Lieberman Press Conference at 1PM today

Joe Lieberman has called a Press conference on the steps of the Capital in Hartford for 1PM today.My Sources are telling me his staffers are calling reporters to tell them this is a Major announcement and they should attend.

Many Believe Lieberman will announce he is indeed taking out petitions to gather the 7500 signatures needed to be on the Nov. ballot as an independent since his pollster has already told him he is losing among Most Likely and Likely Voters.

I have sources in attendence and will update as news becomes available. UPDATE:

UPDATE:Lieberman Has Pulled Petitions and will announce he is running as a "Petitioning Democrat" should he lose the primary I've been informed Lieberman has pulled Petitions and will announce if he loses the primary he will be running as a "petitioning Democrat" AP story will be out in minutes. Update I've spoken with someone close to the Lamont Campaign.They charactorize this as a desperate move by a desperate man that will do anything to hold on to power. "If beating Joe Lieberman Twice is what it takes to rip his hands from power then thats what we'll do" my source said.

•  yikes........

  Please say it ain't so, Joe.... Maybe he's DROPPING OUT?!?! A girl can dream...

  by Buffalo Girl on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:28:53 AM PDT

  •  Aw, ma-an!

    You beat me by a half a minute...

    by litho on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:29:54 AM PDT

    •  we're dreamers!

      by Buffalo Girl on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:30:30 AM PDT

      •  'I am quitting the Senate to serve in Iraq.'

        As if.

        by richter on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:44:52 AM PDT

  •  It's not out of the realm of possibilities

    that he announces he is also pulling out of the Primary.He knows he can't win it and may indeed decide to skip it.

    by ctkeith on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:33:24 AM PDT

    •  Nice catch

      Recommended.  Do you know whether this will be streamed live anywhere?

      by taylormattd on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:36:43 AM PDT

    •  Joe's GBCW?

      "I'm tired of you people never listening to me. I am right and you know it. If you weren't all a bunch of idiots, I'd stay. But you are, so I'm not.

      "By the way, don't bother responding to this because I'm not going to read your responses. I don't care what you have to say."

      Joe L.

      by MrHinkyDink on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:44:10 AM PDT

      •  very nice

        rings very true somehow. Joe Lieberman, the Super-Troll.

        by Buffalo Girl on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:45:52 AM PDT

      •  The Dem

        "The Democrats won't have .. sniff-sniff .. Joe to kick around anymore .. sniff-sniff." Joe L.

        by ZappoDave on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:47:29 AM PDT

        •  what on earth is

          "Petitioning democrat"? lol.

          I mean how is he suppose to explain to his voter? I am  a "petitioning democrat"..you know...sort of a democrat but not really....

          yeah, that's a sure winning strategy.

          by fugue on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:24:20 AM PDT

          •  This is what Schumer, Clinton and Reid

            will call him to cover their sorry, treasonous behinds...

            This is what our party has come to...

            by chuckvw on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:56:35 AM PDT

            •  Oops. Didn't see this. Said same thing below,

              by richter on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 11:01:26 AM PDT

              •  You know what they say

                about great minds...

                by chuckvw on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 12:53:59 PM PDT

          •  A slip for 'Partitioning Democrat'

            Partition--isn't that the solution of last resort, traditionally, when one fears that one cannot win a straight up vote? As in Ireland in the 1920s, and Vietnam in the 1950s.

            I don't know what a 'partitioning Democrat' would be, exactly, but then 'petitioning' makes no sense at all.

            by smintheus on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:58:49 AM PDT

          •  That's like asking

              how Joementum is working out so far? Absolutely no one has an answer.

            by usmeagle69 on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 11:33:53 AM PDT

  •  UPDATE<BREAKING NEWS

    LIEBERMAN HAS PULLED PETITIONS

    Lieberman will announce if he loses the Primary he will run as a "petitioning Democrat"(whatever the hell that means)

    by ctkeith on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:52:51 AM PDT

    •  It's a way of pretending he's not an independent

      by richter on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:56:27 AM PDT

      •  To Himself Maybe...

