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Lieberman Soars With GOP Support Dave Eberhart, NewsMax "Running as an independent, as you well know, was not my first choice," Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., proclaimed recently. "I honestly now look at it as a kind of . . . a blessing." The blessing is apparently showing in the latest polls. With 18 years of Senate seniority on the line in his Nov. 7 run against the Democratic candidate Ned Lamont, the latest Quinnipiac University poll shows Lieberman ahead by 17 points. Lieberman's success is due to the unprecedented support of GOP voters willing to cross over to keep a moderate in the Democratic Party. The Quinnipiac poll showed the GOP effect for Lieberman: The Republican candidate, Alan Schlesinger, trails the field with just 6 percent of the vote. But the race is far from over. Lamont, a wealthy businessman, has jumped to the challenge by writing his campaign another check for $2 million in the last week — bringing in his total personal contributions to $12.7 million.
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Lamont upset Lieberman in last summer's Democratic primary by hitching his campaign to liberal bloggers like MoveOn.org and the DailyKos — and spending from his own checking account. But general elections are not so easily bought. If re-elected to the Senate as an independent, Lieberman, the Democrat's vice presidential nominee in 2000, has pledged to caucus with the Democrats. He has vowed to seek the coveted chairmanship of the Homeland Security Committee — if the party gains control of the Senate.
But one thing is for sure: Lieberman will likely be a powerhouse in both parties and be courted by candidates stalking for "independent" voters in 2008 — a group Lieberman will have a leadership claim upon. Meanwhile, Lieberman has had more than blessings to count as donations roll in from both major Democratic donors worried about security issues — and traditional GOP supporters who like Lieberman's hawkish defense views. Already, the national GOP has all but abandoned the GOP nominee, Schlesinger, who has managed a war chest of only tens of thousands compared to the leaders' millions. The Hartford Courant newspaper reported over the weekend that Bush confidante Joseph Allbaugh has stroked a hefty check to the Lieberman cause, offering financial support along with Bush family friend and former Ambassador Melvin Sembler, and former assistant Republican Senate leader Don Nickles. Republican New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has backed Lieberman and has been helping him raise funds. Perhaps even more welcome than the cash was the personal imprimatur of Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who has endorsed Lieberman. Last Friday, the pair appeared at the New London City Pier to ramp up support for port security.
Collins, who chairs the Homeland Security Committee, told the assemblage that her declared support of her Senate colleague was the first time she has ever backed a "non-Republican." "There are certain leaders, and certain issues, that transcend partisan politics and require work across party lines, and Joe Lieberman is that leader, and homeland security is that issue," she declared. With her endorsement of Lieberman, Collins closes ranks with other prominent Republicans who have been singing the praises of the Democrat. Vice President Dick Cheney has referred to Lieberman as "a fine U.S. senator."
Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman has contrasted Lieberman with his "retreat and defeat" fellow Democrats. Significantly, Mehlman has also refused to endorse the official Republican nominee, Schlesinger.
"My leadership in the state [of Connecticut] has said to me you ought to stay out of this one," a politic Mehlman recently told NBC News.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan has ranked Lieberman as a sterling exception in a party otherwise "trying to score political points off the situation." Apparently not so welcome has been the praise and commentary of President Bush.
Bush recently referred to Lieberman's loss in the primary, saying "if you want to be a Democrat these days, you can be for almost anything, but victory in Iraq is not an option." But Lieberman distanced himself from the president's tacit endorsement. He has also made clear that he is not the administration's agent, recently calling for the resignation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Although an unwavering supporter of the war on terror and the Bush administration efforts to oust Saddam Hussein, Lieberman has butted heads with Bush on how the war has been handled since the invasion, the failure to implement the reforms of the 9/11 Commission and the reluctance to form the Department of Homeland Security. He also famously opposed drilling off the coast of Florida. But on the paramount issue of our post 9/11 times, Lieberman's sense of duty and concerns about national security are resonating with many independents, Democrats, and Republicans. This week, Jack Kemp, for example, will be touring Connecticut with Lieberman helping him woo Republicans and those influential "Reagan Democrats." But if Lieberman has support in the GOP, his independent run has not earned him any new friends in the Democratic Party and may have cost him some old ones. Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., has filmed a television spot for Lamont and used that occasion to lash out, "The people of my party spoke in this state. They spoke rather clearly in this matter." "It's not about the candidates, it's about the people," Dodd added. "And when you forget that, you've lost sight of why we do this." Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid, D-Nev., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., both have publicly voiced displeasure with Lieberman. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's aides have been assisting his opponent. Sen. John Kerry has actively campaigned for Lamont. And Howard Dean, the party chairman has made a big show of supporting Lamont. And it's not just all about being upset over relatively clear and simple party loyalty issues. Lieberman's confounding independent run has sent huge ripples across the political pond.
Neither Republicans nor Democrats want to noisily shun Lieberman — because he's such a draw for the cherished independent voters. While Republicans relish casting Lieberman as the casualty of an anti-war, liberal-dominated Democratic Party, Democrats are left mucking through the muddied waters of their scenario for Connecticut U.S. House gains — specifically three seats seen as presently occupied by vulnerable Republicans in that heavily Democratic state.
Democrats must gain 15 House seats and six Senate seats to win control of Congress. Pundits suggest that Lieberman's independent run imperils both the state Democratic Party's unity and its hopes for winning the three hotly contested House seats — seats that could provide the edge for a Democratic majority in the Senate.
As just reported by Bloomberg News, the Lieberman factor has divided state Democrats and left them scratching their heads about whether to drive out the voters. One large fear is that Lieberman's romance with independents and Republicans may draw to the polls legions of voters who may along the way pull the lever in favor of the targeted Republican House incumbents. But if confusion reigns in Connecticut these final days before the 2006 midterms, the giant poll numbers favoring pro-defense Lieberman has impacted the thinking of all who forecast that the Iraq war will be the touchstone issue.
Lamont himself is racing to broaden his message far beyond his winning primary mantra that the nation needs to change course in Iraq.
These days, Lamont is criticizing Lieberman for backing a 2005 energy bill that he claims was a giveaway to big oil companies and that subsequently sent gas prices sky-high.
Lamont is promoting his plan for tax credits to help companies buy new fuel-efficient equipment.
Also back on the front burner — an old talking point about Lieberman's refusal to use a filibuster to block a vote on Supreme Court Justice Sam Alito.
For his part, the independent Lieberman is hardly beating the war drum, choosing instead to focus on Lamont's inexperience. After all, it was powerhouse Lieberman who rode to the rescue of the submarine base in Groton that was being mulled for closure.
A rookie senator couldn't have pulled that off.
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