have every right in the world to nominate someone other than Joe Lieberman. That is their right. As the person in charge of the DSCC it's none of your business until they have made their decision and it's their decision. Your responsiblity is to help Ct. DEMOCRATS elect the candidate of their choice.

I know that Joe can be a real cry baby, his pique over not being coronated in 2004 was one of the more emetic political scenes of that year, but it would have been much better to say nothing than what you did.
 
Schumer wants war, give it to him!
Put up A Bat for Lamont! Let's go full steam ahead!
 
Ya know, if Joe loses, it leaves him wide open to be appointed to something by Bush. Maybe he'll be the new Secretary of Defense. I'm assuming Bush would want to keep the ethnic quotas the same.
 
If Joe decides to run as an independent and the DSCC refuses to support Ned, I propose an injunction or perhaps a suit to requiring them to refund donations made by Connecticut Democrats.
 
My morning post:

SENATOR SCHUMER, THE PARTY BELONGS TO THE MEMBERS

Dear Senator Schumer,

I see that you have made statements in support of Joe Lieberman, going so far as to hint that the DSCC might support him in an independent bid in opposition to a Democratic candidate who wins the nomination in Connecticut. To use a formerly amusing signature line, What were you thinking?

A Democratic Senator in charge of the Campaign Committee has no business threatening the Democratic voters of any state over who they might give THEIR nomination to. No matter how long he has been in the Senate, Joe Lieberman doesn't own the seat, the voters of his state do. And no matter what his status in the party he doesn't own the nomination, the Democratic voters of his state do. I don't know why you said what you did but consider these simple truths to be a refresher in Democratic Civics, section 101. Dictates from above are just too, too Republican.

You have 24 hours to fix the damage your statement has done, 48 at most. It was a pretty bad screw up so I'd suggest strong remedies. Nothing short of an apology to the Democrats of Connecticut and a reaffirmation that their voice is the voice of God to the leaders of the party will get it done.

You could make yourself famous by taking these long lost truths back into currency if you start now. Look on this as a golden opportunity, it well could be. That would do much more for your reputation than upholding the silly pose of Senate comity that makes most of the nation retch.

Until the nomination is set, I would suggest that you steer clear of these kinds of things from now on. Certainly keep quiet about them in public. And it would be a good idea to tell your staff to shut up too. Loose lips sink ships.

yours in hope of Democratic victory,

olvlzl
 
The CT Dem Party would have to officially endorse Lieberman's indie run for the DSCC to be able to financially support him, putting them in awkward spot also.
 
Up in Vermont, as Kos points out, we've got a DSCC-backed Independent running for Senator: Bernie Sanders. Except this guy has never belonged to a party, there is no Dem running (Bernie's too popular), and as Scarce indicates, the VT State Dem Party has endorsed him. I'd love to see Lamont get a Sanders endorsement as a raspberry to the DSCC.

It wouldn't hurt if he could also get backing from our other Independent, retiring Senator Jim Jeffords -- a former Republican. He's a guy who might just endorse Lieberman, and to head off that kind of cover for an independent bid would be great, besides sending the message that Lamont has strong support from Independents and Democrats. (Which might give Lieberman real uncertainty about his best course!)
 
Tim Wolf, Vermont is sui generis. I love Bernie Sanders but his case is unique.
 
OK, a fair point. So how about this: if Lieberman goes indy, what's Chris Dodd to do?

If he's serious about a presidential bid -- and he seems to think he is -- he's got to see that he's DOA if he doesn't support (or even works against) the Democratic candidate in his home state. Yes?

Hopefully, he'll sense which way the wind is blowing and get behind Lamont, since the star power of a newly elected base-popular Senator will be far more helpful in the '08 primaries than -- cough, cough -- Joe Lieberman ever could be.
 
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