        .....because he doesn't seem to be fooling anyone else.

        by greenskeeper on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:40:37 AM PDT

        •  It may also provide cover for Schumer...

          ...to stick the shiv into Lamont if he wins the primary, e.g. "Joe is still a Democrat, and we of course support all Democratic incumbents."

          God help me, I'm from New York, where our two Senators seem to be engaged in a contest to see which of them can be wussier -- and amazingly enough, they are BOTH winning.

          by richter on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:59:51 AM PDT

          •  He May Think It Provides Cover for Schumer

            ....but he's wrong.

            When officers no longer honor their enlisted troops, the troops desert and de-enlist.

            When officers endanger their troops and their mission, the result is full-scale mutiny.

            This dodge is too clever by half and no one is fooled.

            Do Chuck and Hill even visit downstate anymore?

            by greenskeeper on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 11:15:29 AM PDT

            •  'Do Chuck and Hill even visit downstate anymore?'

              Only when they want an egg cream.

              by richter on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 11:25:22 AM PDT

              •  What's an egg cream?

                by annefrank on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 11:38:46 AM PDT

                •  With that name, you don't know from egg creams?

                  

                  by richter on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 11:53:22 AM PDT

                  •  well- I never claimed to be THE Anne Frank

                    Thanks for the recipe.  Where's the egg?

                    by annefrank on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 06:33:02 PM PDT

                    •  There's no egg. And no cream. Go figure.

                      by richter on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 06:41:26 PM PDT

    •  What a load

      of shit.  Petitioning democrat.  He better not get any endorsements if he loses the primary.

      by taylormattd on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:01:06 AM PDT

      •  Already probably will

        have Schumer and other idiotic Dems who are more loyal to each other than to the Party ... probably would have opposed a primary challenger to a Zell Miller ...

        by besieged by bush on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:05:11 AM PDT

        •  And i used to think that

            Zell Miller was the only Democrat I would ever root to lose. Johnny Isackson is no change from Miller and now we have one less "Democrat" to bash the party on Fox News. Boy, was I wrong. What a coward Lieberman is!

          by usmeagle69 on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 11:36:31 AM PDT

          •  Coward?

            Don't think that is, per se, the word I would use. Egocentric ... with his expressed feelings of entitlement and betrayal ... that would seem to fit.

            by besieged by bush on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 12:03:19 PM PDT

            •  Knows he can't win the primary

                so he ducks, runs and finds another way to run, screwing the members of the party that he claims to be a member of. yes, that's cowardice. Though egocentric is also a good description.

              by usmeagle69 on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 12:11:19 PM PDT

      •  Lieberman - The Partitioning Democrat

        Petitioning, my ass.  What he is doing is partitioning the party in his state, for his own gain and at the expense of the people.

        by joanneleon on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:29:29 AM PDT

    •  What does this mean?

      Anyone have an answer? Why have primaries if the candidate can face a challenge by other means?

      by michelle on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:02:33 AM PDT

      •  Really

        Doesn't this just make the primary pretty useless?

        by joanneleon on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:10:08 AM PDT

    •  It means he knows he's going to lose the primary

      What a dick. A petitioning democrat is a democrat who holds contempt for Democratic voters and hopes ennough republicans come out to save his ass. It also means he wants to keep his comittee seats if he wins. I smell a deal with other Democrats in the Senate. Have the Democrats in the Senate sold CT Democratic voters out?

      by terhuxtim on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:04:33 AM PDT

      •  Maybe the DLC helped him

        with the saving face terminology.

        by annefrank on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 11:41:19 AM PDT

    •  no back bone to the last

      well we can count THAT part of DLC to always pan out.

      Bye joe. it was nice knowing your war mongering and Bush kissing head. Don't let the door hit cha on the way out.

      by fugue on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:14:04 AM PDT

    •  Time for the Lamont campaign

      To research whether labeling yourself as a petitioning democrat is even legal. Force him to admit he's an independent, if he wants to appear on the ballot. Then force Chucky Schumer to choose between party and incumbency.

      by emptywheel on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:31:12 AM PDT

  •  This is great news for Lamont fans

    Lieberman now hurts his chances in the primary.

