So Joe Lieberman’s on-the-ground ‘troops’–nicknamed Lieberkidz–surrounded a bus containing Ned Lamont and, for a time, refused to let anyone depart the bus.
“…They started out at the street, holding signs and chanting, a clot of 25 to 30 thick-necked Young Republican types. Then they moved up the driveway to the Senior Center and blocked the bus. They formed a noisy, chanting mob around the bus door and blocked anyone from getting out. Eventually Ned and some others managed to push out through the crowd, but the noise only increased and the LieberYouth pressed tighter, chanting so that the news cameras and microphones couldn’t pick up a word Ned was saying. It was an ugly and intense little scene. The few seniors who had come outside were rushed back in by the Percival Smith staff. I did manage to ask one bright-eyed little senior lady what she thought of all this, but she just pointed at her temple and twirled her finger in the universal sign for “crazy” and then she was whisked away by a staffer…”
These tactics are a remarkable departure from Lieberman’s efforts in leading a group of students to Mississippi in 1963 to help register voters.
(http://www.rep-am.com/story.php?id=13854)
“…’I led a group of Yale students to Mississippi in the fall of 1963 to participate in a Freedom Vote campaign to try to get the right to vote for people in Mississippi regardless of their color,’ he continued…”
Sadly, this is a snapshot of Joe Lieberman’s devolvement. In his youth, he worked to get black voters registered–a thoroughly laudable and commendable effort. In 2006, in his desperation, he borrows from Karl Rove’s tactics.
In fact, he takes a phonecall from none other than Karl Rove after his loss to Ned Lamont in the primary. Is this yet another example of Joe’s oh so warped, warm and fuzzy bipartisan efforts? Joe, Joe, it’s planet earth calling. Broad-minded tolerance is fine in an atmosphere of mutual respect–otherwise, it’s prostration. Quit the Neville Chamberlain imitation. When you get done doing your latest peace, love and understanding dupe dance with Rove, be sure to check to see if there isn’t yet another ‘kick me’ sign, a bit of Karl’s little handiwork, posted on your butt. And Joe, dear Karl, who describes himself as your personal friend, doesn’t exactly have a history of fair fighting, having smeared an Alabama judge, one who worked hard for better youth services in his state, as a pedophile, going after John McCain’s wife and children and swiftboating John Kerry. Joe, choose your friends carefully and don’t even go there in trying to tell me that Rove had nothing to do with the McClain and Kerry episodes. I’m not that stupid and you shouldn’t be–NOTHING happens in a campaign that Rove is running without his nod..
What picture this cumulatively paints is that the 2006 Joe Lieberman is for Joe Lieberman, always and forever. The youthful principles demonstrated in his youth have dissipated after coming face-to-face with adult self interest. He has moved from altruistically busing down South to help register the dispossessed to having his ‘supporters’ surrounding a bus and refusing to let anyone disembark. Lieberman has no qualms about who supports him and why or the nefarious actions his backers undertake as long as it gets him re-elected. To him, all is justifiable.
Am I describing a United States Democratic Senator or George Bush?
Principled to principle-less. Nice guy to craven selfishness. That’s the Joe Lieberman downward arc.
Vote for Ned Lamont.
