I like the plan Ezra wrote about in the LAT today: have HRC drop out of the presidential race and take over for Reid as leader of the Senate Democrats.
Yeah, I've been reading about that for some time now, and while everybody involved denies that it has even been discussed, it seems like a much better fit for her.
I do like the Ezra plan. On the poll results you're talking about, I think they're distorted to the point of uselessness by name recognition and party identification -- I don't think that poll reflect more than that everyone knows her as a Democrat, and Democrats are more popular than Republicans these days.
Though, given my druthers, I'd really prefer a majority Leader with a little more starch and vinegar in them, say, Harkin or Feingold.
God, Hilary in charge of the Senate and Pelosi in the house? I'd shed tears of joy.
I haven't been much impressed with Pelosi as Minority Leader, but being in the minority in the House is such a powerless position that perhaps nobody could have impressed me. I'll say this: she doesn't do well on camera.
Maybe we should help Bitch dry those tears by talking about the attractiveness of various female legislators.
Cocking an eyebrow sounds painful (and physically quite difficult if you're doing it solo.)
I haven't been much impressed with Pelosi as Minority Leader
I dunno, Apostropher. I believe there's greater discipline among Democratic members of the House, and that seems like a substantial accomplishment. I think she and Reid have done a pretty good job against a well-entrenched opposition (here, the DLC). Maybe she needs to be a background leader, and maybe someone needs to take her out to the woodshed and make that clear after the election, but I'm happier with her as a potential Speaker than with HRC as (a) President, or (b) Senate Majority Leader. And if we get actual majorities in both houses, I'm fine with both.
Cocking an eyebrow sounds painful
Makes for one hell of a surprise, though.
if we get actual majorities in both houses, I'm fine with both
If we get actual majorities in both houses, I will be too busy laying in supplies against the coming of Armageddon to celebrate.
ditto LB's yay! Maybe in his next concession speak, Lieberman will quit Team Connecticut in favor of Team America, World Police, which is, after all, his true party of choice.
I'm not sure if that made sense. But yay for puppet blow jobs against terrorism!
or his concession speach.
I make good speak in comment box computer screen.
Live by the poll, die by the poll. If that doesn't start to turn around by next week, Lieberman will drop out.
I can't imagine his Cheney act is helping him much among independents, which is basically his life blood (71% approval from independents). Also, I can't imagine Schlesinger will really get only 3% on election day, even if he gets less institutional support than Lieberman. If Lieberman's internal polling mirrors this he's probably beginning to sew his parachute just in case.
It's always fun to see the Republican polling at 6 percent, even if the numbers are wack.
Re: Lieberman
I'm drafting an e-mail to Kennedy asking him to push to get the Democrats in the Senate to bar Joe from the Democratic caucus should he manage to win as an Independent. I'm hoping, no doubt delusionally, that the Democrats might be willing to let Joe know taht they intend to do this so that he'll drop out.
Based on this op-ed that Kennedy wrote for teh Hartford Courant, I think that his support of Lamont is solid and not half-hearted or even purely about party discipline, but teh importance of party discipline and respecting the wishes of Demcoratic priomary voters is the point I wish to stress.
Should I address my e-mail to his Senate office or to his campaign operation?
bar Joe from the Democratic caucus should he manage to win as an Independent
I'm leery of this. My hope would be that if Lieberman manages to pull out a win that he will have gotten the fear put in him and that he would quit his Joepublican shit. But I don't know whether that's realistic or not. Hopefully, it won't be an issue.
bar Joe from the Democratic caucus should he manage to win as an Independent.
I don't like it either. Why push him into being a Republican after attacking him for his stepwise approach?
I do think he should lose his seniority, though. The Independent-but-Dem-aligned Joe Lieberman will be a freshman in the caucus.
Well, I was hoping for a public announcement in advance. I want the voters of Connecticut to see the general election as a choice between teh Democratic nominee and Joepublican. I don't want it to be teh second round of the primary.
Whatever you choose to say, BG, address it to his Senate office.