    I have never been concerned about the general election because there is a republican that will take votes from lieberman and he will have no union or dem political support in connecticut.

    For the first time I can really picture Lieberman not being sworn on January 3, 2007.  I can see a Senator Lamont with Chris Dodd standing behind him as he takes the oath of office.

    by sderot5 on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 11:30:59 AM PDT

    •  Joe's getting squirelly

      
      Cornered animals can be dangerous.  When I was a kid, my cat managed to get a live squirrel inside my bedroom window.  The poor thing got away, but it was scared silly, and tore the place up significantly.

      by Land of Enchantment on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 02:19:07 PM PDT

      •  no comparison

        squirrels are great escape artists and lots more precious than Joe Nomomentum. We would be more than happy to release him into the woods, provided he promises to stay there.

        by dewey of the desert on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 11:32:18 PM PDT

•  Buh-bye Joe

  Don't let the door hit ya where the dog shoulda bit ya.

  by demkat620 on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:29:12 AM PDT

•  Maybe

  he'll announce his apology to the American people for being such a wanker in office, and declare that he has given up all ambition for reelection and higher office.

  Well, a guy can dream, can't he???

  by litho on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:29:20 AM PDT

  •  No better yet

    he'll screw us totally and run as a repub.

    by demkat620 on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:30:04 AM PDT

    •  That would be more honest

      than what he is doing with this "petitioning democrat" thing.  I'd probably have some respect for him if he changed parties or ran as an independent.  What he is doing is so wrong and so much more damaging.

      by joanneleon on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:42:49 AM PDT

•  Schumer

  and those other apologists better disavow him after this.  Jesus, what whiner - I can't believe how entitled he feels to that Senate seat.

  by taylormattd on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:29:27 AM PDT

  •  Never piss of the netroots

    Can't wait to see the spin on this one by those who still disparage the nascent power of the blogosphere.

    by dewey of the desert on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:44:08 AM PDT

  •  Candidate

    Better get busy telling people, we need somebody to run against Schumer next. The earlier the better.

    by fugue on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:26:50 AM PDT

  •  Don't you think Schumer knew Joe's plans?

    by annefrank on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 11:43:16 AM PDT

•  Cut and Run Joe!

  When it comes to keeping soldiers in a bloody occupation, Joe is courageous and willing to "stay the course."

  But when his own cushy career is on the line, he's the first to pull a Murtha Option.

  What a jerk.

  by OrangeCtDem on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:29:54 AM PDT

  •  Bingo! The perfect...

    ...way to say it.  This needs to be repeated over and over again.

    by BarbinMD on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:31:56 AM PDT

  •  except

    the use of the term "Murtha Option" sounds a little perjorative . . .

    by taylormattd on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:35:54 AM PDT

    •  Oops...

      I didn't see that, I was so wow'ed by the first para.  Excellent point.  

      by BarbinMD on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:40:26 AM PDT

  •  excellent!

    Jumpin' Joe, The Cut and Run Democrat

    Can he not see how he is humiliating himself? Have some pride, man.

    by anotherCt Dem on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:15:45 AM PDT

    •  he's actuallyt the ONLY

      cut and run democrat

      by Tamifah on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:19:50 AM PDT

      •  Good one!

        by anotherCt Dem on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:24:45 AM PDT

    •  He really lends himself to nicknames

      Boltin' Joe. Jumpin' Joe.

      Clueless Joe.

