So if you’re going to indict Joe, you indict the entire idea of running as an independent. I’m not a big fan of Lieberman’s, but I do respect that he knew he had a decent shot and he took the opportunity.

And let’s be frank, Joe votes with the Dems over 90% of the time. He’s always been very loyal. He was their VP choice in 2000 after all.

In any event, I’d urge you to not judge the Liebe too harshly. He could just help the Dems keep an even keel in the years to come.

Can the Lieberman haters drop it? Talk about an unhealthy obsession. Unlike the countless other Democrats who voted for the war and then ran away from it the second the winds changed, Lieberman stuck by his convictions. How is he any more or less oportunistic than any other politician?

Also, should the Democrats be only the anti-war party, allowing no alternative views? Is that really how you hold onto all the moderate voters Dems just won?

Let’s remember, it was the left that made Lieberman such a big player. If they let him be, he’s just another senator. But they couldn’t leave him alone and now his front and center.

And the media… they are really getting behind Lieberman. Trying so hard to cover-up the backstabbing Lieberman did to the Democratic Party. Their approach, and Liebermans, is to black-mail the Democratic party into giving him his chairmanship (like they promised). And the blaming of Hillary Clinton and others for not backing him when he dumped her and the Democratic Party, I haven’t even seen a picture of Hillary in any paper since the election day. They are making her pay. And the press, reminding us that the Republicans will be courting Lieberman as well. Everyone needs Lieberman… Lieberman the conscious of the senate!
(This over used statement about Leiberman does have a Republican ring to it.)

If the Democrats lose in 2008 its because of Lieberman. If Lieberman forces Hillary Clinton and other Democrats running for president to accept him and his views, which are not accepted by most Democrats in this country, the Republicans will use this against us. They already have. Bush and Cheney have told the American people how they love Lieberman and look at the results. Republicans voted for Lieberman big time in Connecticut, it put him over the top.

The Democratic Party going forward must separate themselves from Lieberman. I don’t care if he’s your friend, there are bigger issues here. Plus, we don’t need him. Lieberman said he will vote with the Democrats lets leave it at that. To embrace Lieberman is to embrace the Bush war, which will show an inconsistency in our party. We must be consistent about Iraq. If the Democrats treat Lieberman as one of their own, the Republicans win in 2008.

This is how socialists took power in Chile in the 70’s, for example, and it resulted in disaster.

We can take care of that the same way — and it lead to partially privatize social security which works beautifully for the Chileans. Who says a you can’t have a good time with a Junta?

Moderates often can not get much traction in their party because they stray too far from the partisan donor base. What if there were an interest group that provided enough money that the moderates didn’t have to rely only on these highly partisan organizations?

I also like the voting reforms ME proposes. I would welcome the opportunity to chose between a conservative or a moderate Republican, or a liberal or Centrist Democrat. Or even a moderate Republican and moderate Democrat.

The american political system is not designed for this… any credible 3rd party candidate will split the vote with one of his opponents and result in the most diametrically opposed candidate getting elected with 39% of the vote. This is how socialists took power in Chile in the 70′s, for example, and it resulted in disaster.

If we had run-offs, or could pick our second choice on the ballot, then this might have a chance of effecting positive change. Without those voting mechanisms, however, “centrist” party candidates will do more harm then good.

I do agree tht they ought to work together a lot more to support each other against the extremes.

It might attract Chafee, DeWine, John Danforth, and even Colin Powell.

Also it appears that Mayor Michael Bloomberg is assembling a substantial organization to promote his own Centrist political future.