Netroots Score Signal Victory in Leiberman Petition Drive

The netroots won this fight and those on Capitol Hill who want to support Joe should be very wary of doing so. Lamont will win this primary fair and square and Joe shows his contempt for real democracy by announcing his petition drive. Every Democrat should be shouting at the top of their lungs encouraging Joe to not do this. It's not in the best interest of the country or his party, that he seems to be leaving.

Here's what Joe said about his pre-emptive petition move: "I have loyalties that are greater than those to my party."

Loser.

Previous posts after the jump.

Scuttlebut round the net is Joe Lieberman might announce his 'independent candidacy' in Connnecticut on the steps of the Capitol in Hartford. If you are close to that area, please go and take photos. We'd be grateful. More as it develops.

An AP story will soon hit the wires announcing that Joe Lieberman will indeed seek re-election as an independent. Scratch that, here is what FDL has on it:

UPDATE: Jane just phoned with the scoop. Here’s the deal: Lieberman is running as a Dem in the primary. But he’s having staffers put out petitions in case he loses the primary so he can run as a sore loser "petitioning Democrat."

A sore loser indeed.

"Lieberman To Start Petition Drive," says Hartford Courant.

From the Courant:

Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman is to announce today he will petition for a place on the November ballot as an "independent Democrat," giving him a chance to stay alive politically should he lose an Aug. 8 primary for the Democratic nomination.

The Democratic party cannot support Leiberman in this action. To do otherwise is to betray democracy. Full stop.

Update: MyDD blogging Joe's move.

So is Kos.

And the Lamont blog too.

And Matt senses a new narrative for the media to parrot.

In reply to Greg: Yes, it is a betrayal to democracy. He can't win in a fair fight, the primary election, you know, elections are democratic, so he changes the rules in the middle of the fight to preserve his own power. That, Greg, is a betrayal of the spirit of democracy.

Second Reply To Greg: Ok, so your favorite candidate for Govenor Chris Bell won the primary but then this guy named, oh, Bob Gammage (who lost the primary to your guy) then decides to run for governor as an independent that's totally cool, right? The biggest pool of voters and all.

Never mind that the customary way of doing things is to honor and respect the will of the voters in the primary, or to make the choice before you file for the primary to run as an independent. The primary winner is the choice of the party.

Why is it so hard to just be a graceful loser? If you lose, you lose. It is clear: if Joe loses the primary he doesn't represent the party. It's one of the bedrock customs of the country (and party) and you want to go and change it because you don't like the results? Actuallly, Greg, there is another word for that, and I will concede I was wrong in calling it a betrayal. It's called cheating.