Loss for Centrists

Dallas Morning News | Editorials:

“It's still a shame to see a statesman like Mr. Lieberman brought low like this. The most admirable thing about the man is his willingness to buck his party to stand up for what he believes is right.”

Ed Cognoski responds:

Spoken like a Republican. Of course Senator Lieberman was brought low. He "bucked" his party. That the DMN editorial board expects Democratic voters to back a candidate that "bucks" their political wishes is wishful thinking... by Republicans.

The DMN is right that one can't assume what happened at the polls in Connecticut will play out exactly the same way nationwide in November. But the DMN is flat out wrong to ignore the significance of Connecticut. You can bet politicians of both parties all across the country are plotting much more careful positions on the Iraq War because of the lessons of Connecticut. The DMN alternative, whistling past the graveyard, is not good political strategy this election.

The DMN is also wrong to say that if Senator Lieberman wins election as an independent, the Democrats lose a vote in the Senate. The DMN has already praised Senator Lieberman for voting his conscience, not his party. So, the Democrats have no vote to lose there, especially on issues like the Iraq War, where Senator Lieberman already showed himself to be a reliable Republican vote. Senator Lieberman has made it clear he'll side with the Democrats for control of the Senate, so there'll be no advantage GOP if Senator Lieberman keeps his seat, even as an independent.

In the end, the DMN's praise of Senator Lieberman for "his ability to think for himself" really boils down to his taking positions that agree with the editorial board's own politics (including one particular editorial board member's own scorn for Hollywood).