Lieberman says Dean should unseal records [Lieberman now working for bush]

[truthisfreedom]

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/lieberman/articles/2003/12/01/lieberman_says_dean_should_unseal_records/

Lieberman says Dean should unseal records
By Stephen Frothingham, Associated Press Writer, 12/1/2003

MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Sen. Joe Lieberman, seizing on a comment Democratic rival Howard Dean made on a morning talk show Monday, says the front-runner should open up all his records as Vermont's governor.

"I think Howard's got an obligation now to do it or explain why not," Lieberman told reporters after a campaign stop at a Manchester clothing factory.

Dean and the Connecticut senator are among nine candidates for the party's presidential nomination.

On ABC's Good Morning America, Dean compared his sealed records to President Bush's.

"I'll unseal mine if he'll unseal all of his," Dean promised, according to the network's Web site.

<snip>

[AnnitaR]

1. Can I just ask... Does anyone give a bull's butt what Joe

has to say about anything???

Also gotta add... what in the heck are the folks in FLA smoking that has him polling in first place down there?

Go Joe, go far, far away Joe!

[joeunderdog]

15. Bad questioner. Good question. This stuff has to stop.

I like Dean and may very well vote for him, but this kind of secrecy drives me nuts--if it's true that he's hiding records. I'm pissed about the Cheney energy notes and the Bush criminal records being hidden and I'm not about to use a double-standard. We should hold all these guys to the same standards. They all have faults, but that's no reason to show us half-truths. We need to be informed voters.

BTW--Dean was on Hardball and was very impressive. He ended by saying that we shouldn't be deciding our votes by guns, abortion, race and religon...we need to elcect someone on the basis of jobs and healthcare. Great way to end.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

28. Let's get Junior to unseal HIS records first.

[SemperEadem]

56. Isn't that what Dean said recently?

"I'll unseal mine when Bush unseals his"

[shanti]

31. he's not hiding records

he's calling *'ush's bluff. smart cookie, dean.

[Hieronymus]

2. Lieberman seems to have given up on votes from Democrats.

He's a bigger asshole with each passing day.:dunce:

[salmonhorse]

3. Sure, and why not?

Lieberman & Bush are both tools of the Israeli Lobby. Lieberman has already thrown in with the bulk of what Bush is all about.

[cosmicdot]

4. Yo, Joe ... let's open the Raygun, Bush 1 & 2, Cheney energy records

... and, let's get down with that Ken Lay fellow ...

aren't you on the Gov't Affairs Senate Committee?

what'cha being doing???

[0007]

11. You got that right pal! Lieberman slamming another running mate?

I've never heard holy Joe talk about openning the Reagan, or Bush Sr. papers. And like ya say, Lieberman should go after Cheney and his secret energy papers.

[dean4america]

5. unfrigginreal...

aside from the obligatory "FU" and "WTF are you talking about?" sent Joe Lieberman's way, can i also add that he is seriously starting to piss me off. If half of the candidates spent half the time they spent attack Bush instead of parrotting the RW talking points, maybe we wouldn't be getting our asses handed to us in the Senate and House.

I think Joe's making a push to move up from 4% to 4.01% in the next NH poll.

[Cronus Protagonist]

9. That would be an increase in his percentages

I'm sure, if he had balls, he would be orgasmic about it.

LICK BUSH Buttons, Stickers & Magnets

[MaineDem]

6. I tend to agree with Joe on this one

Flame me if you want but isn't secrecy one of the faults we have with the present administration? Let the records come out and then there's no question as to what may or may not have been sealed.

[truthisfreedom]

8. Dean can't raise the issue of secrecy unless he can force bush to confront

him on the issue. don't you get it? Dean has nothing to hide, but he needs to get bush to make a comment so Dean can demand quid pro quo.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

53. Dean has nothing to hide? The evidence says otherwise

and did you know he first requested a 20 to 30 year seal but was limited to 10?

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2003/10/02/dean_is_asked_to_release_gubernatorial_records/

I suspect a lot of glorious and noble traits are projected onto Dean by his supporters, but he is really not what many think.

[BearFlagDemocrat]

36. There are confidentiality issues

Remember that those papers contain letters of people who may be living secretly with HIV/AIDS, or have other privacy issues. Now, if you write your concerns to a public official you may have no expectation of privacy, but at the same time, it's difficult to say whether someone should be "outed" because they wanted to frankly and openly express their problems or concerns to their governor.

Most of the records are public, and available. This seems like yet another Bush/Rove technique to create as much "scandal" around the Dem front-runner as possible, and Lieberman, et. al. are falling in to that trap.

[tlb]

7. Joe is correct.

Dean's actions and behavior yet again blunt future attacks on Bush. In one week, draft dodging, then this go off the table. Why is that so hard to recognize ?