      It's almost too easy.

      by Nina Katarina on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:56:35 AM PDT

•  It might be a big endorsement?

  by Buffalo Girl on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:30:08 AM PDT

  •  W, Cheney & Rumsfeld?

    by zenbowl on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:31:56 AM PDT

•  Fuck you Joe

  I hope the door knocks you unconscious on the way out.

  by PsiFighter37 on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:30:18 AM PDT

•  Recommending

  No idea if you are right about the petitions, but I always love to hear what Lieberman has to say.  Heh.

  by bink on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:30:28 AM PDT

•  Maybe he'll just switch parties

  and get it all over with once and for all.

  by dannyinla on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:30:50 AM PDT

  •  Do you think he'll cry for the cameras?

    by Buffalo Girl on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:31:23 AM PDT

    •  of course

      

      by Cedwyn on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:56:45 AM PDT

  •  Instead of being hated by the Dems

    He'll be loved by the Republicans. And Joe seems to need a big ego boost.

    by dannyinla on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:33:44 AM PDT

    •  And if Liebermann believes that,

      He'll be loved by the Republicans

      then Liebermann is truly clueless.

      by ROGNM on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:37:50 AM PDT

      •  precisely

        He'll end up in the same dustbin as Zell Miller.

        by zenbowl on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:38:52 AM PDT

        •  And Probably

          just as angry.

          by ROGNM on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:43:58 AM PDT

          •  LOL...say it's not so! n/t

            by mattes on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:15:44 AM PDT

      •  No, he really wouldn't be clueless.

        Haven't you looked through the crosstabs of the latest SurveyUSA approval ratings?

        He has a 30 point margin of approval ratings among Republicans (64%-34%).

        That's better than (or as good as) the following Republicans among Republicans:

        Lisa Murkowski(AK) (62%-32%)
        Mel Martinez(FL) (57%-30%)
        Sam Brownback(KS) (60%-33%)
        Jim Bunning(KY) (57%-30%)
        Chuck Hagel(NE) (58%-37%)
        Mike DeWine(OH) (56%-34%)
        George Voinovich(OH) (61%-32%)
        Lincoln Chafee (RI) (39%-54%)

         

        by DemocraticLuntz on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:53:47 AM PDT

        •  Of course the GOP loves their

          "Favorite Patsy Democrat".

          One he has jumped ship he will be treted like last week's newspaper.

          The good news is that Joe's approaching departure from the Dem party will be a clear sign to everyone that the Dems are the Peace party and the GOP+Independent Joe is the War party.

          by Sam I Am on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:12:03 AM PDT

        •  And 46-50 among Democrats

          ..hence the petition drive.

          by Scarce on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:59:46 AM PDT

  •  Or do a Zell

    and Challenge Lamont to a Duel.

    by wishingwell on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:01:07 AM PDT

    •  Yeah, and the weapons will be

      road apples at forty paces, something that Joe understands.

      by wozzle on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:46:33 AM PDT

  •  It's a democratic area

    If he switches parties, then he loses a lot of the democratic votes. This is how republicans retain power. They lie. In this case, Lieberman is claiming to be a democrat while he is clearly working for republican interests. He doesn't give a damn about the democratic party. He is serving his republican master's well - if he can't win the primary, he's going to try to split the democratic vote so that a republican can win. The real question is: Are the people of Connecticut buy into this?

    by dianem on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 11:22:43 AM PDT

•  major announcement

  He and W finally tied the knot. Laura is pissed.

  by zenbowl on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:30:56 AM PDT

  •  LOL

    not to mention Condi!

    by Buffalo Girl on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:31:45 AM PDT

  •  In Conn. it's called

    being civilly unioned.

    by Crisis Corps Volunteer on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:41:08 AM PDT

    •  the first and only time

      Bush and civility shall meet.

      by zenbowl on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:43:06 AM PDT

•  Hanging Shumer out to dry

  Nice of the asshole (if the indy run is announced) to screw over Shumer, who made an ass of himself defending Joementum on MTP yesterday.  

  I hope it's carried here...

  by BarbinMD on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:30:56 AM PDT

  •  Shumer looked like the ultimate pol on MTP

    His response was exactly what the American people HATE abut politicians.

    by dannyinla on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:35:41 AM PDT

    •  Schumer always makes me feel...

