I can still here Chris Matthews leading the show Hardball with the line "It's Hawk v. Dove!!". This referring to the most recent Senate primary in Connecticut featuring Ned Lamont's upset victory over Joe Lieberman. People have asked me about my reactions and I thought about leaving it on this blog. Those who know me understand that I do support Lieberman in this campaign. Although I really disagree with the way he has described his position in Iraq in a Wall Street Journal column a couple of months ago. (another post someday in the near future)
First of all, Lieberman running as an independent for Senate speaks to a large number of people who vote for both parties. This also might mean we have two parties but in reality we have three. I really liked how David Brooks described these parties. Brooks stated "there is the Democratic Party, the Republican Party and the McCain-Lieberman Party". This party rejects those whose emotional attachment to their party is so all-consuming it becomes a form of tribalism, and who believe the only way to get American voters to respond is through aggression and stridency.
He would later state the McCain-Lieberman party "counters with constant reminders that country comes before party, that in politics a little passion energizes but unmarshaled passion corrupts, and that more people want to vote for civility than for venom".
What I really do not like about the Lamont results is they are trying to make people focus on Iraq as some sort of political right wing response to September 11th. Democrats like Lamont can pound home to the people on the decision to go to war in Iraq but they still do not confront the reality of the situation. That reality is that we along with other nations are in global battle against Islamic fanaticism. Democrats must spell out in a clear manner what they would do to deal with this situation instead of being labeled as a bunch of "cut and run" democrats who offer no alternative.
I can not rip on Ned Lamont because he deserves praise for running against an 18 year incumbent like Joe Lieberman. We have too many seats that are not challenged and that is a huge issue because it speaks to our lack of political involvement. Almost 70% in a recent poll do not like the job Congress is doing yet we let members of Congress off the hook with no challenge. People wonder why Congress is beholden to special interest groups?? Who is going to challenge these members??
Ned Lamont won the primary battle but Lieberman will win the election unless they offer an alternative strategy to dealing with Islamic fanaticism. In America, would you rather run as a hawk or dove in the middle of a war during the election season?