Dean stonewalling his own records gives Bush cover on the same issue. A snarky offer to "open mine if he opens his" is a dead end if Bush thinks its better to keep his records closed then to open Dean's. The issue will never arise.

Lieberman seems to have a better grasp of this then many it seems. Does hatred of "Holy Joe" blind people to all common sense ?

Dean nominee = Bush wins by over 55% I'd predict.

[cthrumatrix]

10. Dean explained last night that most or all governors seal records and

if he needs to share ....then so should all.

Dean came clean on his deferment ....did AWOL come clean on his missing duty?

[tlb]

18. That's slack nobody cut Bush till now

and now to keep Dean looking noble, everyone will have to.

[ClintonTyree]

24. Precisely............

for all the righteous indignation here by some against Dean, it's not always that the condidate has something to hide, but that there are people that need to be protected for personal reasons. If you had written a letter to Governor Dean abuot AIDS in your family, your child being raped or any other such heinous situation, would YOU want that letter to be public domain?
It is not always the Governor's choice what documents are sealed, there are a multitude of Lawyers that make these decisions upon privacy issues.
Lighten up.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

27. "Rightwing Joe" is working on a major pants-load. When Joe starts...

...demanding that Herr Coke-n-Smoke unseal HIS records, maybe Joe will earn some credibility on this issue.

[CTLawGuy]

41. since when...

does being able to "attack people" ensure victory. We're not going to win simply by attacking Bush. Furthermore sealed records and draft dodging doesn't sway anyone.

If attacking worked so well, why isn't Joe L. doing any better, goodness knows he attacks Dean all the time.

[DoYouEverWonder]

12. Dean should promise

to unseal his records if he is elected president.

In the meantime, Holy Joe should be attacking W for not unsealing his records despite the fact that he is the pResident and in the meantime maybe he could release his military records since he is the CIC and there are serious questions about whether or not he was AWOL for one year. W is the one that set the precident, he should be the one to unset it.

[CMT]

13. so why doesn't Lieberman demand this of Bush?

eom.

[4dsc]

14. Let's open dubya's military record first

to show just how AWOL he really was!!!

[dusty64]

16. Will the next zell miller

please stand up. The Democratic party is so full of these types, I think they've been seriously infiltrated. A major purge had better happen fast before there ceases to be an opposition party in this country at all. The sooner Mr. Lieberman sits down and shuts up the better, I really can't stomach him any longer. It should be interesting when President Gore makes an endorsement, I'm sure he realizes picking Lieberman was one of his biggest mistakes.

[kayleybeth]

17. Why doesn't Dean just unseal his records?

I'm not a Dean supporter but even I seriously doubt there's anything terribly damaging lurking in his records. So why the secrecy? Why not just unseal the records and make the whole issue go away?

[DoYouEverWonder]

19. Because Dean wants to make it an issue.

Obviously, you are missing the whole point of this debate. If Dean unseals his then the whole issue would go away is true. W has been pResident for 2.5+ years now and he has done everything he can to hide all of his records. That's the issue.

[dusty64]

20. Its very telling that

it even is the big issue that it is. Since when has it ever been when a rethug does it. Does anyone remember the outcry when chimp seals his records or buried the reagan/poppy papers in violation of the law? Nah, I don't either.

[JNelson6563]

21. Lieberman is desperate

and the fact that he forgets Bush is the target demonstrates this. Of course it is likely he never knew Bush was suppose to be the target...

Julie

[hippiechick]

22. HIPAA and PRIVACY issues

If Dean unsealed his records and ONE invidivual's name or address or pertinent information was snooped by FAUX (and we KNOW it would be) ... he would be sued to high heaven for violating confidentiality/ releasing that person's identity/issue/whatever ...

Like he said, he's gotten letters from people telling him they have HIV, (and I'm sure many other personal stories) that if it were ME, I'd be none to happy about the whole world knowing.

Secrecy Dean-style does not equal secrecy BFEE-style, IMO.



:hippie:

[LizW]

23. Folks who think Dean should open his records

Do you think it's okay for the identities of every person who wrote in to Dean on the civil unions issue, pro or con, to have their identities revealed?

Do you want the contents of your letters to your elected representatives revealed, along with your name?

Dean has said repeatedly that his positions are clear on every issue he faced while governor. Every bill signed and every pardon granted is a matter of public record already. His opponents have already spent hours and hours and tons of money sifting through the records that are open.

Someone explain what you hope to find in these records. Because the old saw, "OOh, he won't open the records, there must be something bad," is about as tired and transparent as you can get.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

25. Jumping Joe should stand on a phone book and kiss my butt.

[Don_G]

26. Which Leads To Another Question

Does Lieberman have any records of or related to his actions that are sealed? If so, whay are they still sealed?

[truthspeaker]

29. what do you mean "now"?

Lieberman has been working for Bush since 2000.

[bif]

30. Screw you Joe!

Do us all a favor and drop out of the race. Or even better, why don't you just switch parties?

