[published on July 12, 2005 in "The Flatland Oracles," my previous blog]
for the record, I've done a 180 about Senator Lieberman since writing this. They were right; I was wrong. Honesty compels me to include this.
See, this REALLY ANNOYS ME:
Arianna Huffington: Bill Clinton: Dems Shouldn't Be Divided By Differences Over Iraq.
[quote from Arianna Huffington's blog begins; I left in her links in case you want to look at the sources]
The headline grabber was, of course, Joe "Greater Loyalties" Lieberman filing papers to form a new party called Connecticut for Lieberman, just in case this whole letting-Democratic-primary-voters-decide thing doesn't work out in August. Cue Simon & Garfunkel: "Where have you gone, Joe Lieberman, a Party turns its disgusted eyes to you. Woo woo woo. What's that you say, Mrs. Boxer, Boltin' Joe has left and gone away? Hey, hey, hey."
Lieberman's desperate move only serves to highlight what went underreported: Bill Clinton saying on Friday that Democrats "ought to be whipped if we allow our differences over what to do now over Iraq divide us." Is he serious? He makes it sound as if the debate over the war is petty squabbling on the level of whether one should wear white after Labor Day.
There is no way a politician as savvy as Bill Clinton could be this clueless about just how seismic a division Iraq is for Democrats, so I can only assume it was the guilt talking -- the former president trying to make up for the wrong-headed advice he's been giving Hillary about adopting a Bush-lite, "centrist" stance on the war. A stance that means she has to keep assuming, in the face of all evidence, that everything will turn out okay in Iraq -- an assumption that with each passing car bomb explosion and sectarian massacre becomes more and more divorced from reality and puts Hillary, and all those who agree with her, on the wrong side of history.
[quote from Arianna Huffington's blog ends (links in original)]
[The Huffington Post |
Also at HuffPo, RJ Eskow: EXTRA! Lieberman Declares War.
[quote from RJ Eskow's blog begins]
He's made it official: Joe Lieberman has declared war on the Democratic Party, and he's done it in a way that's designed to inflict maximum damage. His words today are a frontal assault. Dems like Chuck Schumer who think they can "work with Joe" as an "Independent Democrat" are in for a rude awakening: if Lieberman's re-elected as an independent, he's showing every sign that he'll turn Republican.....
Here's another Lieberman gift to the GOP, from the same Times article:
He added later that when he disagreed with his party, it was on the basis of principles. "I think that saying 'you've got to be with us for everything' is the road to defeat for any political party," he said.
Again, this is rank nonsense. People usually vote based on principles. What Lieberman and his supporters are betraying with these remarks is a hatred for both Democrats and democracy. But, once more, he's providing great material for the Republicans - in this case, that the Democrats 'rigidly' enforce doctrine.
[quote from RJ Eskow's blog ends]
Um....????? Isn't that EXACTLY what is going on? This is just patently absurd. For example: I disagree completely with Lieberman's stance on Iraq. On the other hand, I deny that his position proves that he hates Democrats or is secretly a Republican. If he wanted to be a Republican, he would be a Republican. They are clearly prepared to welcome him. Why would we want that to happen?
God almighty, have we reached the point where you HAVE to oppose the war to be a Democrat? What is WRONG with you people?? We need every voter we can get right now.
Then there is this, by Cenk Uygur, Note to Dense Mainstream Media -- Why We Hate Lieberman.
[quote from Cenk Uygur's blog begins; links in original]
I am constantly amazed by how uninformed people are when their job is to inform others. Every press article or editorial I've seen on the Lieberman issue completely misses the point. We are not against Joe Lieberman because we are leftists who require ideological purity. We are against him because he aids and abets an out of control Republican Party.
I have been a centrist all my life and I was a Republican until five years ago. Lieberman doesn't offend my non-existent leftist ideology. So why would a centrist be so angry with a senator who claims to be a centrist and tries to find common ground between the two parties? Because the Republicans today are so far to the right that going over to their side is abandoning centrists in favor of siding with right wing zealots.....
That's going out of your way to support not just their ideology and their war, but to support their demagoguery. It's ugly and it reeks. We get plenty enough of that from Republicans, we don't need any of that from so-called Democrats....
He shares an ideology, a mind-set and a worldview that sets him apart from the rest of us, the reality-based community. He isn't coerced or intimated by the Republicans like some of the other Democrats. He is part of the apparatus of coercion and intimidation.
[quote from Cenk Uygur's blog ends]
Aaagh! Aaaaagh! Is opposing the war now the ONLY benchmark now for a Democrat? What if Connecticut is full of voters who support the war but also support raising the minimum wage? Working toward universal health care? Abolishing the death penalty? Preventing the abortion issue from being made a matter for the states to decide?
Don't we need a few conservative Democrats to give the party credibility with, you know, CENTRIST DEMOCRATS who are actual VOTERS?
Beloved fellow Democrats, GET A GRIP. As Lieberman himself has said, there is more to being a Dem than this one single issue. Isn't there? Well? Isn't there?
I am not thrilled with Lieberman's decision either, but for completely different reasons and---for the record---I favor his opponent.
But I know MANY Dems who are what is now called 'centrist' and who share his views and who would take these jabs at Lieberman personally. I would hate for them to begin to think of switching allegiance RIGHT AT THIS CRITICAL JUNCTURE. Let's NOT drive the sheep that don't baaa in synch with the rest of us from the fold, eh?
Sorry for all the caps, but this is just really agitating me. We're right on the path to bringing about ourselves the EXACT result that we fear.
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