"We don't agree on Iraq," Clinton said of Lieberman. "But the real issue is, whether you were for it or against it, what are you going to do now? Let me tell you something. No Democrat is responsible for the mistakes that have been made since the fall of Saddam." (Pazniokas)
There's a lot to argue with in that statement. The case could be made (and has been made) that Lieberman, by providing support for Administration policies and undermining his party’s opposition efforts, exacerbates those mistakes. Clinton’s defense of Lieberman rings a little hollow.
But that’s neither here nor there. Clinton was a hit. He always is. He’ll probably swing a decent number of votes Lieberman’s way. The question is whether or not Clinton’s appearance will help Joe Lieberman enough to save him from defeat. Lieberman hopes so: I would expect to see at least one commercial featuring Clinton appear over the next two weeks.
An attendee who wishes to remain anonymous has sent these observations from the event:
1) There was a HUGE minority presence in the palace theater. Somewhere between a third and a half of the audience.
2) No Destefano supporters showed up (No Kevin Sullivan, No Don Williams, No Marty Looney, No Destefano, No Larson or DeLauro who were said to be out of town). Labor, however, was there in force
3) Malloy did show up but was not invited up on stage. His campaign had a big presence there including wall to wall signs outside as people were leaving almost to the point where it was stopping traffic…
4) Joe Courtney was the only Congressional Challenger absent...and very conspicuously so.
5) George Jepsen was camped out front trying to get a ticket to get in, he even tried to sneak in a few times to no avail....it was hilarious.
We'll see if Bill Clinton's visit helps right Lieberman's ship. If it doesn't, I don't know what will.
Source
Pazniokas, Mark. "Bill Stands By Joe." Hartford Courant 25 July, 2006.
23 comments:
In addition to the persons listed as attending:
"Those who had opening remarks while waiting for Clinton's arrival with a Secret Service contingent included Waterbury Mayor Mike Jarjura, Democratic state Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo of Trumbull, state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, AFL-CIO President John Olsen and Speaker of the House James A. Amann, D-Milford."
Great event last night. I was shocked not to see DeStefano supporters. No signs. No volunteers. Very strange. The Malloy team was once again in everywhere supporting Dan Malloy. I have to think, If a campaign can work this hard for month after month in a primary, it makes me believe that their candidate will work just as hard to beat Jodi Rell in November. That, my friends, is what this is all about. Getting Democrats in office.
The Malloy team was once again everywhere supporting Dan Malloy. Was it really a good use of their time - now two weeks out from a primary - to be doing visability outside a venue with 500 Democrats who probably have their mind made up early. Signs of "strength" like that won't matter on the 9th.
People here like to think that they're right about how a campaign should spend its money - slamming DeStefano for going on TV and reaching out to voters. I wonder what those people would say if they found out Malloy's campaign paid the high school volunteers to go to New London for the debate? Is that a smart way to spend money?
It's stunning news that they wouldn't let George Jepsen in. We know that they "sanitized" the event of Connecticut Democrats who wanted to see Clinton but were known supporters of Ned Lamont.
But to hear that they even blocked George Jepsen is amazing and unconscionable. Wasn't he the leader of the state party when Bill Clinton was elected? How unspeakably rude.
It says a lot about the Lieberman campaign's paranoid, selfish, and petty approach to this campaign. They had an opportunity to unite CT Democrats during this visit and show themselves to be better than the way they've run the campaign thus far, but once again they decided to operate out of anger and resentment.
What did they think would happen, that George Jepsen would come in and sneak "Kiss" buttons to the crowd? That he would unfurl a great big Lamont sign during Joe's longwinded speech? (At least it would have broken the monotony, I guess.)
Seriously, how petty and divisive can they get? There was a "free speech zone", the crowd was sanitized as much as possible, and tickets were snatched out of the hands of supporters of Lamont. Yet another example of Lieberman approaching things just like George Bush, I guess.
