Thursday, September 21, 2006

Open Forum

Gov. Rell has opened the door to a possible one-on-one debate with John DeStefano. I hope this doesn't mean there won't be any debates with the other two candidates. That would be a shame.

The DeStefano campaign sent Mary Glassman out to the steps of the Capitol yesterday to accuse the governor of ducking debate. They're finding good uses for her.

Joe Lieberman backs universal health care. Wow, he's suddenly pretty liberal. How did that happen?

Remember the Lamont "Turncoat" ads? Apparently no one else liked them, either.

What else is going on?

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Suddenly pretty liberal? Don't pay much attention do ya?

CC said...

Against any restrictions on abortion, against drilling in ANWAR, against the Bush tax cuts, 90 percent voting record with the Dems. Doesn't get much more liberal than that!

Anonymous said...

How come no diary on Kenneth Cains GQ aticle?

It is, without a doubt the best written on the primary race and captures the essence of both men better than any other written to date.

CC said...

On the "turncoat" ads: hypocrisy at its best. The left celebrated the "courage" of Sen. Jim Jeffords when he left the Republican party in 2001. Much of the media -- including the NY Times -- wrote puff pieces about how courageous it was. Such rhetoric is notably absent here.....

Anonymous said...

Someone was drinking the Lamont kool-aid when they wrote this post.

ken krayeske said...

Rell, DeStefano Spar over Debate Formats

I posted this AP story at the end of that huge debate thread from yesterday. I missed contributing to the thread yesterday because of night classes in law school and before that, vigorous campaigning.

In the morning, Cliff Thornton spoke to 11 Watertown High School students in Al Marko's senior social studies class, then at 1 p.m., Cliff addressed 150 8th graders at West Shore Middle School in Milford. Most of the eighth graders raised their hands when Cliff asked who thought the war in Iraq was a bad idea.

Both places, events generated press, and in both spots, when he asked how many students thought we had a working democracy, no one raised their hands. He spent the next 40 minutes trying to convince them that A) it is their duty to work towards such a goal and B) our institutions are somewhat democratic.

While the activity on the CT Local Politics board demonstrates that it is an active democratic institution, the debate over the debates shows that in practice, the American ideal of free speech rights does not apply certain candidates for political office. This might be some of the evidence the teens are examining when they conclude we lack a working democracy.

The viability argument, forwarded by Prof. Gary Rose of Sacred Heart University yesterday in Hladky's New Haven Register story, proposes that "marginal" candidates do not belong in debates.

But neither he nor Hladky defines marginal in a substantive way, other than implicitly linking it with Thornton and the Zdonczyk.

Ballot access should be the only criteria for participating in debates. Yesterday, Aldon Hynes made the best argument about debates: the more candidates, the more debates.

This election is about what group of people and their political theory are best qualified to manage the current and future affairs of the $17.5 billion public trust known as the state of Connecticut. If the two most visible candidates cannot even agree on how to start a discussion about, how are they qualified to run it?

I am told the Greens are not viable because we refuse the corrupting access of big money. Hearing the prejudicial viability argument emanating from an ivory tower makes me question the academic and intellectual integrity of such institution. What happened to free inquiry?

I'll stick with Alfred North Whitehead's thought: "The rejection of any source of evidence is always treason to that ultimate rationalism which urges forward science and philosophy alike."

The debates should look like the ballots. Rell and DeStefano are running big money campaigns that practice exclusionary, discriminatory politics. The bare hypocrisy of the two parties in their quest to maintain a monopoly on power should shame all of us. They are so afraid of ideas that they need to fight to keep them at bay.
Why do we let them get away with this? Our society is too complex for only two voices to be heard.

Thornton for Governor is running a vigorous statewide campaign on a tight budget. Some might call it smart fiscal planning. Slap yesterday said Thornton's last filing showed only $4,000, but in our next filing, the Green Party gubernatorial campaign will be over the $10,000 mark. If we count what the Green Party itself spent on ballot access for seven candidates, the sum is more than $18,000. By Nov. 7, we will be looking at $30,000 spent.

The entire fiasco shows the urgent need for democratic electoral reforms like proportional representation, instant runoff voting, and the return to independent debate moderators.

