Lieberman Taps Bush's White House Donor Network...

Hartford Courant David Lightman October 21, 2006 08:00 PM

Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman collected millions of dollars in campaign cash since his Democratic primary loss by tapping a lengthy list of major contributors to President Bush, dozens of Washington special interest groups and a lot of loyal Democrats.

Lieberman's 1,877-page campaign finance report, made public by the Federal Election Commission this week, shows that while he relied on a lot of familiar Democratic names to help him collect $5.1 million since beginning his general election campaign Aug. 9 as an independent, he also got significant help from the White House donor network.

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What If Joe Lieberman Gave the Senate Back to the Republicans?

READ MORE: Iraq, Dick Cheney, John Bolton, James Dobson, Joe Lieberman, Supreme Court, Samuel Alito, George W. Bush

Just think about this very real possibility for a second: The Democrats win back the Senate by a one vote margin after a mighty struggle. They pull off a stunning victory in Tennessee, they put away Missouri and Ohio, they win everywhere else and they retain New Jersey. And then they walk back into the Senate, Joe Lieberman switches sides, and everything that we have all worked for goes to absolute waste!

If you thought we hated Lieberman now, wait till you get a load of us then. There is no possibility that is more disheartening and more repulsive - and, unfortunately, more real.

I don't have enough sources to say for sure that he will do this. But there are substantial indications. He is already furious with the rest of his Democratic colleagues for not supporting him in the general election against Lamont. He already agrees with the Republicans on every major foreign policy issue. He even went out of his way last week to say he would vote for John Bolton.

Stop and think about that for a second. John Bolton is the most extreme nominee the White House has sent up to the Senate in the last six years - and that is saying a lot! He couldn't get confirmed to be our ambassador to the UN twice because Republicans - who have rubberstamped everything this administration has done - stopped him twice.

Bolton was the only person who did not make it through the Republican rubberstamp machine. And Lieberman is threatening to undermine the Democratic unity and Republican revolt on Bolton by voting for him.

That speaks volumes. That means even if Lieberman doesn't formally caucus with the Republicans, he will vote with them on every single foreign policy issue - and then some. It was Republicans who blocked Bolton twice (along with the unified Democratic stance) - and Joe would go beyond the Republicans to make sure Bolton gets through.

With Lieberman in the Senate, even if all the Senate races break for the Democrats, the White House will still get their way on every foreign policy issue. You wonder why we fight so hard against this wolf in nonpartisan clothing. I'm afraid Lieberman thinks that nonpartisan is another word for Republican.

Lieberman still says that he would vote to invade Iraq again knowing all that we know now. That's maniacal. He says he would have run the war better if it was up to him. Oh I see, so they would have thrown roses at our feet if Joe had run the war?

Anyone who looks at Iraq now and thinks the invasion was a good idea is either insane or a Republican. Which one is it, Joe?

But it's not just foreign policy issues. Remember Lieberman worked hard to make sure the most extreme judicial nominee sent up by the White House, Sam Alito, was not filibustered. Afterward, Alito sent James Dobson a glowing thank you letter. I wonder if Joe got one, too. He should have, there was no one more helpful to making sure Alito got on the bench.

Is there any chance the next Bush nominee to the Supreme Court (if that dreadful possibility comes to fruition) will be blocked by the Democrats if Lieberman is still in the Senate? I would guess not.

I just can't get over the idea of a Democrat in Connecticut voting for this guy. I find it mind boggling. But now when you add the possibility that Joe will cross over and hand the Senate back to the Republicans, it becomes unthinkable. Are the Democrats of Connecticut really going to hand the Senate back to the White House? That seems inconceivable. Will someone please explain to them what they are about to do.

I can see it now. Dick Cheney throws his arm around Joe Lieberman and says, "Your president needs you. We're at war and this is not the time to be undermining US leadership. Joe, you have to vote with us on this critical national security issue."

Who in their right mind thinks Joe Lieberman is going to say no to that?

All this hard work and it can be flushed down the drain because of one guy. If you know anyone who lives in Connecticut, please talk to them and don't let them make this mistake. It's not just about them, it's about all of us. It's about the direction of this country. In order for the Democrats to effectively challenge this administration and win back the Senate, Joe must go!

The Young Turks