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Power, pop, and probings from ABC News Senior National Correspondent Jake Tapper
Jake Tapper is ABC News' Senior National Correspondent based in the network's Washington bureau. He writes about politics and popular culture and covers a range of national stories.
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Lieb Me Alone
July 21, 2006 9:32 AM
A couple notes on embattled Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-CT....
In my previous incarnation as a columnist for Tina Brown's TALK MAGAZINE, I profiled Mr. Lieberman and found tensions between him and more traditional Democratic constituencies long preceding his fights today with liberal antiwar forces inside and outside of the Nutmeg State.
In fact, they were between himself and then-Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore -- during the time that Lieberman was Gore's No. 2.
At issue: Gore's populist slogan "The People Versus the Powerful."
Lieberman didn't like it.
And he refused to say it.
Causing tensions between him and Gore's chief campaign consultants in Nashville.
It should be noted that Lieberman wasn't the only high-profile Dem who thought Gore's approach wrongheaded. Then-President Bill Clinton thought it was "bullsh-t," according to sources close to Clinton, and blamed Gore's loss on that approach to no small degree.
Lieberman was partly picked by Gore because of his criticism of Clinton on the Senate floor during Monica-gate. Sources close to then-Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle say that Daschle had to talk Lieberman (and two other Democratic seators) out of calling for Clinton's impeachment, which he achieved (Lieberman's office denies this). Gore had wanted some distance from Clinton, whose personal foibles hurt the then-VP with swing voters in his quest for the presidency.
But Lieberman and Clinton bonded by phone during the 2000 campaign over their disagreement with Gore's populist approach to the campaign. That bonding can be seen with the announcement yesterday that Clinton will campaign for Lieberman Monday in Waterbury, CT.
more later --
jt
AP photographs
July 21, 2006 | Permalink | User Comments (5)
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Lieberman (and other) fatcat senators, Dem. and Repub., deserve to lose their seats because they represent the interests of the rich and powerful, and not the average citizen of their states. Lamont may not be perfect (who is) but he's a better choice than Lieberman. Joe must go!
Posted by: sophillyfatz | Jul 22, 2006 10:36:22 PM
"The people v. The Powerful" was a ridiculous slogan, only because it was designed to promote the candidacy of the then-Vice President and a U.S. Senator. Real grassroots stuff.
Lieberman's belief that he is entitled to his Connecticut seat (as evidenced by his willingness to abandon the party that has served the interests of Joe Lieberman for decades) suggests that such an approach is still warranted. As David Sirota has written, so many inside the Beltway are up-in-arms about Lieberman's predicament because it is, in many ways, a referendum on them: similarly-situated cozy Beltway politicians and pundits.
Posted by: DKNY | Jul 21, 2006 3:52:26 PM
Other than NAFTA or GATT, this is Clinton's dumbest move yet. Why can't he take his old lady's advice and stay neutral during the primary? Lieberman stabbed him in the back once, why give him support now? Bill needs some camera time, I guess.
Posted by: stram | Jul 21, 2006 2:30:29 PM
Many thanks for the interesting backstory--I had absolutely no idea that Lieberman was such a loose cannon. Isn't it ironic that he and Clinton bonded over criticizing Gore's 2000 presidential campaign, especially when Gore was forced to distance himself from Clinton due to Clinton's misbehavior in office? It's also quite ironic that Lieberman was so uncooperative in formingthe campaign strategy.
There's an old political saying that "You dance with them that brung you." Apparently, Lieberman's dance card is full of looking out for himself first, as he seems to have been doing all along. I'll bet dollars to donuts that Clinton's campaigning for Lieberman will do him as much good as it did for Wesley ("Who is that strange man?") Clark in the 2004 elections.
Posted by: chuck | Jul 21, 2006 11:13:01 AM
All great points, Jake.
Posted by: Adam | Jul 21, 2006 10:43:29 AM
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