Lieberman...

Lieberman Works To Set Himself Apart
Two New Ads, A New Hampshire Push, And Speech Are Planned

11:26 AM EST,January 6, 2004
By DAVID LIGHTMAN, The Hartford Courant

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Sen. Joe Lieberman's campaign today said it would intensify its effort in New Hampshire with two new ads and a "major speech" Wednesday outlining the senator's differences with President Bush and Howard Dean.

Lieberman, who was heading for Iowa and a radio debate with his rivals that begins at 2 P.M. EST, plans to illustrate in the speech how Dean and Bush represent the extremes of American politics -- Dean on the left, Bush on the right.

Lieberman, said deputy campaign director Brian Hardwick, "is in a unique position between the extremes."

It's a theme he has been using in debates, in ads and previous speeches. Today, he unveiled two new ads that will run in New Hampshire, both pegged to the idea that Lieberman is a problem-solver unbound by rigid ideology.

One 30 second spot calls him "the only one who's proposed a new cut in rates for the middle class, not tax increases.

Dean wants to repeal all of President Bush's tax cuts, and use the savings to reform health care, college tuition relief and other programs that burden middle and lower class taxpayers.

Lieberman also insists in the ad he's "the only one who's consistently taken a clear stand against terrorism and tyranny."

The key pieces of evidence are two congressional votes, one in 1991 on the Gulf War, the other 11 years later on the Iraq war. Only Lieberman, his staff says, voted for both.

That's true, but only two of his rivals, Missouri Rep. Dick Gephardt and Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, were in Congress both years. North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, who voted for the Iraq war, was not elected until 1998. Neither retired Gen. Wesley Clark nor Dean ever served in Congress, and Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich, elected to the House in 1996, opposed the Iraq war.

Lieberman's other ad, which will play only on radio, cites a reported Bush comment from last month to the prime minister of Australia.

"Hey," the announcer asks, "want to know a secret? Shh. It's from a private closed door meeting between George W. Bush and the Prime Minister of Australia.

"Newspapers report that George Bush told the Prime Minister who he thinks would be the toughest Democrat for him to run against. What do you think he said? Howard Dean? No way. George Bush said that Joe Lieberman would be the toughest to beat. That's right. Lieberman's the one that Bush says he worries about the most."

Lieberman staffers said they believed the report to be true because, among other things, it has not been denied. The White House today did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

But, said Lieberman consultant Mandy Grunwald, "It did happen in private. That's the thing that makes it so credibleÂ….those of us who live in Washington hear it from the White House all the time."

Note: I've posted the entire article from the Hartford Courant, sparing you the onerous registration process.(I felt I sold my soul to read this article)

Lieberman will say anything to keep his chances alive. You want to know about Liberman, don't buy the rhetoric. Lieberman's Voting Record is the clearest indicator of his true stances on positions.

Lieberman is no centrist. Although he is trying to paint himself as one.

From my perspective, Dean does not represent the extreme left. That position isn't one taken by any of the major candidates. Dennis Kucininch is furthest left by a wide margin.

Lieberman is, as noted by his voting record, much closer to Bush than he would like us to believe. Howard Dean is not so 'left' as Lieberman portrays him. Being a New Hampshirite, I have talked to all of the major candidates -- save for GWB :) and I questioned Lieberman on his sudden centrist moves. He asked me what I was talking about. I replied, "come on, Senator. You have a voting record that would peg you as neo-conservative." He smiled, and told me that I was mistaken. I told him that I would meet him again with a copy of his voting recoed and discuss the matter further, but he told me that, "I was not a member of the press."

I am a citizen, and unlike the fawning lapdogs masquerading as our press corps, I have no issue with the truth, wherever it may lead. Furthermore, I don't make shit up to suit my desires.

It is now unlikely that I'll se Lieberman before the NH primary, but if I do, I'll have an updated copy of his voting record with me.

More Lieberman: He highlights his 'Uniqueness'