Lieberman-Lamont vs. Hackett-Brown: which was purge?

[yurbud]

As the backers of Lieberman in the Democratic Party leadership, the GOP, and the right wing media call Lamont's challenge an attempted ideological purge by extremists, I just remembered a similar "purge" when voters didn't even get to choose: Paul Hackett vs. Sherrod Brown.

When it was an underdog race, the party leaders in Washington were perfectly happy to have a sincere firebrand in the race like Hackett. When it looked winnable, they pressured Hackett to drop out to make room for someone party leaders were more comfortable with, Sherrod Brown.

I have nothing against Sherrod Brown, but it's interesting that the same people who shoehorned him in over Hackett aren't committing to backing Lamont if he wins the primary.

Hackett also provided an example a true hack like Lieberman should follow: though Hackett wasn't even defeated in an election for that senate seat and was initially mad about it, he has endorsed the Democratic candidate, Sherrod Brown for the general election.

By contrast, Joe Lieberman is threatening to become a spoiler as an independent.

What this looks like more and more is not a battle between progressive and moderate, but between a business owned candidate who sees and does what they tell him to and one who sees reality and does what regular people tell him to.


So who exactly are the "jihadis" here?

[saltpoint]

1. Hackett's own poll showed him getting clobbered by Sherrod Brown

in Ohio.

His verbal assault on John Murtha a few weeks later did not help much. Many believed he ought to have challenged Mean Jean Schmidt again, and many felt he would have beat her. I'm one of them.

Lamont pledged to support the voters' choice for his party's nomination. He pledged to trust CT Dems to make their own minds up and vote accordingly.

I think many of us are tough on Holy Joe because he wants 2 tickets to the raffle to Ned's one. That ain't fair. It's legal, but it ain't fair.

[yurbud]

3. it's not a perfect analogy, but it's fair to compare party performance

I think Hackett should have gone for the House seat again too.

He could sneak in there and dust up some shit.

[saltpoint]

4. I defer to OzarkDem and other Ohio DUers who'd have the inside

scoop, but I agree -- I think Hackett would have ground Jean Schmidt to garlic salt.

[liberalnurse]

6. Hackett is a noble team player.....

He is back in the saddle so to speak and out campaigning for Sherrod Brown, Stephanie Studebaker and Marian Harris!

Look here.....


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=172x18629

[saltpoint]

7. True. He's had a moment or two to re-think his position and he has

joined the team effort.

I'm glad for the news.

[WI_DEM]

2. bottom line is that it was Hackett who dropped out remember

Lamont didn't poll well early on either but he kept fighting. Hackett could have too.

[yurbud]

5. point is same "leaders" who stepped on his nuts when he was only one

in race are saying no one should challenge GOP Joe.

[WI_DEM]

8. sure, that whole washington crowd

but it was still Hackett's decision to withdrawl. He could have done the same as Lamont, who was also urged not to run, and stayed in the race and built his own grass-root organization.

[yurbud]

9. I wasn't as much applauding Hackett as pointing out hypocrisy

of Senate Dems