‘Dems for Joe’ Unveiled
Ex-Members, Clinton Vets Back Lieberman
By Nicole Duran
Roll Call Staff
Democratic Congressional leaders may be keeping their distance from Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) since he opted to seek re-election as an Independent, but a group of more than 50 former Senators, House Members and Clinton administration officials will proudly announce the creation of “Dems for Joe” today.
A common thread among the geographically and ideologically diverse group is a sense that Lieberman was unfairly being portrayed as a “bad” Democrat. “It just seemed to me, and apparently a lot of the folks who also know Joe, that here is a really good Democrat with a great Democratic voting record and background,” said former Rep. Norman D’Amours (N.H.), who helped get the group off the ground.
Other founding members include former Sens. David Boren (Okla.), Bob Kerrey (Neb.), John Breaux (La.) and Dennis DeConcini (Ariz.); former Reps. Mel Levine (Calif.) and Leon Panetta (Calif.), who served as chief of staff to President Bill Clinton; former Clinton Agriculture Secretary and former Rep. Mike Espy (Miss.); and former Clinton CIA Director James Woolsey. They join a much smaller group of incumbent Democratic Senators who have endorsed Lieberman in the general election. Sens. Tom Carper (Del.), Ken Salazar (Colo), Mark Pryor (Ark.), Mary Landrieu (La.) and Ben Nelson (Neb.) all have decided to stick by Lieberman.
The group is not taking any issue positions, and its support does not translate into an endorsement of Lieberman’s stance on the Iraq War or any other specific issue, organizers and the Lieberman camp stressed.Say What!? You are what you do. Issues don't matter? We're just supporting you Joe because of your uh, well, you know, whatever.
“I will do anything he wants me to do,” Breaux said. “He’s a decent, honest, hardworking, pragmatic politician who is less interested in following any particular ideology than he is in getting things done.”Anything!? Do you really mean that? What if...? This could go anywhere but you did say "anything" if I read you right.
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