      ...like I need to shower off the slime.

      by The Termite on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:51:23 AM PDT

      •  Smarmy...

        ...that is my word for Schumer.

        Digusting.

        by BillieJohn on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 11:59:51 AM PDT

  •  No kidding.

    It was painful watching him tie himself in a knot and then finally decide not to say anything, a little too late.

    by melvin on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:51:05 AM PDT

•  Maybe just a "face time" non-news conf.

  The power of the incumbency - give a news conference, bill it as "major", and the corporate media comes running.  Doesn't matter what the topic is.   See: Bush, G.W.

  Joementum could be just as easily announcing, "I've decided to have the alfredo for dinner."

  by Richard Cranium on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:32:17 AM PDT

  •  That is his problem.

    His love for the spotlight.

    by DemocraticLuntz on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:33:51 AM PDT

    •  Not his ONLY problem, IMO,

      there's the teamwork thingie...

      by wozzle on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:48:01 AM PDT

•  Joe's news:

  He just saved a bunch of money on his car insurance by switching to GEICO.

  by The Termite on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:33:29 AM PDT

  •  Best snark in days. n/t

    by turnover on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:43:53 AM PDT

•  OMG

  joementum! is finally coming out of the closet!

  "after the Rapture, we get all their shit"

  It's time: the albany project.

  by lipris on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:34:45 AM PDT

•  Probably gonna announce...

  ...that WMD have been found in Iraq.

  by DebtorsPrison on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:36:54 AM PDT

•  Probably going to announce...

  he has herpes from George's kiss.

  by OCMIHOP on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:38:43 AM PDT

•  Any streaming options

  from a local station?

  by bumblebums on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:41:33 AM PDT

•  He's quitting as Senator

  effective today, to be with his family.  He is going into the private sector, working for Tom Delay in a lobbyist group.

  by reef the dog on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:43:17 AM PDT

  •  Yes

    " Resigning ..as of Noon today. Gerald Ford will be sworn is as Senator of CN for the rest of his term".

    He will walk hand in hand with his wife to the Helicopter and with 2 hands up in Victory sign, wave broadly and depart.

    by wishingwell on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:03:59 AM PDT

•  Update from FDL

  UPDATE:  Jane just phoned with the scoop.  Here’s the deal:  Lieberman is running as a Dem in the primary.  But he’s having staffers put out petitions in case he loses the primary so he can run as a "petitioning Democrat."

  Is it me, or does this sound like someone’s internal polling numbers are tanking even MORE than we know about publicly?

  Sink, Joementum, sink...

  by PsiFighter37 on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:43:45 AM PDT

  •  rat. bastard.

    by Buffalo Girl on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:44:30 AM PDT

    •  ney,

      rat ducking bastard.

      by cookiesandmilk on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:45:09 AM PDT

      •  he BETTER duck....

        

        by Buffalo Girl on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:48:50 AM PDT

        •  'Down goes Lieberman! Down Goes Lieberman!' n/t

          by turnover on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:45:09 AM PDT

    •  Rat bastard, scum sucking,

      loathsome piece of garbage. A complete and utter shit.
      "petitioning Democrat" WTF?!!
      I mean I've disliked Liebermann for some time, but just in the period since Lamont announced his candidacy, I've come to absolutely despise the guy. Can he possibly sink any further beneath contempt?

      by greeseyparrot on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:07:13 AM PDT

      •  please don't ask that question....

        I don't want to know the answer....

        by Buffalo Girl on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:31:32 AM PDT

        •  Then you already do...

          by wozzle on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:49:40 AM PDT

  •  Bzzzzzzt!

    Weasel!

    by bumblebums on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:45:33 AM PDT

    •  What a fucking slimy eel

      "Petitioning Democrat" my ass.

      Can't turn off the Schumer spigot, after all.

      by bumblebums on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:47:28 AM PDT

  •  'petitioning democrat'

    give me a break.

    This is the kind of optimistic vision that inspired him to keep his Senator's seat in 2000.

    by zenbowl on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:46:39 AM PDT

  •  What the hell does this mean?