The rumor du jour (via atrios) is that Joe is pledging to support the Dems to make it a 51-49 senate, but the trick is that Bush will appoint him SecDef if he wins, and since the governor of CT is a Republican (and is ahead in her reelection race), a Republican would replace him and the senate would flip back to R control.
My hope would be that if Lieberman manages to pull out a win that he will have gotten the fear put in him and that he would quit his Joepublican shit.
I think, in an election about his Joepublicanism, where he's running on his Joepublicanism, that if he wins he'll see it as validated and go even further in that direction. He'll be all like, "See? Na na, I was right," and we'll get even more of his "I'm not angry with you, Democratic Party, just disappointed."
23 sounds entirely plausible. I don't see Lieberman dropping out (per 16) unless polls show that a loss is certain, and I have no idea what it would take to get them to budge significantly from where they stand now. It seems more likely that Schlesinger could be persuaded to drop out if he continues to poll well under ten percent, especially if the party made him an offer he couldn't refuse. (Appointment to the vacant seat if Joe were appointed SecDef? Wild speculation, but stranger things have happened.) I do like the idea of HRC in Reid's position, but please God please don't let her become the presidential candidate.
23 doesn't make sense to me -- why would he win reelection and then immediately retire? I can see him getting SecDef as a consolation prize if he _loses_ (especially if his valuable service staying in the race helps keep one or more of CT's house seats red), but making him win first? It's like making him jump through hoops.
I think that his plan is to win reelection as an independent and then become the media favorite for a 'unity' presidential candidate in '08.
I think that his plan is to win reelection as an independent and then become the media favorite for a 'unity' presidential candidate in '08.
But his plan will be foiled when he finishes in a five-way tie for third place in the Joepublican primary, behind Evan Bayh and Christine Todd Whitman.
Does anyone think Lieberman would make a plausible presidential candidate for any sort of party? Is there anything good that can be said about the man, except "well he's less liberal than those fellas" or "well he's less conservative than those fellas"? My theory is "no." That does not a national figure make.
He has a wattle. He has that going for him.
But he doesn't jiggle it as he ought to. He is in possession of a beautiful wattle, and yet does nothing with it. The worse for you, Joe Lieberman!
He's like a man who doesn't know how to smile. Doesn't it look like someone had to affix the expression on his face?
Makes you wonder what they teach folks in wattle finishing school these days.
He can be in a party with the eyebrowless Dick Gephart! Has Gephart got a wattle?
What does Joe Lieberman cock in surprise?
I admit to being slightly cockensurprisenminded.
I'm afraid there's no answer for 35. No, there is. Belly buttons. And it's his mistake.
you remembered, Standpipe! If only we'd adopted that word, we would have avoided a lot of acrimony this past week.
To people clicking on 31, whose browsers might shrink oversize images: when looking at Joe, I urge you to take advantage of his full resolution.
Joe Lieberman is as likely to become president as he is to fuck the shit out of bears. And that photo really accentuates his resemblance to a cabbage patch doll.
He could use some dental work. I guess his teeth aren't bad for a guy his age, though.
26- The reasoning behind the appointment is the modus operandi of the Bushies- they don't do anything that's not for their own benefit. Why are they going all-out supporting Joe? Maybe it's for the "bipartisan" cover he gives as a senator, but that's pretty weak- even moreso now that he's not really a Democrat. There's no way in hell a Republican will win CT, though, and the only way to get one in is via a vacancy replacement. How could that be arranged? This seems like a possibility- makes Bush look more bipartisan, gives Joe a position he's reportedly wanted in the past, gives the Rs another seat.
I don't think the replacement would be Schlessinger unless he drops out really soon, though- if he goes through election day, and loses with 6%, there would be a serious uproar if he became the senator. I think more likely is one of the Republican house members, at least one of which will probably lose their seat this fall (Shays?).
I have no idea what it would take to get [the polls] to budge significantly from where they stand now.
On reflection, I take that back. Schlesinger's name recognition is low even in CT, so he stands to pick up points as he campaigns over the next couple of months. He's got no chance of winning, but any increased support can only strengthen his position if -- granted, a big if -- he's asked to make a deal. However it plays out, his continued candidacy will cost Lieberman, and Lamont will benefit as long as he runs a competent campaign.
