I'm being told I'm "too gleeful" over Lieberman's dropping out!

[liberalhistorian]

And this from people who couldn't stand him, either, lol! I probably am, but goddamnit, that repuke-lite was a major reason the Dems went down to defeat in 2002, and I really, really resent that.

And I resented his going on the front page of USA Today to trash Dean, saying he was "leading the party into the wilderness" (and just where have YOU been leading us, Joe?); I resented his cozying up to the Bushistas in regards to the Iraqi invasion and passing the "faith-based" legislation; I resented his agreeing with Raygun's statement that the Constitution allows "freedom OF religion, and not freedom FROM religion", and his adding that "we must all recognize that we all come from the same awesome God" (and so does that make agnostics and atheists non-Americans in your book, Joe?); I resented his constant trashing of other Dems while kissing up to Shrub and kissing ass with other repukes; I resented his incredible egotistical arrogance and his whining about Gore's not endorsing him, as if he were somehow "entitled" to it; I resented his moralistic, legalistic, holier-than-thou, self-righteous, censoring, morality-nanny and "scolding" bullshit; I resented his constant harping on the dangers of the violence of a fucking video game while being even more hawkish than Shrub, if that's possible, concerning the Iraqi invasion, and his gung-ho warmongering as far as 9/11 was concerned, believing that 9/11 justified everything and anything we're doing and his seeing nothing wrong with preemptive war, as long as it was other people's kids doing the fighting; I resented his strong support of the fucking fascist Patriot Act (the most misnamed piece of legislation EVER!); I resented his boasting (yes, BOASTING) that the "Republicans consider me to be the strongest candidate" (gee, Joe, that'll really go over well with Dems who want the repukes THE HELL OUT OF THE WH!, and can you even conceive of the repukes saying the same thing if the situation were reversed?); I resented his wanting to "re-assess Roe v. Wade" (a repuke code word for "get rid of"); I resented his becoming a repuke and still staying in, trashing, and polluting the Democratic Party; I resented his ignoring the real and serious problems millions of Americans are facing and instead spending an hour talking about the dangers of a fucking VIDEO GAME; I resented his claiming that he was the "only mainstream candidate" (mainstream WHERE, Joe, in Orange County, CA?), and his put-downs of voters who "didn't understand that" (Oh, we understand all TOO well, Joe!); I resented his demanding that the Dems become repuke-lites in the 2002 election, and his leading us in a horribly wrong direction, yet trashing the other candidates for "leading the party in the wrong direction"; etc., etc., etc., etc.

So, yeah, okay, I was beyond thrilled when he did so badly in the primaries and when he finally got a fucking clue and dropped the hell out of the race like he should have done months ago, anyway, and I'm beyond thrilled to finally be rid of him.

He is a MAJOR MAJOR reason we lost in 2002, and I'm just thrilled to death that so many Dems are finally recognizing this and telling him where he can stick it and what he can do with it after he's stuck it. And I'm not apologizing for it at all. I say, loudly and clearly, GOOD RIDDANCE! NOW GO AWAY AND MAKE IT OFFICIAL BY FORMALLY SWITCHING PARTIES!!!!!!

BTW, how much you wanna bet that he'll be blaming Gore for this, for not endorsing him? How much you wanna bet that he'll soon be on the chatterbox circuit whining and moaning and groaning about how if Al had just done the right thing and endorsed him, the Dems would have seen the light and he wouldn't have been trashed so thoroughly in the primaries?

[TexasSissy]

1. Lieberman is one of the most well-liked, highly respected Senators

in the country. He is liked and respected by both parties and independents. His integrity and hard work has never, ever (count 'em) been questioned by anyone is his public service career. How many times has that happened? Dean wouldn't know about that. Neither would Kerry or any of the other candidates.

I am a Clark supporter, but I don't think dissing a downed candidate is cute or fun or mature.

Lieberman did his best under difficult circumstances. We are lucky to have such a man in our Congress. Shame on you.

[TexasSissy]

3. I should've also said that Gore is the reason Gore lost, not his VP.

[Forkboy]

10. The selection of Joe hurt Al immensely

I personally knew people who voted Green because of it.

[TexasSissy]

Al's orange makeup hurt Al more.

[w4rma]

16. Lieberman's "debate" with Cheney hurt Al more than a made up scandal (n/t)

[NWHarkness]

21. You said it

When Cheney claimed he had never made a dime off of his government connections and Lieberman just sat there and smiled, it was as good as conceding.

[dolstein]

31. Ah yes, the election ENDED that night

Forget about Gore's performance in the first debate, which provided SNL parody fodder for weeks to come. Forget about all those "Gore is a liar" stories in the press. Forget about Ralph Nader's decision to campaign extensively in toss-up states. Forget about the poor ballot design in Florida. Forget about Gore's own flaws as a candidate.

