August 10, 2006
McGavick endorses Lieberman

Mike McGavick has endorsed Sen. Joe Lieberman, now running for re-election as an independent candidate.

It is probably unusual for a Republican Senate candidate to back someone other than his fellow Republican in another Senate race. But in this case, I heartily agree with McGavick. The Republican in this particular contest is not a serious factor in the race. Lieberman is now an independent candidate running as the moderate centrist against the far-left nutroots Democrat Ned Lamont (now endorsed by Maria Cantwell)

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at August 10, 2006 11:54 AM | Email This
Comments
1. Why does a candidate in Washington have to endorse anyone? He should concentrate on his own race.

I bet Tim over at the McGavick camp is fit to be tied. His number one rule is Republicans are number 1. And the number two rule is Republicans are number 1. Then you can be a conservative. But, you never forget one and two. Or something like that.

Posted by: swatter on August 10, 2006 11:52 AM
2. Sorry, but McGavick is on target with this one.

Lieberman's fellow democrats sold him out in a heartbeat. Since Lieberman will be re-elected, why shouldn't McGavick endorse him... and help turn him into another version of Zell Miller, particularly since it spotlight's Cantwell's idiotic endorsement of Lamont?

I'm pretty sure Tim's doing fine. Party politics should never mean blind loyalty.

In this instance, Mike did good.

Posted by: Hinton on August 10, 2006 12:00 PM
3. I don't get McGavick's endorsement of Lieberman at all. Other than his support for the war Lieberman is pretty far to the left. Why on earth wouldn't McGavick support the Republican candidate? Man, what a terrible political stumble.

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on August 10, 2006 12:06 PM
4. I don't think McGavik's endorsement of Joe will matter a wit in Lieberman's run as an independant. It will get Washington independants another reason to support McGavik as a Senator that is building bridges to others accross the ile when Joe again takes his Senate seat in the next Congress. A Republican, at least the current Republican Senate candidate, doesn't have a prayer of a chance. Cantwell's endorsement of Lamont means nothing. It's what Democrats expect.

Posted by: Gary B on August 10, 2006 12:10 PM
5. How quickly this group forgets their own rules!

Swatter has it right. And I believe, Stefan had a post that defined not supporting the Republican in the race (regardless of ideology), is the definition of a RINO. Not my definition, to be sure, but Stefan's and those who agreed with him.

I have no idea what the Republican is like in this race, but it is beside the point. And I too, am quite certain that Timmy is scratching his head on this one. If he isn't than he has lots of explaining to do.

Posted by: Michelle on August 10, 2006 12:15 PM
6. I understand that the republican in this race has some "issues", and won't be a factor in this race.

Prediction: Lamont will go down in flames this November.
Enjoy your 15 minutes of fame, Ned.

Posted by: Michele on August 10, 2006 12:18 PM
7. If I were in Connecticut, I'd vote Lieberman. There's an obvious pragmatism to voting. If the Republican is not well known and has little chance, then the choice is between moderate left and extreme left. It's a no brainer that Liberman is better for Conncticut than Lamont. And remember here that Connecticut is very Blue.

It's great to see McGavick continue with his principled campaign.

Posted by: Jeff B. on August 10, 2006 12:19 PM
8.
GOP = Big Tent, good strategy.

Dem = Eat our own, will send world a post card someday from out in the wilderness.

Posted by: Andy on August 10, 2006 12:22 PM
9. Gary B., at least he doesn't have a chance now.

Posted by: swatter on August 10, 2006 12:54 PM
10. You're right Lamont is a liberal wacko! How dare he suggest investing in America at home as opposed to the Iraqis.

These liberal pie in the sky lunatics have got to go!

Thanks Joe Lieberman!

Posted by: Henri Kissinger on August 10, 2006 01:10 PM
11. I disagree with those responders who indicate that Cantwell's endorsement of Lamont is inconsequental. The Lamont endorsement contradicts her efforts to show that she supports the war against terrorism. Cantwell is attempting to triangulate, but if she suuports Lamont she is just another cut and runner. No Democrat is trust worthy until those with integrity and courage demonstrate their patriotism by splitting their party to marginalize the anti-war elements.

Posted by: Paddy on August 10, 2006 01:17 PM
12. I'm sure all those Connecticut independents and Republicans put a lot of weight in the advice of a retired, overly compensated insurance executive on the other side the country.

Posted by: Bruce on August 10, 2006 03:43 PM
13. RE: #12 (bruce) Mebbe so, Bruce- but then-how important is Martin Sheen, Susan Sarandon, Barbra and Whoopi Goldberg in your sad, little life?

Posted by: John425 on August 10, 2006 04:21 PM
14. I agree with Paddy (#11). As annoyed as I am with McGavick's endorsement of Lieberman I think Cantwell's endorsement of Lamont is much more significant. Now she's put herself squarely in the anti-war camp. I'd say she's in a heap of trouble.

