Lieberman-Lamont & the TPM

My secret identity is a joke, but I keep it up the same way people use cheap locks for their mountain-bikes - it works against the lazy not the criminal.

Anyway, to add more futility to the secrecy of the Styx, you can see how well I fare in an interchange about Lieberman-Lamont at the TPM. I wrote to the blogmaster, in response to this post, and he listed my comments along with others here; I am "JC."

Naturally, I got whomped by some Cro-Magnon communist, but its nice to take an impotent stand.

The whomper claims: "The truth is that this is a super-safe Democratic seat in one of the most reliably pro-Democratic, anti-Bush states."

Wait a moment for the whiff of ordure to dissipate. Ready? OK. I emailed the TPM this morning with a response; its unlikely to be printed, so I will fill in all you reader(s):

"Connecticut is Not Blue"

The concept that Connecticut is a reliable "blue" state is silly.

I'm staring at my Republican governor (who is going to handily win reelection ) and Republicans in 3 of the 5 House seats (Rob Simmons (R), Chris Shays (R), Nancy Johnson (R) vs. John Larson (D), Rosa DeLauro (D)) and I hear disturbing echoes of 2000.

My very-liberal friends told me in 2000 they were voting for Nader because 'third parties don't make a difference' in the reliable states like New York, Massachusetts etc. Then we watched in horror as New Hampshire went to Bush (273,559 - 48.07%) because of the Nader votes (22,198 - 3.9%) which if only added to Gore (266, 348 - 46.8%) would have rendered Florida's butterflies moot (Bush would've been 267 without NH's 4, and Gore 270). And New Mexico was another squeaker (300 votes!!) but in our favor, despite Nader's 3.55% of the vote.

I know what you're saying, "But those are New states, in the old Hampshire and Mexico, Gore would have won." True. You're also thinking that Nader voters can't be added to Gore because Nader people would have just stayed home. Also, true. That's what scares me, because the hard-left of our party aren't actually reliably Democrat!

My anger at the Lieberman-Lamont race has nothing to do with the possibility of Lieberman losing the seat in the Senate. He will win in November even in a three-way. My anger is at the left wing of the Democratic party who, in my perception, are self-destructing in the name of pure ideology.

These Nader-Democrats are "true believers" and they scare me as much as the Chistianists in the GOP. Our true believers want purity in their politics and they will destroy anyone who does not match their ideals.

It's funny because the attacks against Lieberman - that he is not Democrat enough and too sanctimonious - are just accusers looking in the mirror.

You and I probably agree that its more important for Democrats to take control of the House, Senate and eventually the Executive than to have ideologically pure candidates. Even a liberal Republican votes for his party more often than a conservative Democrat, that's the way legislatures work!

If Joe weren't a good Democrat, and if he weren't popular in the national party, I would drop him in a flash and with glee. But he's good for the party. I claim, and I think the numbers and history back this up, that the Lamont supporters are too much like Nader supporters - they want bible-thumping levels of purity from their candidates and will punish apostates accordingly.