# So, is Lieberman really gonna do it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 10, 2006, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-lieberman-really-gonna-do-it/368111 "2006-08-10T03:37:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-lieberman-really-gonna-do-it/368111/41 "2006-08-10T20:15:01Z")
No, read the second and third paragraphs of the page you linked to: > [@](#): > > In possible general election matchups: > > ``` > * Lieberman defeats Republican challenger Alan Schlesinger 68 - 15 percent; > * Lamont beats Schlesinger 45 - 22 percent, with 24 percent undecided; > * **Running as an independent, Lieberman gets 51 percent, to 27 percent for Lamont and 9 percent for Schlesinger.** > > ``` ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-lieberman-really-gonna-do-it/368111/42 "2006-08-10T20:38:02Z")
[QUOTE=Dewey Finn] No, read the second and third paragraphs of the page you linked to: [/QUOTE] No what? I know what the July 20th poll said, but you expressed surprise that the Republican got 0 votes in the exit poll that \*\*rjung \*\*cited. But I don’t think that means much because there weren’t many Republcans at the polls on Tuesday. Those exit polls are basically how Democrats say they’ll vote, and the largest voting block in CT are independents. We need to wait until the next Quinnipiac poll comes out. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-lieberman-really-gonna-do-it/368111/43 "2006-08-10T21:02:57Z")
Sorry, you’re right. I knew that Alan Schlesinger was unpopular, but zero percent seemed odd. Anyhow, in my limited experience with him, he’s a schmuck. Anyhow, I’m amused by how much attention this primary got. Usually the only attention Connecticut gets is at the end of the national poll results, and only then lumped together with the other New England states. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-lieberman-really-gonna-do-it/368111/44 "2006-08-10T21:08:33Z")
[QUOTE=Dewey Finn] I knew that Alan Schlesinger was unpopular, but zero percent seemed odd. Anyhow, in my limited experience with him, he’s a schmuck. [/quote] I wonder if Rove is going to ask him to withdraw. Maybe he’ll suddenly discover certain “heath problems” that prevent him from running. > [@](#): > > Anyhow, I’m amused by how much attention this primary got. Usually the only attention Connecticut gets is at the end of the national poll results, and only then lumped together with the other New England states. Tell me about it-- I’m originally from R.I. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-lieberman-really-gonna-do-it/368111/45 "2006-08-10T21:39:40Z")
[QUOTE=RTFirefly] I think the honorable thing to do, if one isn’t standing for re-election shortly anyway, is to resign one’s seat, and run as a candidate in the subsequent special election. [/QUOTE] He must still be sore about the Jeffords thing. While I laughed my ass off when it happened, I agree it was bad form. Worse was Jeffords’ dealmaking with the Democrats on how he wold vote and committee chairmanships, and so on. I agree completely with your recommendations. When you run with a party, you use that’s party’s campaigning machinery and goodwill to your advantage. Going indy mid-stream is gaming the system, if you ask me. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-lieberman-really-gonna-do-it/368111/46 "2006-08-10T21:42:17Z")
[QUOTE=Loopydude] He must still be sore about the Jeffords thing. While I laughed my ass off when it happened, I agree it was bad form. Worse was Jeffords’ dealmaking with the Democrats on how he wold vote and committee chairmanships, and so on. I agree completely with your recommendations. When you run with a party, you use that’s party’s campaigning machinery and goodwill to your advantage. Going indy mid-stream is gaming the system, if you ask me. [/QUOTE] Meh. I don’t really mind that he’s doing it. I mean, I don’t want him to win, so if it helps him win, I’ll be sad, but i don’t really mind. Maybe if I didn’t consider two-party politics hopelessly corrupt, someone gaming the two-party system would bother me more. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-lieberman-really-gonna-do-it/368111/47 "2006-08-10T21:55:53Z")
[QUOTE=Loopydude] He must still be sore about the Jeffords thing. While I laughed my ass off when it happened, I agree it was bad form. Worse was Jeffords’ dealmaking with the Democrats on how he wold vote and committee chairmanships, and so on. I agree completely with your recommendations. When you run with a party, you use that’s party’s campaigning machinery and goodwill to your advantage. Going indy mid-stream is gaming the system, if you ask me. [/QUOTE] Yes and no. I see your point, but we don’t elect politicians for life, so the guy is going to have to face the same voters again shortly enough. I wouldn’t care if a guy I voted for switched parties as long as he maintain the principles he had that made me vote for him the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-lieberman-really-gonna-do-it/368111/48 "2006-08-10T22:01:14Z")
I think Jeffords is sick, actually, and won’t run again, but, that’s probably not entirely relevent to your point. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-lieberman-really-gonna-do-it/368111/49 "2006-08-10T22:21:48Z")
