Captain Chutzpah and his Cunt-head Crony

You know, I sort of got swept up by the "netroots" campaign against Joe Lieberman, a candidate for whom I had never before had anything but modest respect. Yet the more I read, the more determined I become that he does not retain his Senate seat…and the more outraged I am that our party actually nominated him as our vice presidential candidate.

Drawing strength from a new poll that gave Lieberman a 53-41-4% edge in a three-way race with Democrat Ned Lamont and Republican Alan Schlesinger, the incumbent tried to play on the racism of prospective voters:

The Lieberman campaign is trying to frighten white voters in Connecticut -- and Democrats in Washington -- by reminding them over and over again that Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson support Lamont. This week, the senator's aides told the New York Times that playing the two African-American preachers off against Lamont will enhance Lieberman's appeal on an independent ballot line. "Primary night was the first time that many Connecticut voters saw Lamont on TV, and he's surrounding himself with two of the more divisive and problematic figures in the Democratic Party," said Dan Gerstein, the Lieberman campaign's communications director.

It is true that Sharpton and Jackson are notorious publicity whores, have stuck their feet in their respective mouths countless times, and have suddenly made themselves BFF with Lamont. Yet Lieberman's audacity in calling out Lamont reeks of hypocrisy when you look at some of the polarizing figures with whom he's jumped in the sack.

Few prominent national figures have a lower approval rating than Lieberman's crush, The Interloper…except perhaps Louis Farrakhan. That's right, the Senator has gone on record saying positive things about the racist leader of the Nation of Islam – a man whose anti-Semitism makes Jackson and Sharpton look only a bit meshugina.

…while campaigning as Al Gore's running mate, [Lieberman] fulsomely praised Farrakhan on a national radio program. During an interview with April Ryan of American Urban Radio Networks on Sept. 26, 2000, Lieberman…[was] asked about Farrakan's caustic response to his nomination on the Democratic ticket, which included questioning his "dual loyalty" to Israel and the United States, Lieberman responded with a meek appeal for mutual understanding.

"Look, Minister Farrakhan has said a few things, including earlier in the campaign, that were just not informed… But, you know, I have respect for him and I have respect for the Muslim community generally." … Moreover, Lieberman added, "I have respect for him ... I admire what Minister Farrakhan is doing."

Maybe I'm naïve, but I think "admiring" someone who called Jews "bloodsuckers" seems a lot worse than cozying up to someone who called New York "Hymie Town". But really, despite Lieberman's recent criticism, are Sharpton and Jackson all that terrible? Let's ask…Joe Lieberman:

Not so long ago, he liked to talk about his warm conversation with Jackson on the day that he became a major party's first Jewish vice presidential nominee, his eyes moist and his voice emotional as he recalled Jackson saying "something that went to my heart" about breaking down barriers for everyone. Not so long ago, he called Sharpton his "dear friend" and "brother" during the Democratic presidential primary debate sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus and Fox News.

The self-serving asscunt can't keep his story straight and is willing to sacrifice his party and his religion to advance a flailing political career. Not only does Joe Lieberman represent a lot of what's wrong with the American political system, he represents a lot of what's wrong with humanity. Oy!