The eighth graders may be more pessimistic than I like, but their basic analysis that democracy is broken and those claiming to be in charge are not fulfilling the promise of the American dream seems right on target.

Anonymous said...

Does Cliff Thornton know 8th graders can't vote?

CC said...

"The debates should look like the ballots."

How can anyone disagree with that statement?

That said, let's be fair and frank about what we smilingly call debates. While debates surely should occur, the rules set by the candidates tend to be structured so that no real debate can occur. ("Governor Rell. Tell us your thoughts on the meaning of life. You have two minutes.")

Anonymous said...

Listen to this great quote from Ned Lamont:

"I'm challenging a guy that really never spent an hour in the private sector, spent his whole life on the public payroll. I'm a guy that started up a business from scratch, met a payroll," Lamont said. "I think it's a good point of view to have down in Washington."

Hey Ned, are you talking about Chris Dodd? Seriously, although I like Dodd, he left law school, was admitted to the bar in 1973 and ran for Congress in 1974, where he has been ever since. For the record, Lieberman spent more time in private practice as an attorney (that is the private sector Ned) than Dodd ever did.

And yes, Ned, you did start a business from scratch - a couple hundred million scratch that you inherited from your family. I have nothing against that, but seriously, let's not pat yourself on the back too much. We expect more humility and less boasting from the members of the Round HIll Club.

Wasn't Ned supposed to be different? He wasn't supposed to be a typical politician, right?

Ever since the primary, he has talked and acted like a typical politician, and stupid comments like the one above are a perfect example of that.

I think the bloom is off the rose and he may have peaked. The "turn coat" ads are not effective, and are a shocking failure considering that Hillsman is a genius. He was trying to attack Lieberman as being selfish (it's all about Joe) and I think that could be an effective message, but the turncoat ads failed in conveying that message.

Time for a new message Ned because the ship is taking on water.

Anonymous said...

bluecoat said: "Ned is clearly running the cleaner campaign of the two if anybody checks out the facts against the record."

bluecoat, clearly both camps have run negative ads. After the primary, Ned ran an ad and a campaign that, in effect, blamed Joe Lieberman for the government's failure to help the people victimized by hurricane Katrina.

That attack is far worse and more negative than anything Lieberman has done, in my opinion.

Anonymous said...

"It's very much a sunrise."

- DANGERSTEIN

Anonymous said...

I support the Stratford Police Department. I welcome the FBI and the US Justice Department considering
claims against the department in view of recent events. I welcome it because they will probably find
nothing done wrong. Then some politicians in Stratford will be held accountable for their actions.
They will have to try to explain themselves which they can't do and hopefully the citizens will vote them
the hell out of office for this fiasco in town.

Mr. Concerned Citizen

Anonymous said...

common sense dem is funny... Does killing a universal health care proposal count as working to bring about universal health care?

Anonymous said...

As I see it DeStefano will lose in November Because he is writing off Litchfield County as is Ned Lamont.

The Democrats in Litchfield County work hard usually for The Democratic Candidates But Because of all the hatred and venom caused by Keith and Petey Crane's two man war Against Lieberman over nonsense.I seriously doubt DeStefano Nor Lamont will do well here But I suspect Jodi Rell and Joe Lieberman will.

This anti war, anti american dribble has taken its toll and once again I want to thank Keith Crane for destroying The Connecticut Democratic Party with this ridiculous attempt to oust Lieberman coup style.

I think Keith is taking a page out of Venezuela President Chavez's book (actually he probably has a copy at home)Well I am sure he supports other anti-americans like The Iranian and North Korea Presidents.

I love America and The Liberals do not it is that plain and simple But I do know one thing In 45 days Joe Lieberman will be re-elected to The US Senate,Ned Lamont will go back to his empire,Desperados for America will be out of Business and we will never hear from The Liberal from Branford or his stupid,illogical website dumpjoe.com
Enjoy your 15 minutes of fame Keith and Petey Because time is almost up and in 45 days its all over for you and your candidate as he will lose and I bet we have heard the last of your liberal rantings once and for all.

Anonymous said...

We need new leadership in CT. Especially in Stratford.
ohhh boy. whew. I would like a medium popcorn and large
diet coke please. I cannot wait to sit back and watch
this show. Yes, I am quite serious by the way. New
people are needed in leadership positions badly. In
light of recent events in this joint.