    Can you explain what it means to lose a dem primary and then run as a "petitioning dem"?  I've never heard of this.  It sounds weird to me.  And very calculated.  

    by Humboldt Jodi on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:48:29 AM PDT

    •  It means he won't lose the DSCC turkee

      Money, honey.

      by bumblebums on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:52:23 AM PDT

      •  I kind of liked the sound

        -almost like he was getting kicked out of the party and had to petition to get back in.

        by white blitz on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:59:33 AM PDT

    •  It Means

      That if he loses the primary, he plans to run in such a way that will guarantee a GOP victory and the loss of a Senate seat for the Democrats.

      by bink on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:02:25 AM PDT

      •  Nope

        The Repub has NO shot whatsoever.

        by DisNoir36 on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:04:04 AM PDT

  •  so he is not going to honor

    the wishes of democrats in CT because he knows Repukes will vote for him in the general.  What an ass.  
    Had he just stopped stabbing the party, our ideals and other democrats in the back years ago, we wouldn't have these problems.
    Let's see how many democrats come to his rescue.  We know he has Schumer, who else wants a primary their next time around?

    by TeresaInPa on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 09:48:35 AM PDT

    •  They won't though

      It will be a three-way race, then.  I think by doing this publicly, Lieberman has ensured he will lose the primary.  Then it will be three, and the Repubs will then have a better shot as they don't need a majority, only a plurality.  It will make it harder for the Dems to hold the seat, but Lieberman won't have a shot at the seat.  It is now up to Ned.  GO NED!!

      by annetteboardman on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 10:24:40 AM PDT

      •  Holding the seat hostage

        I don't think this ensures that he will lose the primary.  The strategy is (and always has been), to force the people and the party to choose between losing the seat to the Republicans, or keeping Lieberman.

        It's a threat that he'll throw the seat if the people of CT don't elect him in the primary.  The dem leadership may help him out by saying, look, if Lamont wins the primary, we'll split our vote and lose the Senate seat.  So we have to keep Joe.

        Pretty despicable, and definitely not the move an honorable man would make, IMO, but given our desperate circumstances in Congress, it just might work.

        Really this has been the message all along for Lieberman supporters - we can't afford to challenge him in a primary because to do so is to risk the seat.

        The real question is - how will the people react?  Will they give up on Lamont out of a feeling of necessity?  Or will essentially all the dems turn on Lieberman and choose Lamont, and beat the Repub and keep the seat.  The safe bet, of course, is to bargain with the hostage takers.  But I'm not sure this will happen.  

        by joanneleon on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 11:00:24 AM PDT

        •  I think you're right -- which just shows....

          ... what a real weasel he is.

          The thing on bargaining with the hostage-taker...

          ... if they stay with Lieberman, he's already shown where his loyalties lie (himself) and DON'T lie (with the Democrats, or for that matter, with the people of CT).

          It DOESN'T get any better. I am one with a hard rule of never put up with an ultimatum. Normally, that means don't give in, but even when circumstances force you to appear to give in, you immediately make your plans to get rid of the person who pulled that on you. Because from then on, that's the way they'll be.

          And that's how CT needs to look at this.

          by Ducktape on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 11:27:37 AM PDT

        •  Risky business

          Playing for the strategic vote is a risky ploy for Mr. Joe, because if it looks like Lamont has the best chance of beating the Republicans in a 3-way rce, the strategic vote goes to him.  So it depends on how Republicans poll prior to the election.  The thing is, if it looks like Lieberman is getting elected by Republicans, it may throw even more Demos over to Lamong. Joe's shot is long, though by making it, lengthened the odds for everyone else.

          This whole business is a boil called Iraq.  Might as well lance here and now.  The race will get national attention and will focus the debate on the war.  If Lamont plays this well, he wins even if he loses the final vote.

          by Knut Wicksell on Mon Jul 03, 2006 at 11:28:04 AM PDT

  •  So he's announcing