Ned Lamont has dinner with CT DFA... mum about running again.

[madfloridian]

I just bet he might, though. After all he really defeated Lieberman in the primary. Lieberman only won the race because he formed his own Lieberman party. Joe had to leave the Democratic Party to win. Just think about that.

Lamont tight-lipped on possible Senate bid

Asked whether he'll run for U.S. Senate again, Greenwich Democrat Ned Lamont told members of Democracy for America at the Silver Star Diner in Norwalk Wednesday night "when is a door not a door?"

"(But) I've really gotten involved in the whole (state) budget thing," Lamont said. "And the politics is, even if you leave the door open a little bit, all of a sudden everything you said is made (serious)."

Lamont, who shook up Connecticut politics by defeating incumbent Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman in the 2006 Democratic primary, spoke to more than 60 Democrats about President Barack Obama's first six weeks in office, the economic stimulus package and Hartford lawmakers' efforts to tackle the state deficit.

"It's really important ... that we're not afraid to talk about spending, that we're not afraid to talk about labor reforms and we're not afraid to talk about taxes," Lamont said. Democracy for America, the grassroots political organization launched by former Democratic president candidate Howard Dean, invited Lamont to the Connecticut Avenue diner.

"Everyone here worked on Ned's campaign," Kate Tepper, DFA chairwoman for Fairfield County, told The Hour. "We're hoping that he will run (again), but he hasn't said yea or nay."

It was such an odd situation. Ned beat Joe...he actually WAS the Democratic candidate for that senate seat. But a cadre of powerful Democrats made sure that Joe was elected even though he left the party to do it.

Bill Clinton is all over the airwaves there, or will be soon.

Lieberman is getting huge new staff, ramping up. Looks like it really does mean they fear losing Lieberman more than gaining a great new candidate like Lamont.

I think it is about the Iraq war after all. The Democrats appear to need to keep it going as much as the Republicans, and Lieberman will do that for them.

More:

The Clinton TV Ad Blitz to Come in Connecticut

"This is now a fight between whether Lieberman can lie and snooker enough reporters to reprint his lies, or whether Connecticut voters will have the opportunity to vote on Joe Lieberman's war. The whole Democratic machine from DC is helping Lieberman, including ex-President Clinton and lobbyists galore.

Lieberman's meltdown has stopped. This is going to be a dogfight from here on out"

And Lamont speaks out on the money we are spending abroad while depriving our own citizens of their needs.

"I think we're spending too much money abroad. I think we're wasting too much money in Iraq and I think we ought to be investing in jobs. I think we ought to be investing in education. I think we ought to make universal health care a right for every American in this country," says Ned Lamont, (D) For US Senate."

Interesting how it played out, very interesting. It was about Lieberman, it was not about the Connecticut voters it appears to me. It was about keeping the "nutroots" from making a difference. It was not just about money either, as Lamont has his own money...he just can't use it in the race much anymore. Now Lieberman can ask for double donations.

I alway thought that one reason Democrats wanted Joe to keep the seat was his declaration that did not want to investigate the Iraq War lead up and spin.

"I don't want to see us digging around anymore for who did what in 2003," said Lieberman, stating that continued partisan finger pointing is damaging the public support that is needed to complete the efforts in Iraq and finally bring US troops home.

Glad to see Lamont still meets with the CT group.

[ORDagnabbit]

1. considering it was stolen from him the first time why would it be any different a second time?

[bbgrunt]

2. this is really sad. We are having our own war in the

Democratic party between the real democrats and DLC republicrats.

[madfloridian]

3. Yes, Lamont won the primary fair and square.

Lieberman should have exited the race instead of forming his own party and pretending he was sorry about the Iraq War. And the many centrist Democrats who supported him should have been 100% behind Lamont.