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on August 10, 2006 04:50 PM
15. With Cantwell endorsing Lamont, McGavick can tie her to Lamont. that would be a good strategy and portray McGavick as a non-extremist Republican. This, with a Green Party candidate, is not helpful for Cantwell.

Posted by: Don on August 10, 2006 05:13 PM
16. "I heartily agree with McGavick."
Well of course you do, he is a fellow RINO traveller of yours. I can't recall any instance that in which you disagreed with him.

Seems like as a "Republican" Mr McGavick's best course of action would to be just shut the hell up rather than endorse and contribute financially to a left wing Dem. While there is no doubt that Lieberman is very much preferable to Lamont, make no mistake, he is no Zell Miller, he is a far left liberal who votes with the party 90%+ of the time.

This may give some independents a new reason to vote for Mr McGavick but it gives many of us yet another reason to not bother voting for him.

I see as usual RINO Eric either fails to, or more likely just chooses not to notice the real issue, that being what business does McGavick have insinuating himself into a Connecticut Senate race?

Is he (McGavick) going to provide the residents of every State the benefit of his superior knowledge and opinion as to whom they should elect? I can hardly wait, bet Lincoln Chaffee will be the only Republican on his list. Seems like he would do better to concentrate on his home state, hopeless as that might be.

Posted by: RINO Hunter on August 10, 2006 08:07 PM
17. Oh, come on guys! McGavick got an endorsement from someone in that neck of the woods--Christy Todd Whitman and her "It's My Party Too" PAC http://www.mypartytoo.com/about_us/candidates/--He's got to keep up the good karma, you know!

Posted by: Michelle on August 10, 2006 10:51 PM
18. Okay, let's just review. ¡Mike! Has told us, and has now vividly illustrated, in ways that will doubtlessly proliferate, that he is non-partisan. That's just practical. He has no inconvenient loyalty to Republican Candidates. And he won't be looking to the Republican Platform when he votes; he even put that in a TV ad. He's just showing independence.
Now it's true there may be a few drawbacks to his candidacy. He has formed an overt alliance with the strongest rank-breaker in the Senate, John McCain, the Republican most responsible for the Democrat filibuster of Bush appointments and has endorsed, not only the McCain/Kennedy illegal alien amnesty bill, but the McCain/Feingold assault on the 1st Amendment that unleashed MoveOn.org and leaves the MSM untouched, but handcuffs the candidates themselves. And he has told us he would be confirming a Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the Supreme Court and that Government should be solving our problems. Yes, he is both against abortion and will defend a woman's right to choose to kill her children. But wait! Not without some regulations. He may be okay with medical experimentation on the unborn, but he opposes cloning. He may oppose any Federal protection of Marriage from activist judges, but he believes it is between a man and a woman, don't you know. So don't jump to conclusions.

The reason we need to vote for this guy, even if we disagree with him 80-95% of the time, is because it's better to have a Republican in Office. It certainly was with Slade Gorton and Dan Evans, even though they, collectively, established a voting record to the left of the center of the Democrat Party. Come on, at least they weren't Democrats!
McGavick may not have a legislative record of any kind, but he expressed greater admiration for Slade, for whom he served as chief of staff, than any other Washington politician and that helps us know what he'd be like. So we can look for that kind of leadership... that showed principled independence in refusing to confirm Reagan appointees, but graciously approved Clinton appointees, that held out an olive branch to Daniel Ortega by casting the deciding vote against the Freedom Fighters in Nicaragua, that wisely voted to acquit Clinton but reject Robert Bork, that voted against every dangerous measure protecting religious freedom that came before him. That set a "new tone" of cooperation by protecting Jamie Gorelick and her comrades for their culpability in 9/11.

Remember, it's better to have a Republican in office. Because a Republican in office will be able to build, politically, around himself. He will be able to fill the Party with McGavick look-alikes and loyalists. He'll be choosing our State Chairman and RNC representatives. Being loyal to McGavick will be an inside track to paid political jobs, right Timothy? Being friends with McGavick will be an inside track to County Chairmanships and State Committee positions. Think of the future! An entire Party of non-partisans! ...And the elephant shall lie down with the ass. (Isaiah, I think.)

Posted by: Doug Parris on August 11, 2006 01:56 AM
19. ***


***Brilliant strategy by Mike!

***This will appeal to many moderate democrats and also our Jewish friends who are understandably concerned with security.

***It also sends a clear 'I can be bi-partison' message from Mike!

***I predict that Lieberman and McGavick will have a good working relationship for many years to come.


***

Posted by: Brent in Ferndale on August 11, 2006 07:38 AM
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