Bad Move Rising

by digby

This is unbelievable. Rahm Emmanuel had better be behind the scenes twisting arms so hard he’s given himself carpal tunnel system because his public stance is ridiculous:

Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., chairman of the party’s congressional campaign committee, thought Lieberman’s presence could help Democrats, because the senator “will be talking about raising the minimum wage, energy policy – echoing the Democratic candidates’ message.”

Uhm no. The Senator will be talking about how the Democrats are weak on security and that the party is on the brink of being taken over by uppity negroes and dirty hippies. He made his position quite clear:

“If we just pick up like Ned Lamont wants us to do, get out by a date certain, it will be taken as a tremendous victory by the same people who wanted to blow up these planes in this plot hatched in England. It will strengthen them and they will strike again.”

and

“I am committed to this campaign, to a different kind of politics, to bringing the Democratic Party back from Ned Lamont, Maxine Waters to the mainstream, and for doing something for the people of Connecticut. That’s what this is all about: which one of us, Lamont or me, can do more for the future of our people here in Connecticut. And on that basis, I’m going forward with confidence, purpose and some real optimism.”

The RNC couldn’t have written a better set of talking points. But they didn’t have to. Lieberman and his cronies have internalized all the anti-liberal propaganda of the last few years and have obviously come to believe it themselves (as have many others of the political class.) He has drawn the lines quite clearly.

Emmanuel’s statement really puzzles me which is why I posited that he must be twisting arms behind the scenes. I kind of get why Shumer might hedge his bets because if Lieberman pulls it out there will be a blow job contest of epic proportions to see with whom Lieberman will caucus. (I’m betting it’s the GOP. They always take their dates out for lobster and Dove bars before they take them home — just ask Margaret Carlson.)But Emmanuel stands to lose the whole enchilada if this message that Lieberman is really a Democrat persists.

Less than an hour after Lieberman announced he’d run as an independent, Rep. Rob Simmons, R-2nd District, rushed out a statement praising the senator; Reps. Christopher Shays, R-4th District and Nancy L. Johnson, R-5th District, later followed suit.

All three Republican districts are on every national insider’s list of the 15 to 20 shakiest House seats in the nation. Democrats need a net gain of 16 to win control of the House for the first time since 1992, and polls and pundits see the party as having a good chance.

Connecticut is one of the party’s key targets. Though each of the three Republican incumbents is considered moderate, and routinely opposes GOP leaders on social issues, they all have to defend consistent records of support for President Bush on Iraq and economic issues.

All seemed to be grabbing for Lieberman’s coattails.

Conveying Lieberman as even slightly acceptable is to say that the three endangered Republican congressional representatives’ mushy, useless centrism is acceptable too.

And in the big picture is devastating. Rove is obviously going to try to keep the focus on the Connecticut “Dems in disarray” theme and use poor old Joe as the poster boy for the good old days when Democrats were strong and manly. Every day that Joe stays in the race reinforcing GOP talking points is a good day for Republicans. (It’s an even better day for them when the Democratic establishment goes wobbly because of a little trash talk on national security.)

None of this is the fault of the Democrats of Connecticut who chose to replace Joe Lieberman. It’s the fault of the spoiler who refuses to take no for an answer and is going out of his way to help Karl Rove win in the fall. It is a bad tactic for any Democratic leader to now spit in the faces of Connecticut Democratic voters and imply that their decision doesn’t matter. It will help Republicans in Connecticut and beyond. Even worse, the message will demoralize Democrats nationwide just when they are feeling that they might actually be able to effect some change. If Democratic leaders want to suppress Dem turnout in the fall, going soft of Lieberman is the way to do it.

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