Lieberman hires new (Republican) media consultant, pollster
By SUSAN HAIGH
AP Political Writer
August 18, 2006, 4:16 PM EDT
HARTFORD, Conn. -- Sen. Joe Lieberman continued retooling his campaign staff Friday, hiring a nationally known pollster and media consultant to assist in his independent re-election bid.
Lieberman hired Democratic consultant Josh Isay, who has worked for Republican New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York, as a senior strategist who will produce TV and radio ads.
He also hired Republican pollster Neil Newhouse, who lists two key Connecticut Republicans, Gov. M. Jodi Rell and U.S. Rep. Rob Simmons, among his clients.
Lieberman, who must appeal to Republicans and unaffiliated voters to beat Lamont and Republican Alan Schlesinger in November, touted the new hires as proof of his campaign's bipartisanship.
"They are not just among the best in their respective businesses, but they bring a deep knowledge of Connecticut from across the political spectrum, which will be essential to our effort to build a broad coalition of Democrats, Republicans, and independents," Lieberman said in a release.
Replacing his pollster and media consultant is the second major campaign change since Lieberman lost the Democratic primary last week to Greenwich businessman Ned Lamont. Lieberman had previously replaced his campaign manager and campaign spokeswoman and asked other staff members to reapply for their jobs.
Liz Dupont-Diehl, Lamont's campaign spokeswoman, said the hirings show that Lieberman just wants to keep his job. Lamont has called on Lieberman to back the winner of last week's Democratic primary.
"These new appointments beg the question: Who is the real Joe Lieberman?" Dupont-Diehl said. "What we have seen so far of Joe Lieberman is consistent enabling of the Bush/Cheney agenda. He is changing his tune now in a last-ditch attempt to hold on to power."
Lamont edged Lieberman by 10,000 votes in the primary by criticizing the centrist senator's support for the Iraq war and linking him to President Bush and the Republicans. Political pundits say the primary was evidence of voters' frustration with the war and predict it could have national political ramifications.
Top state and national Democrats have since abandoned Lieberman and are endorsing Lamont. Some city mayors and state House Speaker James Amann, however, are sticking by Lieberman.
A day after the primary, Lieberman filed petitions to run as an independent in November's general election. A recent poll shows Lieberman leading Lamont by 12 percentage points among likely voters, with Schlesinger trailing far behind.
Isay, a New Haven native, replaces Carter Eskew, who had worked with Lieberman in 1988 when he defeated then-Republican U.S. Sen. Lowell P. Weicker Jr. Newhouse replaces Al Quinlan, from Greenberg Quinlan.
Also Friday, Rell seemed to distance herself from Schlesinger, a fellow Republican. Asked if she is backing the former mayor and state representative in the three-way race, Rell would say only that Schlesinger is the party-endorsed candidate.
Rell had suggested last month that Schlesinger consider dropping out of the race after news reports that he gave Foxwoods Resort Casino a fake name when he signed up for a so-called wampum card, which awards points based on how much someone gambles. Those points can be traded for meals and other perks.
Asked again Friday if Schlesinger should drop out, Rell said, "Alan Schlesinger is the endorsed candidate of the Republican party at the nominating convention back in May. I have not had any conversations with him and as I said, he is the endorsed candidate and he has given every indication that he intends to stay there."
Rell said she is not endorsing Lieberman, who garnered support from two-thirds of Republicans in this week's Quinnipiac University poll.
Schlesinger said Rell is not trying to distance herself from him.
"What she says stands," he said.
Schlesinger said he and Rell have appeared at several campaign events together and he expects they will meet up again.
"I look forward to campaigning with her the rest of the campaign," he said. "I think she's doing a great job as governor and I think she's going to be re-elected."
___
Editor's note: Susan Haigh has covered the Connecticut statehouse and political scene since 1994.
Link Here
AP Political Writer
August 18, 2006, 4:16 PM EDT
HARTFORD, Conn. -- Sen. Joe Lieberman continued retooling his campaign staff Friday, hiring a nationally known pollster and media consultant to assist in his independent re-election bid.
Lieberman hired Democratic consultant Josh Isay, who has worked for Republican New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York, as a senior strategist who will produce TV and radio ads.
He also hired Republican pollster Neil Newhouse, who lists two key Connecticut Republicans, Gov. M. Jodi Rell and U.S. Rep. Rob Simmons, among his clients.
Lieberman, who must appeal to Republicans and unaffiliated voters to beat Lamont and Republican Alan Schlesinger in November, touted the new hires as proof of his campaign's bipartisanship.
"They are not just among the best in their respective businesses, but they bring a deep knowledge of Connecticut from across the political spectrum, which will be essential to our effort to build a broad coalition of Democrats, Republicans, and independents," Lieberman said in a release.
Replacing his pollster and media consultant is the second major campaign change since Lieberman lost the Democratic primary last week to Greenwich businessman Ned Lamont. Lieberman had previously replaced his campaign manager and campaign spokeswoman and asked other staff members to reapply for their jobs.
Liz Dupont-Diehl, Lamont's campaign spokeswoman, said the hirings show that Lieberman just wants to keep his job. Lamont has called on Lieberman to back the winner of last week's Democratic primary.
"These new appointments beg the question: Who is the real Joe Lieberman?" Dupont-Diehl said. "What we have seen so far of Joe Lieberman is consistent enabling of the Bush/Cheney agenda. He is changing his tune now in a last-ditch attempt to hold on to power."
Lamont edged Lieberman by 10,000 votes in the primary by criticizing the centrist senator's support for the Iraq war and linking him to President Bush and the Republicans. Political pundits say the primary was evidence of voters' frustration with the war and predict it could have national political ramifications.
Top state and national Democrats have since abandoned Lieberman and are endorsing Lamont. Some city mayors and state House Speaker James Amann, however, are sticking by Lieberman.
A day after the primary, Lieberman filed petitions to run as an independent in November's general election. A recent poll shows Lieberman leading Lamont by 12 percentage points among likely voters, with Schlesinger trailing far behind.
Isay, a New Haven native, replaces Carter Eskew, who had worked with Lieberman in 1988 when he defeated then-Republican U.S. Sen. Lowell P. Weicker Jr. Newhouse replaces Al Quinlan, from Greenberg Quinlan.
Also Friday, Rell seemed to distance herself from Schlesinger, a fellow Republican. Asked if she is backing the former mayor and state representative in the three-way race, Rell would say only that Schlesinger is the party-endorsed candidate.
Rell had suggested last month that Schlesinger consider dropping out of the race after news reports that he gave Foxwoods Resort Casino a fake name when he signed up for a so-called wampum card, which awards points based on how much someone gambles. Those points can be traded for meals and other perks.
Asked again Friday if Schlesinger should drop out, Rell said, "Alan Schlesinger is the endorsed candidate of the Republican party at the nominating convention back in May. I have not had any conversations with him and as I said, he is the endorsed candidate and he has given every indication that he intends to stay there."
Rell said she is not endorsing Lieberman, who garnered support from two-thirds of Republicans in this week's Quinnipiac University poll.
Schlesinger said Rell is not trying to distance herself from him.
"What she says stands," he said.
Schlesinger said he and Rell have appeared at several campaign events together and he expects they will meet up again.
"I look forward to campaigning with her the rest of the campaign," he said. "I think she's doing a great job as governor and I think she's going to be re-elected."
___
Editor's note: Susan Haigh has covered the Connecticut statehouse and political scene since 1994.
Link Here
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