[hedda_foil]

32. And I suppose Joe and the other Senators and Congressmen ....

would be willing to open their own constituent files too??? I sure wouldn't want any of them to do that and I don't think you would either. Think about it. All politicians receive tons of pleas, thank yous and hate mail and phone calls from constituents, which they (and more often their offices have to answer.) Open the floodgates on these records for political purposes and we're all at risk.

[AP]

33. Dean's hidning these from the Dems as well as Republicans.

Democratic primary voters are entitled to know what Dean's all about.

[MaineDem]

35. Exactly

Dean isn't competing against Bush. His opponents are the other Dems and we voters are the losers in this one if he keeps his records sealed.

[Triana]

34. Dean should unseal his when Bu$hit unseals his...

...and not a damn second sooner.

[Larkspur]

37. Lieberman is feeling the Dean heat in his home state of Connecticut

In the Nov 21st Quinnipiac poll, Dean trailed Lieberman in Connecticut by 5 pts -- 28% Lieberman, 23% Dean -- up from minus 16 pts -- 33% Lieberman, 17% Dean -- in the October poll.

So Holy Joe is being desperate because he doesn't want to share the same fate as Kerry -- losing his home state in the primary.

[Voltaire99]

47. Dean should offer to help CT elect Lieberman's replacement

He could tell the cameras: "After I put America back in shape, I'm going to see to it that Joseph Lieberman's constituents finally get what they deserve - a Democratic senator!"

[realFedUp]

38. I suppose Joe wants Dean's patient's records opened also

Dean explained that the Attorney General has
say in what gets sealed and what doesn't.
This is the most ridiculous whine I've heard
yet against Dean. I don't have much respect
for those who are protesting this issue in
here.

[colorado_ufo]

39. Joe L. was the wrong choice for a running mate for Gore.

If Gore had selected a stronger figure, the election would never have come down to a Florida decision. The margin would have been much wider.

[Fleshdancer]

40. DU cracks me up!

Nothing unifies us more than bashing Lieberman.

I read that Lieberman is taking out an ad showing him with McCain supporters. Who the hell is running this guy's campaign? Circus monkeys could do a better job.

[sistersofmercy]

43. Lieberman is

a republican in a democratic suit!

[realFedUp]

44. well at least it's something most of us can agree on....

:-)

[truthisfreedom]

51. let's just say lieberman has been a very disappointing vice-president.

the elected one.

[TXvote]

42. If Leiberman Was Japanese

he would have had the dignity to commit harikari by now

[DemonFighterLives]

45. Joe really helps the Dems.

Yeah right. Why doesn't Joe go off with his bubby Sharon and kill some Palestinians. He doesn't belong in the Dem. party and I don't know what Gore was thinking.
At the same time, I would like a hint of what Dean is supposedly hiding, if anything.
If he is using it as strategy as some say, he can forget Bush revealing anything. Perhaps if he plays it out and then reveals the records (not private letters) he can catch doofuses like Joe with their pants down.

[Mackay]

46. This is a BRILLIANT strategy actually

It is a trojan horse being played on Dean's part... he knows that the conservatives and BFEE will try to attack him on the secrecy issue. And the great irony is that it will only pull their own evil shenanigans into the spotlight...

I LOVE Dean saying, "I'll show you yours... when you show me mine". It is a game of political chicken... and man, I hope the Republicans fall for it. Because when both Dean and Bush open their records, you can bet one is going to come out smelling like roses compared to the other... which is why Dean is willing to do it.

I almost think they were planning this all along.

Is it any coincidence that Lieberman looks like Grima Wormtongue?

[Larkspur]

52. Actually Lieberman looks more like Elmer Fudd

Just my opinion.

[MUAD_DIB]

48. You know, I can just feel the love in this room.

n/t

[Oreegone]

49. The games stands this way ~Dean holding the winning hand

Bush has his Governatorial records sealed, the energy commissions sealed, the intelligence information sealed, his military records sealed.

Dean has a few of his records sealed many of which the State of Vermont seals for a specified time period. Good for him. He must do everything he can to level the playing field.

Anyone on this forum crying for him to release his records just don't have a grip on the reality of politics. He would be an absolute fool to give those bastards unfettered digging to find anything they could for their dittoheads.

Besides he is holding the winning hand, you know OK so show me your records then I'll show you mine...

[The Stranger]

50. I think that the more the other Democratic hopefuls attack Howard Dean

the stronger he gets.

[ozymandius]

54. Funny (and I mean that) - the usual Lieberman apologists have left.

It really is interesting that the typical defenders have left this man's butt hanging in mid-air.

[mikehiggins]

55. Senator Joe Lieberman--he's bringing us all together ;^) n/t

[ZenLefty]

57. Let's keep the commentary out of the subject lines, please

Thanks.

ZenLefty
DU Moderator