It's all Lieberman's fault.


Yeah, right.

[liberalhistorian]

39. No one is suggesting

that 2000 was all Lieberman's fault, it certainly was not. And I didn't say one word about 2000 or the debates in my post, that's not what's important here. There is more than enough material to hold against Lieberman without dragging in the debates.

[dolstein]

42. Actually, people ARE suggesting precisely that

Did you even bother to read the posts above mine in this thread?

[liberalhistorian]

49. Okay, but I'M not suggesting it,

it didn't even cross my mind before someone else brought it up. Like I said, there's too much material against Lieberman to have to resort to bringing up the 2000 debates.

[dolstein]

29. The only debates that hurt Gore were the ones he was in

One of the reasons I have questioned the sincerity of Lieberman's many critics on DU is their repeated references to the debate between Lieberman and Cheney. According to these DU'ers, Lieberman's performance in this debate is a big reason why Gore lost. But these people deliberately ignore the fact that is was the first PRESIDENTIAL debate, and the resulting media fall out, that halted Gore's momentum. They also deliberately ignore the fact that the congenial spirit of the VP debate was a direct result of that fallout. The press characterized Gore's performance as too agressive, overbearing, and downright rude. Accordingly, Gore's campaign staff insisted that Lieberman be on his best behavior, just as they did with Gore himself in his second debate. Ah yes -- the forgotten debate. NOBODY around here talks about te second presidential debate, which was no less congenial than the VP debate.

So once again, the DU'ers engage in historical revisionism in order to twist the knife just a little deeper into Lieberman's back.

[liberalhistorian]

34. Lieberman twisted

his own knife, no one had to do that for him. And, in case you didn't notice, I didn't mention one single word about the 2000 debates in my post, because I didn't consider them relevant.

[dolstein]

43. In case you didn't notice

I wasn't responding to your post. I was responding to the people who were blaming Lieberman for Gore's defeat in 2000 and who were citing Lieberman's debate beformance as an example.

[Forkboy]

28. laughable

and barely worthy of even this meager reply.

[liberalhistorian]

22. Exactly,

many people I know either voted Green or didn't vote at all because they couldn't stand him or the thought of him being president.

[library_max]

48. Al didn't lose, BTW. The original message said 2002, not 2000. /nt

[liberalhistorian]

50. I meant the midterm

elections in 2002, and not the 2000 election, sorry for any confusion.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

4. "Shame on you"?

LiberalHistorian is entitled to her opinion on Lieberman, as am I.

That man spent the past few years with his lips firmly applied to George Bush's butt.

That's not the man I want on the White House.

I too am glad he is gone gone gone.

[TexasSissy]

13. It's so cute to kick someone who's down, isn't it?

Let us know when you lose your job or get cancer or whatever, so we can be sure to e-mail you and rub it in. That's so cute and mature.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

23. It's much worse to be insincere when he quits.

We didn't like Lieberman. We still don't. It would be insulting to him to pretend we're sorry he's out of the race.

[liberalhistorian]

24. Oh, PLEASE!

Lieberman is NOT hurting right now, he still has a good job and a fantastic income, and if he decides not to run for Senate again in two years, he'll have plenty of other opportunities. Unlike so many millions of other Americans who are out of a job and can't find another one, and are out of resources, the ones who mean nothing to him because he'd rather lecture about the supposed evils of a fucking video game.

You want to see people who are REALLY down? Take a look at the millions who've lost their jobs under the Bushistas, with little hope of finding another one soon, and who are getting royally screwed in every area (employment, education, economically, etc.) because of the policies of the Bushistas, policies Lieberman has either enthusiastically supported or not said a word against.

Also, he never had any trouble at all kicking other Dems when they were down!!! What goes around, comes around!

[Forkboy]

32. I dont have a job and my mother has cancer

want to e-mail me?

[Cronus Protagonist]

5. Shame on you for handing respect to a sellout

How will the Democratics ever win with people who claim to be Democratics demanding respect for our Judas's and pissing shame on our best fighters?

"FUCK Bush" Buttons, Stickers & Magnets

[w4rma]

6. Lieberman helped run the Enron investigations into the ground.

His vocal support of anti-regulatory positions helped create the Enron scandal which destroyed the lives of many many hardworking folks. He is pro-free trade, pro-NAFTA and *still* is despite the skyrocketing unemployment rates in America, the stagnating and lowering salaries and contiuning exporting of middle class jobs to totalitarian regimes like China. He is not a pro-buisness Democrat, he is a pro-big buisness Democrat, IMHO. He supported the invasion and occupation of Iraq. He still supports it, despite the lies that we were all told to sell it to us. He might as well have endorsed those lies.

