In all honesty, since leaving the Republican Party many years ago, I rarely feel any pity for the likes of Rove et al.
But today, I feel pity for someone else...Alan Schlesinger and the Conn. state republican party.
The central thesis of this expose is simple. The national republican party is sacraficing Alan Schlesinger and their "friends" in Conn. for political power. Of course, that gives us, as democrats, an interesting scenario.
The central thesis of this expose is simple. The national republican party is sacraficing Alan Schlesinger and their "friends" in Conn. for political power. Of course, that gives us, as democrats, an interesting scenario.
While everyone is focused on the three way between Lamont, Leibermann, and Schlesinger on the national level, what we really need to focus on is the effect on the state level.
Every single talking head and pundit is decrying this as the death of the Democratic party nationally. Perhaps they are doing this as a smokescreen for what is going on in the Republican party within Conn.
The republicans are committing the same error that the democrats did before the 50 state strategy. They are willing to sacrafice a state for a national narrative. Yet in politics, they should realize that the only dichotomic choices they must make are false ones, pushed on by their opponents. In other words, supporting the national party and state party is not mutually exclusive, yet the republicans are making it that way.
And we, as democrats, should capatalize on their weakness.
How do the Republicans in Conn really feel about the "ultimate flip-flopper" (a good word to work into attack ads on him) Joe? How do they feel having the former Democratic VP candidate as their candidate? How do they feel having a candidate that was chosen for them by Washington , instead of one that they have picked themselves? How do they feel being forced into supporting a Bush lackey lacks serious conservative credentials (but merely adopts them for political gain)?
Chances are, and the list can go on..., that the Republican voters of Conn. do not actually feel very good. Look at it this way, their opponent for many years has now been forced to be their de facto candidate for winning a Senate seat. Their own candidate, Alan Schlesinger, has been tossed by the way side, NOT by the voters of Conn, but by the political machinations of the Washington machine.
Joe's goal is his weakness. In trying to split the Democratic party in Conn, he will also run the risk of splitting the Republican part in Conn.
If we stay united on an issue, and our opponents are divided, then we should push that issue.
That makes a great case for pushing the war. That also makes a great case to target, by Lamont and co, the Republican morale.
While the talking heads at Fox News seem to believe that Conn. republicans love Joe, is that really the case? I'd wager, based on Fox New's current track rate with reality, that it is a "no."
We need to split Joe's Republican support, while at the same time lowering the morale for the state republican party. Karl Rove and Joe have made the first stab at morale, so let us twist the knife.
If the Dems stay united, then those who are angry at Leibermann's independent run will balance out all the republicans voting for him.
And then Lamont wins. A good day for all of us.