The race
A day doesn't pass anymore without news about the U.S. Democratic contest between three term incumbent Sen. Joseph Lieberman and Greenwich businessman Ned Lamont. Here's the latest:
- Lamont, who has already contributed $2 million of his own money to the campaign, pledged to match "dollar for dollar" every contribution made online to his campaign from today through the primary on Aug. 8. Considering the impact the Internet has shown in the area of fundraising, one could rightly assume a major boost financially to his campaign.
This is how Lamont explained his pledge to supporters in an e-mail today: " This isn't a "jihad" as Senator Lieberman claims, this is what democracy looks like. By contrast, theirs is a desperate campaign filled with distortions, half-truths and outright lies. We've tried to keep the debate focused on the issues, but with so much at stake I refuse to let their underhanded campaign tactics go unanswered. That's why I'll match your contribution today. "
- The New York Times has picked up on the story of Lamont's membership in an exclusive private club that he resigned from just before entering the race. According to the story, Lamont told the Times he quit because he didn't want his membership at the Greenwich Round Hill Country Club to become a distraction in the campaign. Lamont attributed to the exclusivity of the club to its expense, but also noted in the article that he became "concerned" that many of its members were white and " not as diverse as it should be."
- Lamont, who has already contributed $2 million of his own money to the campaign, pledged to match "dollar for dollar" every contribution made online to his campaign from today through the primary on Aug. 8. Considering the impact the Internet has shown in the area of fundraising, one could rightly assume a major boost financially to his campaign.
This is how Lamont explained his pledge to supporters in an e-mail today: " This isn't a "jihad" as Senator Lieberman claims, this is what democracy looks like. By contrast, theirs is a desperate campaign filled with distortions, half-truths and outright lies. We've tried to keep the debate focused on the issues, but with so much at stake I refuse to let their underhanded campaign tactics go unanswered. That's why I'll match your contribution today. "
- The New York Times has picked up on the story of Lamont's membership in an exclusive private club that he resigned from just before entering the race. According to the story, Lamont told the Times he quit because he didn't want his membership at the Greenwich Round Hill Country Club to become a distraction in the campaign. Lamont attributed to the exclusivity of the club to its expense, but also noted in the article that he became "concerned" that many of its members were white and " not as diverse as it should be."
posted by Ray Hackett at 11:19 AM
3 Comments:
Happy to answer your questions...
1. When I made mention of registering to vote in the primary in my Sunday column a few weeks ago, I did so in response to an email a reader had sent me. In his letter he suggested that unaffiliated voters lose half their voting rights because they are ineligible to vote in primaries. It was my intent to get the word out that it doesn't necessarily mean you can't vote in primaries if you're unaffiliated.
I take voting very seriously, always have and this is not the first time I've registered with a party to vote in a primary. I believe the both the Senate and gubernatorial races are important. I also have the luxury of having greater access to candidates than the average voter - so I get to know them a bit more personally than the average voter. But like most voters - I believe - party affiliation isn't a major deciding point for me. Like most voters, I vote for the person.
Now...what you really want to know is...who am I voting for.
On Election Day I typically visit polling places and ask voters as they are exited if they would mind telling me who they voted for. If you'd like to ask me that question directly - after the fact - feel free. But before that, I don't think anyone should have to disclose that. And I wouldn't ask.
2. My "wife" is not my wife. She is my fiancee, and her name is Sunny - or at least that is what I call her and how I introduce her to people. She's retired - but beyond that, her life is not public and I certainly have no intention of making her life public. As for the senator knowing her, he does - she accompanies me often when I attend events. The governor knows her, so does Sen. Dodd, both Democratic candidates for governor have met her - not to mention dozens of state reps and senators.
They also know my daughter, who has accompanied me at campaign events for almost five years now - going back to the first televised debate between Sam Gejdenson and Rob Simmons. Ohh...that would six years. She was 10 years old at the time I've always felt it was important to expose her to the political process. Just like I would love to see every citizen get exposed and become involved.
I hope I answered your questions. And here's one for you...in the spirit of full disclosure...is your name really molovcocktails?
Ray,
I am the person who wrote to you about unaffliated voters throwing away half their vote. I am glad that you are registering to vote as a Democrat and I am glad that you have started a blog.
You and I may disagree on who the best candidates are, what the role of blogs should be and/or many other topics. However, I do hope we agree on the importance of voting and a civil discourse about the issues, which I hope we can see some of in this blog.
I should note your decision to register as a Democrat only goes to illustrate my point that if you don't register a party affliation, even if it is just for a few days around a primary, you are throwing away half your vote.
Hopefully your example will encourage and inspire other unaffilated voters to register and participate in August 8ths primary.
Welcome Aldon, and thanks for the comments. We are in agreement in that both of us would like to see greater participation in the election process, and a healthy - civil - discussion of the issues.
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