New Haven Independent

Hometown Activists Push Again To Un-Democrat Lieberman

by Melissa Bailey | September 1, 2006 2:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Blocked at their first attempt, New Haven peace activists returned Friday to the local Registrar of Voters office to demand that local Democrats be allowed to strip U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman of his party affiliation, now that the senator is making a third-party run for reelection against the Democrats’ endorsed candidate, Ned Lamont.

“Maybe he should call himself a Republican instead of a Democrat,” said peace activist Henry Lowendorf of his hometown senator, who refers to himself as an “independent Democrat.” He’s running on a party line called “Connecticut for Lieberman.”

A group of 15 local activists, mostly Democrats affiliated with the Greater New Haven Peace Council, gathered outside the Hall of Records to protest a decision by Democratic Registrar of Voters Sharon Ferrucci not to use her authority to kick off a process that would enable the local Democratic Party to oust Lieberman from their ranks.

Activists first poured into Ferrucci’s office on Aug. 21 to present their case. Three days later, Ferrucci issued a statement saying on the “principles of inclusion and diversity of opinion” she would not allow Lieberman’s party affiliation to be challenged. (Click here and here to hear the arguments behind each side).

Activists, led by Henry Lowendorf (pictured above), marched up to Ferrucci’s office Friday to ask her to change her mind. “Your response completely sidestepped our petition,” read the letter his group presented. “The issue is not ‘inclusion,’ or ‘diversity’ or ‘debate.’ The issue is that Joe Lieberman is forcefully trying to defeat the candidate of the Democratic Party.”

The letter listed ways in which Lieberman is working against the interests of the Democratic Party: Lieberman’s helping Republicans maintain control of Congress by refusing to support Democratic congressional candidates and seeking to turn out Republican voters (with whom he’s popular), who would presumably support endangered Republican Congressional incumbents in three key state races. Lieberman’s backed by the Bush White House and national GOP, in their refusal to endorse their own Republican candidate, Alan Schlesinger (as well as efforts to organize Connecticut Republican war vets for Lieberman). And money raised for Lieberman from supportive Democratic leaders, such as Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez, Waterbury Mayor Michael J. Jarjura, and state House Speaker Jim Amman, is being sent to Lieberman’s third-party campaign instead of given to the Democratic Party.

Ferrucci wasn’t there to accept the letter. (Activists, hoping not to startle her, had advised Ferrucci of their visit beforehand.) A clerk put the letter on Ferrucci’s desk.

Asked to comment on the “anti-Democratic” charges against Lieberman, the campaign’s new press secretary, Tammy Sun, responded:

“Supporters of the Nedster may be focused on political gamesmanship and party politics, but Joe Lieberman is more concerned about what is best for the people of Connecticut. He believes they deserve better, which is why he’s running as an Independent Democrat on a message of unity and purpose.”

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Comments

Posted by: Scarce | September 1, 2006 5:03 PM

Paul,

What is an "Independent Democrat"? Lieberman is neither running under the banner Independent nor Democrat so his press secretary shouldn't be getting a free pass on these fabrications.

Posted by: TrueBlueCT | September 1, 2006 7:09 PM

I love the way Joe Lieberman and his team pretend to the high and mighty road, but then condescendingly refer to the Democratic nominee as the "Nedster".

And Tammy, I'm sorry, but no real Democrat would look to the CT and National GOP as a base of support. What Joe is doing is just pitiful. Joining the Republicans is not uniting the country.

Posted by: Donna | September 2, 2006 12:55 AM

What's with this "Nedster" and "Lamonster" crap from the Lieberman campaign? Don't they realize how 6th grade that kind of namecalling is?

This is coming from the campaign of a sitting US Sentator? Disgraceful.

Posted by: sublingual | September 2, 2006 7:40 PM

What a slap in the face to hear Lieberman's new press secretary use the discredited term "independent democrat" to describe the candidate. It is a term of convenience, deeply cynical, and one which, as we surely all remember, the state of Connecticut specifically prohibited Lieberman from using to describe himself on the fall ballot.

Lieberman may need some self-analysis. His attempts to fool the people are failing, and no amount of Tammy Sun's prevaricatin' descriptions are going to fool the voters into thinking that Lieberman is either independent or democratic, by anyone's definition.

Posted by: xargaw | September 3, 2006 1:37 AM

How can Joe run as an "Independent Democrat?" The Democratic Primary is over and he lost. There is only one Democratic candidate and it is Ned Lamont. The Election officials should make Lieberman call himself an Independent or whatever other title he picks out of thin air, but he not the Democratic Candidate in any shape or form. The Democratic Party, both State and Federal should be fighting this. This is totally bogus.

Posted by: Scoville Soule | September 3, 2006 12:54 PM

Somewhere in our Constitution it says something about freedom of speech, I believe. Maybe at the beginning of the ammendments? I guess this would allow Leberman to run as a dodo bird as long as he gets enough supportive signatures. Just because he can't run as a democrat due to losing the primaries doesn't mean he can't call himself one. I call myself a republican but I usually vote democratic, hoping that the current republican leadership is just a bad dream and we'll all wake up and laugh at ourselves.
Scoville

Posted by: Editor | September 3, 2006 7:36 PM

Scarce -- I agree. We generally try to put the formal name of Lieberman's party when identifying him ("Connecticut for Lieberman") and put "independent Democrat" in quotes to refer to how he's referring to himself, sometimes. Thanks for keeping us honest! -- Paul

Posted by: Conn.Lie.Party4Lieberman | September 4, 2006 12:18 PM

It's pretty clear he is trying to con people into thinking he really is independent but he isn't. he is backed by the RNC machine and no longer can legally use the word "democrat" it is disconcerting to see how the media and even the NHINDY gets spun so easily. Lieberman is a third (fourth or fifth) party candidate and I wish the media that has the obligation of ACCURATELY informing the public of what Joe is, not what he claims to be. If they refer to him as he claims to be they should point this out clearly with the legal disclaimer that he can no longer claim to be a democratic candidate.

Finally, yes nedster is juvenile and done on purpose however nothing tops Joementum bragging about a 3-way tie for third in the presidential primary in his home state where he only got 5% of the vote...Contrast this with Howard Dean who got 58% in vermont AFTER he dropped out.

Hometown Activists Push Again To Un-Democrat Lieberman

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