Not sure what to make of this....
Former President Bill Clinton had this to say on CNN's Larry King Show last night when asked about the Connecticut U.S. Senate race:
"I don't have the same view of this as some people do. My view is Connecticut is an unmitigated blessing for the Democrats because Lieberman has said if he wins he's going to vote with us to organize the Senate.
"I don't have the same view of this as some people do. My view is Connecticut is an unmitigated blessing for the Democrats because Lieberman has said if he wins he's going to vote with us to organize the Senate.
posted by Ray Hackett at 1:05 PM
4 Comments:
snorwich: if that’s true -if- about Lieberman missing votes that is a very good question. His opponent, Republican Alan Schlesinger, should definitely raise the issue when he debates the incumbent next. But I think the raw number of missed votes isn’t as important as votes that were missed where his vote would have mattered. If you can site examples where his vote would have been the deciding factor, than I think you have a good point. However, I read in the Commie Courant that Lieberman said he flew into DC when it was an important vote, this being when he was running for President. I assume that since he gave up that fool's errand, his voting pattern return to normal?
Simmons a coward? You are going to have to explain how you arrive at that conclusion. I happen to think that Simmons showed a lot of guts and leadership when the base closing was announced. Simmons put all of his political capital to work reversing that decision. That man is clearly hard-wired to folks that run DC. He knows people and knows how to make things happen. Rob Simmons is the best congressman this district has ever had. You have to admit it’s darn difficult to argue against success. Simmons saved the sub base. Case closed. No one was more out front than Simmons when things looked bleak. You may not agree with his positions of the issues but give credit where credit is due. Simmons saved the sub base. If Courtney were smart, he would not bring up the issue.
I think the real question is why this lawyer is saving old phone messages and then trying to pass them off in this manner. How dumb does Courtney think we are? The man is desperate.
The reason why Joe Courtney got in the race in the first place was he was counting on the sub base being closed and Simmons being blamed for it. I really expected him to drop out after the base was saved for “family reasons”. I would have been you a hundred bucks. That’s the reason --and that’s the only reason -- Courtney thought he had a shot after Simmons cleaned his clock in 2002. Courtney lost by 8 percent. 8 percent is not close. The Norwich Alderman (who was that?) that challenged him in 04 also got creamed by 8 percent.
Courtney most certainly would have blamed Simmons had the base been closed so therefore there is nothing wrong with Simmons taking credit for saving the sub base now that it was saved – by Simmons.
Let me see if I can respond to these comments in individual responses rather than one large, rambling post.
Snorwich...Lieberman's missed votes is not anything new, nor is it something that we...the mainstream media...haven't reported on in the past.
We reported and ran a number of stories of his missed votes during both his campaign for vice president and his presidential run. To the best of my knowledge and memory, there was not one vote during any of that time that was decided by a single vote - so, for what it's worth, it's not like his absence on any particular day caused a proposal to win or lose.
But I will agree with you, that's not really the issue. The issue is he missed a number of votes. The question then is, is it okay for one or 'our' elected leaders to make a bid for higher office?
Let's be honest - and fair. If you're going to make a bid at the presidency, you need to be out there raising money and making campaign stops across the country - and that means you're going to miss votes. That's just the way it is.
So...it, like most things, comes down to an individuals personal point of view. Either you think it's okay to run for higher office, and you accept the reality of what that means - or you think it isn't okay.
Mccommas...you will excuse me if I suggest that maybe you missed the point regarding Simmons and the sub base issue.
You are absolutely correct in your observation that Simmons worked his tail off in getting the Pentagon recommendation overturned. But he didn't do it by himself. There were lots of people just as involved - and none of them could have done it alone. I was there for it, everyday, every step of the way, and I can attest that a lot of people had a lot to do with it...and everyone of them deserve credit for a job well done.
And certainly, no one would object to any of those elected officials from taking a bow - and pointing that out as part of the election processs. It's fair.
But the issue is this:
Courtney made a decision once the base was put on the list not to take political advantage of the situation. He even called Simmons on that day and offered any help or assistance he could give.
Simmons responded, applauding Courtney for his decision not to play politics with an issue so vitally important to everyone in eastern Connecticut.
Up to that point...they both took the high road.
What the Courtney camp is complaining about now is the way Simmons is using it in the campaign - not that he is using it. Simmons has framed the issue as something that "he did, that Courtney didn't - couldn't do."
the Simmons TV ad asks...what did Joe Courtney do? Nothing.
At the debate, Simmons in closing remarks turned to Courtney and said...Could you have done that...No.
I don't think anyone would complain about Simmons taking credit for his work to keep the base open - he deserves that credit.
As for your contention that the only reason Courtney got into the race was because he thought the base was going to be targeted, and he hoped that would be the opening he needed to beat Simmons...on that point, you are dead wrong.
No one anticipated the base to be targeted for closure...and that, in my opinion, was the biggest surprise on May 13, 2005. Not that it was targeted, but that so many of them were surprised to hear that it was.
In fact, a few weeks before the announcement was made, a Simmons staffer told me there was no way the base would be on the list. Why? Because, according to them, if the White House didn't care to keep the 2nd District in the Republican column, all they had to do was let the base be put on the list. And they were completely confident that the White House would never....never...let that happen.
And finally....Bonnie...
Welcome to the blog and I do hope we hear from you often.
Funny thing about elections and things that are said during campaigns - candidates seem to overlook the kind of little details that you raise.
It always strikes me as a bit humorous that in May, Republicans and Democrats can stand together in front of the cameras to praise each other for the cooperative spirit that led to the passage of a state budget that addresses the needs of citizens - and then four months later start pointing fingers at the other side for the failures that go unaddressed.
But what they seem to underestimate - something I've always believed - is that voters are a lot smarter.
Thanks for proving me right.
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