Somebody 'splain this to me about Lieberman:

[Ron Green]

How did he end up on the Democratic ticket in 2000? Did Gore really pick him, or was it a back-room deal? As pointed out in another thread, he's a straight-up Neocon and would have been a real detriment to Gore's administration. So please, one of you true and wise historians of that lame campaign: Why was Joe on the ticket???

[SteppingRazor]

1. Gore's people thought he was seen as a liberal...

so Lieberman balanced the ticket.

For the record, outside of the Iraq War, I think it's pretty tough to call Lieberman a conservative. His views on abortion and civil rights are about as liberal as you can get, for example.

[Warpy]

8. Very true. He's a social libertarian

while he remains in the pocket of the insurance industry, pro corporate and anti worker, on economic issues. He's also dead wrong about Bush's war.

Still, because of his stand on social issues, he's way ahead of the most "moderate" Repuglican. He's not a bad guy to represent the yuppies of western Connecticut, like Hillary Clinton is fine for the NYC yuppies. He just has no place in national office.

[SteppingRazor]

9. Exactly. I think he's fine as a representative of CT..

but I don't think he should be representing America.

[Trish1168]

11. He's not good for anybody

You want a hawkish pro-free trade neocon?

[SteppingRazor]

12. I want a Democrat.

We're too close to a majority to lose even one seat in the senate. I'd vote for freaking Zell Miller over a moderate Republican. Getting control of the Senate -- and thus stopping the Bush agenda by setting the senate's agenda -- is much more important than whether or not we have a DINO or three along for the ride.

[Trish1168]

14. LIEberman and Miller are NOT democrats and will promote a GOP agenda

This much is clear.

I am not suggesting losing the seat to a repub, but I'd take a moderate republican (like the two senators from Maine) over a LIEberman any day.

[SteppingRazor]

15. Absolutely disagree there...

Lieberman and Miller might promote a more-conservative agenda, but they're not running the show in the Senate. Reid is. I don't give a damn what they think. As long as they have a big "D" after their name, and they're not in a position to steer the party in the wrong direction, I'll take them over a Snowe or a Chafee any day.

Lieberman is a conservative whose presence might allow for a more-progressive majority. Snowe is a moderate whose presence allows a group of murdering thugs to run the country. The difference is huge. You can't think of individual personalities here. You have to think about which party you want running things. Snowe means more war, more pro-corporate whoring, more zealot fundies. Voting for a Democrat, even one like Lieberman, means voting for the opposite of that. It means voting for the Democratic platform, even if that particular Democrat doesn't agree with every plank.

At this point, given the state of the leadership of the Republican Party, I wouldn't mark an "X" next to a GOP candidate -- any GOP candidate -- even if Ken Mehlman was in the voting booth with me with a gun pointed at my head.

Fuck them.

[Atman]

2. He's so deeply in bed with the GOP regime, he was certainly their pick

...not ours.

Lieberman is the best Republican in Washington. The Neocons know it, and reward him for it.

[LisaM]

3. He balanced the ticket, being Jewish and from New England

whether or not you like him (and I think he started acting more conservative later on than he did prior to 2000) at least Gore had the guts to put a non-Christian on the ticket, a first.

[Ron Green]

4. I'm still hearing both sides.

In my ignorance of Al Gore's many qualities, I voted for Ralph Nader, agreeing that the whole system was corrupted by corporate money and in need of a strong third party. But all I remember of Lieberman is that he was touted as a strong "man of faith," I suppose to repair some blow-job damage.

I still wonder how much choice Gore really had in the matter.

[peacetalksforall]

5. I was thrilled that we finally had a candidate of the Jewish faith, but

he now repels me... look at his votes... always with Landrieau and the Nelsons. Actually, he is right behind Z. Miller in his support for the right, except Joe out of contnral crazy in his speeches.

[DaveinMD]

6. he was on the ticket

because he spoke out against Clinton's infidelity and Gore was tryng to distance himself from Clinton.

[Loonman]

7. I was fine with him until he went off on Marilyn Manson

I was thinking,"what the hell is wrong with this guy?".

[RufusEarl]

10. Somebody 'splain this to me about Lieberman:

Simple, he's a politician.

[walldude]

13. Good Point.. and

Welcome to DU. Lieberman is an ass. Period. Another blame Hollywood, Rock & Roll and Video Games for all society's ills. Look up Dino in the dictionary, right below Zell Miller you'll see Lieberman.