Terry Cowgill

Lamont Drinks In A Cup of Joe

June 21, 2006 on 7:59 pm | In Main, State |

Much to the delight of challenger Ned Lamont, it was one step forward and a few more backwards this week for Sen. Joe Lieberman in his quest for reelection.

The good news is that Lieberman finally stopped waffling and stated categorically he would not pull out of the Democratic primary with Lamont. That sends a clear signal to his supporters that the three-term senator isn’t just going through the motions while setting his sights on an independent bid for reelection.

Then, in another display of stubbornness and hubris, Lieberman again declined to rule out running as an independent should he lose to Lamont in the Aug. 8 primary. That means Lieberman, a lifelong Democrat, still refuses to say whether he will endorse the Democratic nominee. It is an interesting strategy at best and a boneheaded one at worst. It gives the impression, as Democratic operative Jonathan Pelto said, that Lieberman is trying “to have his cake and eat it, too” — which, come to think of it, is what the senator has done most of his political life.

Meanwhile, Lamont has picked up a number of important endorsements recently. George Jepsen, a former Democratic state chairman and state Senate majority leader, came out for Lamont on Monday. Jepsen is a top aide to Stamford Mayor Dannel P. Malloy, who was endorsed last month for governor at the Democratic state convention. Jepsen is believed to be the first member of the Democratic establishment to endorse Lamont.

Last week, Lamont received the endorsements of the state’s two largest teachers unions, the American Federation of Teachers (CT) and the Connecticut Education Association. This should come as no great surprise since Lieberman has endorsed limited forms of private school vouchers. Of course, he disavowed that sensible position to run for vice president with Al Gore in 2000 (having his cake and eating it, too, again?). But never mind, just mention the word “voucher” in the presence of public school teachers and you will be descended on by a pack of wolves.

At any rate, the nods of approval from the teachers unions and Jepsen will help counter the notion, put forth often by Lieberman handlers and reinforced by MoveOn’s endorsement, that Lamont’s supporters are a bunch of looney lefties. Hey, I’m for school vouchers, WalMart and drilling in ANWAR, but if being against this foolish war in Iraq makes me a wild-eyed pinko, then I’m happy to wear that label — at least until we get out of there and I need a another pair of cheap slacks made in China.

As the war drags on through the summer, I think more people will consider Lamont’s candidacy and realize that he is, for the most part, a mainstream Democrat who happens to think Lieberman’s position on the war is wrong, and that Lamont is a candidate who can beat the mayor of Derby — or whoever the Republican candidate is.

P.S. For a nice Lakeville Journal catch-all piece on the November elections by Jennifer Kronholm, click here.