Ms. Rice you certainly are indefatigueable. Clinton wont swing enough votes Liebermans way. The same goes for Maxine Waters and Marcy Kaptur for Lamont. Honestly I think most people don't want outsiders meddling in CT politics.
Maura,
Sanitizing a campaign rally is common practice among everyone in political campaigns. You don't let the opposition in when you are trying to rally your base, do you? George Jepsen, despite his Lieberman button at the JJB, supports Ned Lamont very publicly. That's his perogitive and he enjoys the right to do so, but I don't think it's odd that he wasn't allowed in, nor do I think it's rude. If he were still party chair he wouldn't be supporting Lamont because the party chair has an obligation to support the endorsed candidate. I don't think it's odd or rude. Just my opinion of course.
After attending yesterday's rally, and listening, albeit painfully, to our leaders butcher the language, we really don't have much of a leg to stand on in criticizing Bush's gaffes. Yesterday's Top Five Worst:
5) Diane Farrell: She did herself more harm than good yesterday. When she rails against the war, her shrill words seem to be warranted. When she's shrill on anything else, she just sounds annoying. Anyone else want to know how she can make her entire campaign about her opposition to the war, and then endorse Lieberman (and appear at the rally that will hopefully save him?) In the words of Ned Lamont, "Poppycock."
4) Jim Amann: Am I the only one who finds it midly amusing that this guy's title is "Speaker"? I know the guy had esophagial cancer, but come on. He sounds like he's on his last legs! And have something prepared so at least you can TRY to get us going!
3) Eddie Perez: bar-none the worst speaker of all elected officials. Even if he were speaking in Spanish I still believe he would murder his words. "Twooo Democwaats"? He sounded like the bishop in the Princess Bride--"Maawedge." We said that our two mayor candidates for governor weren't ready for primetime-Eddie, I hope you like being Mayor, because after this, it's curtains.
2) Nancy DiNardo: Simply put, I can't believe that marble-mouthed airhead is our chairman. Have some self-respect.
1) Richard Blumenthal: Excerpt from his speech (paraphrased)-"Last night I was talking to my boys about this Senate race. Yes, last night. After I had instructed them about who to vote for, I began explaining to them all the great things Joe Lieberman has done for our state, and how Ned Lamont is running against him. As I'm explaining this, my youngest says to me, 'Dad, it's about the whole package.' And he's right. So let's talk about JOE'S PACKAGE." (I swear to god I was gonna lose it right there) He proceeds to go on and on about the virtues of Joe's Package. Apparently, Joe needs to challenge Ned to a "sword fight." Thanks, Dick.
Let's NOT talk about Joe's package! Wow.
Barbara Kennelly had the same problem as Perez, as I recall. Disgwaceful.
..and Barbara Walters
Always reminds me of this.
ummm, speaking of sanitizing, I thought this blog was moderated.
Are we really allowed to say FU's and call people A-holes? I'm referring to the 9:56 poster.
Two weeks out from the primary, campaigns need to be doing everything possible to reach voters. I think the Malloy team has so many staff and supporters that they are able to work on all different fronts. Perhaps just different strategies. Good to see volunteers out waving signs, anyways.
Don't see a 9:56 poster... what are you referring to, anonymous?
This is just glorious. Can't wait to see how the Dems will feel waking up "the morning after" next to Tom Swan, your new defacto party leader.
I think that comment was deleted.
Anon 10:11 your comments re Farrell are right on target. She is shrill and her claim as the "anti-war" candidate rings hollow.
Look at the facts:
1. She NEVER publicly opposed the war resolution or the invasion of Iraq, until after the fact.
2. Everyone in Westport political circles knows that she squashed an anti-war resolution that many on the RTM wanted to pass.
3. I was at Shays' town meeting in Westport on the war, where she publicly called on him to ask the President to proceed cautiously and exhaust all avenues of diplomacy. Everyone (except Lieberman) was saying that! That is NOT opposition; rather, it is typical Farrell - too cute by half, as they say.