I bet when Lieberman retires he'll be given a very nice golden parachute paid back to him for his rediverting so many resources towards these folks who wanted these things done.

[IrateCitizen]

9. I guess that his "integrity" led him to oppose accounting reform

in 1997 that would have classified stock options as expenses, and therefore might have helped curb the recent corporate scandals.

But hey, you can't allow things like the "common good" get in the way of your integrity in being the "go-to guy" in Congress for the accounting and insurance industries, can you?

:puke:

Joe Lieberman: OK on the environment and civil rights, completely compromised by corporate interests.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

12. we are all entitled to out opinion

and i think lieberman is way too conservative to be considered a real DEM.

[liberalhistorian]

20. Well, you are certainly entitled to your

opinion, as am I, but I respectfully disagree. I do not consider him to have integrity or to be an "asset" to our party at all.

[Kamika]

55. I agree about integrity

I apreciate a man that stands for what he thinks.. That's what Lieberman did.

Most of his opinions were repub lite.. but still he didn't bullshit us

[DemDogs]

2. Won't miss him

Even though I have already put his candidacy behind me. He's irrelevant to this race now. You sound like you have a lot of energy. I'd forget about him, if I were you.

[liberalhistorian]

26. I will, indeed, forget about him, and

with great pleasure! I'd be able to forget about him even more if he'd just make it official and switch parties so we won't have to deal with him anymore.

[madrchsod]

7. joe will be missed by the

republican party and the radio heads. they loved joe,he was their "good" democrat. he may be a decent man but we don`t need him.

[codegreen]

8. 100% agree! great post!

*applause*

[liberalhistorian]

27. Thanks!

n/t

[Cronus Protagonist]

11. Personally, I'm not gleeful, but I'm RELIEVED he can't be president

I think that calls for a celebration and a thouroughly enjoyable dance on Lieberman's political grave.

The voters have spoken and they REJECTED BUSH LITE, which means they REJECTED BUSH. It was a good day for America when Joe Lieberman dropped out because it means we're on track for a much, much better president than BUSH, not just one that's marginally better domestically and a major flaming terrorist attractor like Joe would have been.

"FUCK Bush" Buttons, Stickers & Magnets

[liberalhistorian]

30. Exactly, couldn't have said

it better myself! THAT is a major reason why I feel the way I do, to know that Dems have wised up and are thoroughly rejecting his repuke-lite bullshit.

[Cronus Protagonist]

52. We need to shout that over the rooftops - WE REJECT BUSH - AND BUSH-LITES

So all the other contenders know what we want, unequivocally.

"ANYBODY BUT BUSH" Buttons, Stickers & Magnets

[liberalhistorian]

53. And that's what I think

Dems are finally starting to do! Hopefully, the party leaders will now start waking up as well.

[afraid_of_the_dark]

14. If it's funny, it's funny in a sad way.

Can't say I was ever a big Lieberman fan - I don't think he is very genuine. But it's sad that we're losing another candidate in the race, especially one who pinned his hopes on "Joe-mentum" (which is the funny-in-a-sad-way part that I alluded to in the subject line). I wish him in the best of luck in his future endeavors, and hope that he'll support the lucky one who wins the nomination.

[Democrats unite]

15. You do your party a disservice

I would elaberate more, but why should I bring myself to your level.

[liberalhistorian]

18. No, I'm afraid that

Lieberman is the one who's done our part a great disservice. And he's done it a great service, though, by finally dropping out. Tell me, was he doing our party a service when he constantly trashed the Dems and cozied up to the Bushistas? I don't think so.

[rucky]

17. Dean gets credit for marginalizing Lieberman early on

that "Bush Lite" statement killed Joe. Not to mention our trepidation of rehashing 2000. Come to think of it, that may have been why Gore's Dean endorsement didn't have the intended effect.

[IrateCitizen]

19. Perhaps an even bigger reason would be...

... the incessant attacks by Lieberman on Dean. Perhaps they just helped to confirm the notion that Joe Lieberman IS pro-big business before all else, that he IS largely out-of-step with the rest of the Democratic Party, and that he just doesn't get the fact that people aren't looking for tepid (at best) opposition to the Right Wing juggernaught.

[lurk_no_more]

25. Joe showed a lot of class last night

But I for one am delighted he dropped out, it should've been sooner, I didn't care for him when gore picked him and cared even less than that after gore conceded.

He's the best Dem * could want and during this whole race he's done nothing but point a finger at the other Dems and berate them for going after *.

I am grateful American voters had enough sense not to give any more votes to him then did.

Joe, it's been real, it's been nice, but it hasn't been real nice. Go home Joe.


