Lieberman Vs. the Democrats

[IDemo]

By Harold Meyerson
Wednesday, June 21, 2006; Page A21

Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman is as seasoned a pol as anyone can find, but he seems to have forgotten the very purpose of elections.

In a remarkable interview he recently gave to The Post's David S. Broder , the Democrats' 2000 vice presidential nominee sounded appalled that his fellow Democrats might, in his state's upcoming August primary, reject his reelection bid because he doesn't think his party should criticize the president on the conduct of the Iraq war. (By most indications, his primary opponent, businessman Ned Lamont, is mounting a strong challenge.)

"I know I'm taking a position that is not popular within the party," Lieberman told Broder, "but that is a challenge for the party -- whether it will accept diversity of opinion or is on a kind of crusade or jihad of its own to have everybody toe the line. No successful political party has ever done that."

That's a rather stunning assertion. If parties were based on the acceptance of diversity of opinion on the most important issues of the day, they would lack the definition to be parties at all. And the conduct and duration of our involvement in Iraq is, by the measure of every single poll, the No. 1 issue in the minds of the American people -- a majority of whom believe that the Bush administration has botched the war about as badly as a war can be botched.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/20/AR2006062001439.html

[Lerkfish]

1. "I know I'm taking a position that is not popular within the party,"

no shiite, joe.

at least here is, finally, an admission in the MSM that the DLC is touting the unpopular opinion within the party...in other words, AGAINST the party they represent.

[leveymg]

2. Finally, a WaPo Op-ed I can relate to

You nailed it, Mr. Meyerson. If Joe wants a forum for supporting BushCo's occupation of Iraq, he should simply declare that he's no longer running as a Democrat. That would be the honest approach.

[mazzarro]

5. Ditto - partner! (n/t)

[Cary]

3. It is a stunning assertion indeed.

How does Lieberman explain the failures of the Democrats vis a vis the "diversity of opinion" demonstrated by Republicans?

[depakid]

4. "No successful political party has ever done that."

Along with being pathetic, Joe's lost touch with reality.

The Republicans have done EXACTLY that- and they control all three branches of government AND the media, while becuase of far right enablers like Lieberman, the Dems are barely even relevant in national politics.

[marmar]

6. Crazy Uncle Joe...

What kind of diversity of opinion is there in the Republican Party? Connecticut, PLEASE PLEASE elect Ned Lamont. Joe needs to be thinned from the herd.

[Demeter]

7. Well Worth the Read!

Dionne ocassionally makes the grade: A+

[LincolnMcGrath]

8. Borrowing a page from Karl Rove, Holy Joe calls any who dare oppose

his lack of moral character Jihadists.

[yurbud]

9. no party except the modern GOP demands ideological purity

but of course Joe doesn't have a word of criticism for them.

Maybe someday the corporations will let Vichy Joe be a token Democratic president if he keeps up his unbroken record of boot-licking.

[yurbud]

10. the man Joe Lieber's is Bush