Now she has a chance on Aug. 8 to vote for one of 2 Democratic Party candidates, one (Lamont) who shares her position on Iraq and on every other major issue of the day from education, to tax policy, to social security, and the other (Lieberman) who is four square in support of Bush and his war, not to mention his support for vouchers and opposition to universal health care. Who is Farrell voting for? Who is she on stage campaigning with? Lieberman.
How can she say to the voters "vote for me because Shays and Bush are wrong on Iraq" on the one hand, when she herself is supporting a candidate with the same views as Shays and Bush? It is the height of hypocracy and proves, sadly, that Farrell is not a candidate of principle or integrity, but just another political opportunist.
Brucey, was checking out your firm's website (and you're older than I remember) and didn't see anything on there about political consulting services, nor was there anything on your CV page that indicated a managerial or senior-status position on any statewide races?
And if there is a campaign out there in need of a progressive mind, do you still do some side work?
According to this article, a lot.
I'm not surprised. I once stood out in bitter cold for two hours waiting to see Clinton's motorcade turn into Asnuntuck Community College in Enfield, where he was giving a speech for Joe Courtney (2002). About two dozen other people were there with me, just waiting to try and catch a glimpse of him.
I think The Lieberman Campaign should of had the event somewhere where more people could of participated.
I would of liked to have gone to the event But I knew with this lottery system that they would likely give the tickets to Waterbury residents and VIP's and that people like me who actually work on campaigns or on our DTC would not get a ticket at all.I think they had to stack the audience so to speak.
And someone said that they took tickets away from Lamont supporters that is so wrong if that is true.
I did not want to just stand on the street and maybe get a glimpse so i stayed home and watched on TV.
A few observations on President Clinton's appearance:
I was sitting in the balcony. From my perspective, the people in the house love the president. But the response to Lieberman was not as enthusiastic. I would not be surprised if half of the people upstairs don't vote for Lieberman. People were there to see the president, not to support Joe.
Malloy sat through the speechifying in the mezzanine with Gerry Weiner from Orange, who I thought was stumping for Destefano on the floor of the convention.
Maybe Gerry is just hedging his bets.
Olsen stumbled over his words a few times and some in the crowd wondered if he had a few cocktails beforehand. If that is the voice of labor, labor might need a new voice.
Jarjura actually performed fairly well in front of the home-crowd. Maybe he shared a few of his secrets about losing a primary but winning the general.
Murphy, I thought, was a polished speaker and made a favorable impression on the crowd upstairs. He was certainly stronger than Dianne on stage.
Eddie Perez peppered his speech with Spanish phrases, which was not well-received by the blue-collar crowd upstairs. I heard more than a few say that we speak English in this country.
Clinton was fabulous. He articulates his arguments simply and he made most of us long for the days of his presidency. If only he were sitting in the Oval now.
But his arguments about keeping Joe in office just don't wash. Lieberman's policy stance is causing thousands to die. You can't get past that truth. Lamont will be an effective Democrat Senator from Connecticut, and he will serve the interests of his constituents with regard to the seminal issue of our time - this ridiculous foreign policy folley in Iraq.
"People here like to think that they're right about how a campaign should spend its money - slamming DeStefano for going on TV and reaching out to voters. I wonder what those people would say if they found out Malloy's campaign paid the high school volunteers to go to New London for the debate? Is that a smart way to spend money?"
As one of those high school Malloy volunteers, I will say personally that we were NOT paid for doing visibility and showing up for the debate. We did it because we wanted to. Not because of the hourly rate.
Tom Swan for Democratic State Party Chairman (yeah right what a joke)
Ned Lamont....Only 13 days until you return to your empire....The Real Democrats know you arent worthy to be Dog Catcher in Greenwich Let alone a US Senator.
You get to go back and be a prissy rich millionaire while Joe gets 6 more years in the US Senate.
I can't wait to see all you Liberals crying the blues when Joe beats the Pretty boy and all this venom and nastiness you have been spewing on all the blogs will just be a memory and for nothing.
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