And then there were none!
” JAFO”

[corporatewhore]

33. I think Joe should compete in the repug primaries

[liberalhistorian]

37. Good idea, he'd

certainly be right at home doing so, wouldn't he?

[Az]

35. Have to admit

We rejoiced when we heard Joe backing down. I credit Dems of his type with much of the problems we face these days. Too much compromise and siding with the right. The straw that broke my back with him though was during the 2000 election when he spoke in my town and told me (and 1000 other Detroiters) that we do not have the right to be free of religion. Sorry Joe. You lost me forever with that statement.

[liberalhistorian]

40. I know, his unconstitutional stance on

religion particularly galls me, and I speak as a liberal Christian. What he couldn't seem to understand was that freedom of religion means just that, FREEDOM OF RELIGION! And that includes the freedom not to have any religion at all, if you so choose. Any Dem that agreed with Raygun's statement that "freedom OF religion doesn't mean freedom FROM religion", is NOT a Dem, in my book.

[progressivebydesign]

36. Call me sentimental, but Joe just broke my heart...

Okay. I was NOT a Joe supporter. I support another candidate. Joe had a few things I agreed with... maybe a few. BUT.. seeing him acting so perky announcing his 3-way tie for third just broke my heart! I just felt bad for him, and I could see the uncomfortable looks of the people standing behind him as he was being so cheerful after getting his ass kicked in New Hampshire. He actually seems like a really nice guy... and I have compassion for his friends and family that had hopes that he would make it happen. It has to be a heartbreaker for any family, or group of supporters when their candidate drops out of a race, or loses. I know firsthand, the congressional candidate whose campaign I worked for years ago, died less than a year into his first term, just as we were starting his re-election campaign. People in politics DO have feelings. Even if you don't agree with someone's issues, they are still human, and have supporters that believe in them. I'm not sorry to see anyone drop out. I'm just a softie, I guess.

[BayCityProgressive]

41. Well

I don't like Lieberman any more or less than 90% of all other politicians. I think he put his finger to the wind of public opinion and is guided more by that than anything else. He is a career politician. His voting record isn't too much different than any of the other Dems running. They are all fairly similar. I just don't like how he delivered his message and attacked other Dems with right wing talking points. It didn't matter much to me who our nominee is because they all basically believe the same things..some convey their message better than others, thats about it. All would be superior to Bush. There are a few politicians out there that I actually have respect for...Senator Feingold, Kucinich, Barbara Lee, Bernie Sanders, Jennifer Granholm, Elliot Spitzer, and a few others.

[aquart]

38. Well, it's not like he was taking votes from anyone.

So what difference does it make?

[JasonBerry]

44. Immature and inflammatory

As someone wrote last night in another thread, "George Bush isn't fit to take out Joe Lieberman's trash." The need for purity in Democratic candidates has gone too far when there is a thread like this that isn't locked even while being full of vitriolic hatred against a fellow Democrat. Joe Lieberman is no "Republican-Lite." Joe Lieberman is a moderate Democrat. Too moderate for my tastes, but he certainly does NOT deserve this. Shame.

[liberalhistorian]

46. I'm sorry, I must respectfully

disagree. Lieberman has done nothing but kiss Shrub's ass, he was FOR the Patriot Act and VERY GUNG-HO for the pre-emptive Iraqi invasion, cozied up to Shrub to pass a lot of legislation, including that ridiculous "faith-based" help bill, and has never missed an opportunity to trash other Dems mercilessly.

His front-page article in USA Today trashing Dean and saying he and other Dems were "leading the party into the wilderness" was, for me, the last straw. I do not consider him to be a fellow Dem, I consider him to be a republican pretending to be a Dem. And I feel absolutely no shame at all about feeling that way.

[eissa]

45. Agree

While he is no Zell Miller, Joe's argument that he would be the best person to run against * since this administration couldn't attack him because he voted with them on everything left me angry and confused. Why would I support someone who supports an administration I despise? Joe may have done much for his party in the past, but I believe he is out-of-sync with the mood of the party supporters right now. We have a big tent (even for very conservative, hawkish, neo-con dems like Joe), but that doesn't mean he deserves to lead this party in his direction.

[liberalhistorian]

54. I don't even think he's comfortable

in the Dem party anymore. I don't see how he could be, since his positions and views are so different from most Dems nowadays. When millions of people are hurting economically, educationally, health-care wise, etc., etc., and his biggest concern is a fucking video game (which he droned on and on and on about last week at a campaign speech), THAT should give people a clue as to just how out-of-touch he really is.

[LittleDannySlowhorse]

47. I hated his guts

and I'm glad he's gone.

That's about all I have to say on the matter.

[liberalhistorian]

51. LOL!

That pretty much says it all right there!