[QUOTE=rjung] From a [Tuesday CBS exit poll (PDF):](http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/CBSNews_polls/ctexitpoll.pdf) _q20 If Joe Lieberman runs as an Independent in November, and these are the candidates, will you vote for:_ Ned Lamont (DEM) 49 Joe Lieberman (IND) 36 Alan Schlesinger (REP) 0 Someone else 1 Not Sure 12 Won’t vote 1 [/QUOTE] The big question here is how many Republicans who would normally sit this one out, as Connecticut is a blue state, will go to the polls to vote for Lieberman. I’ll bet a lot will, and also vote for their Republican congressman as well. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-lieberman-really-gonna-do-it/368111/50 "2006-08-10T22:26:30Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] . . . and the largest voting block in CT are independents. [/QUOTE] Cite? (I assume you’re using the term “independents” in its broader sense, to include supporters of third parties as well as supporters of no party, but it still sounds surprising.) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-lieberman-really-gonna-do-it/368111/51 "2006-08-10T22:29:05Z")
[QUOTE=Loopydude] I think Jeffords is sick, actually, and won’t run again, but, that’s probably not entirely relevent to your point. [/QUOTE] No, he’s retiring, and [Congressman Bernie Sanders](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernie_Sanders) (another indie who caucuses with the Dems) is going for his Senate seat. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-lieberman-really-gonna-do-it/368111/52 "2006-08-10T22:32:17Z")
The other thing to keep in mind is that JL is basically going thru a grieving process right now. What’s the first stage of grief: denial. He probably can’t bring himself to believe that he actually lost. As that sinks in over the next few weeks, he might very welll back out-- especially if Clinton tells him to. Of course, Lamont will now have to define himself as more than just not-Lieberman, too. This game ain’t over yet. I suspect that if JL is still up in the polls a few weeks from now (and Clinton doesn’t tell him to bail), I would expect he’ll run. But he needs to get the word out that he does plan to run, otherwise it’ll be a self-fullfilling prophesy. He’ll drop in the polls simply because people don’t think he is running. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-lieberman-really-gonna-do-it/368111/53 "2006-08-10T22:43:05Z")
Ah, it’s Jefford’s wife who’s sick. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![KSO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@KSO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KSO)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-lieberman-really-gonna-do-it/368111/54 "2006-08-11T00:48:03Z")
[QUOTE=Bill Door] The big question here is how many Republicans who would normally sit this one out, as Connecticut is a blue state, will go to the polls to vote for Lieberman. I’ll bet a lot will, and also vote for their Republican congressman as well. [/QUOTE] We also have a gubernatorial election, with a very popular Republican as the incumbent, and three of the five reps are Republicans also. Since these are the only elections Connecticut Republicans have a chance at winning, I think most registered Republicans were already planning on voting in November. ---
**Author:** ![KSO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@KSO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KSO)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-lieberman-really-gonna-do-it/368111/55 "2006-08-11T14:33:33Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] Cite? (I assume you’re using the term “independents” in its broader sense, to include supporters of third parties as well as supporters of no party, but it still sounds surprising.) [/QUOTE] RTFirefly dug up a cite in one of the other Lieberman threads. WARNING–PDF file: [2005 voter registration stats for Connecticut](http://www.sots.ct.gov/ElectionsServices/lists/2005OctRegEnrollStats.pdf) As of October 25, 2005, the breakdown was as follows: Democratic 653,055 Republican 427,803 Unaffiliated 867,761 Other 4,029 ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-lieberman-really-gonna-do-it/368111/56 "2006-08-11T15:44:08Z")
I am sure he will begin it. But if the public rejects his overtures and the party isolates him, he will drop. Gotta remember these are men of huge ego and selfimportance. Listening to him ,he sounded like he felt Connecticut needs him. and secretly they know that. He still does’t accept what happened to him. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-lieberman-really-gonna-do-it/368111/57 "2006-08-11T16:29:48Z")
[QUOTE=KSO] RTFirefly dug up a cite in one of the other Lieberman threads. WARNING–PDF file: [2005 voter registration stats for Connecticut](http://www.sots.ct.gov/ElectionsServices/lists/2005OctRegEnrollStats.pdf) As of October 25, 2005, the breakdown was as follows: Democratic 653,055 Republican 427,803 Unaffiliated 867,761 Other 4,029 [/QUOTE] Interesting. How does that compare with independent registration in other states? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-lieberman-really-gonna-do-it/368111/58 "2006-08-11T17:11:05Z")
[Conn. Republicans May Deploy Credible Candidate:](http://thepoliticker.observer.com/2006/08/a-republican-headache-for-lieberman.html) > [@](#): > > Orchulli told us late yesterday that he’s already been approached by state Republicans about replacing the hapless Alan Schlesinger as the G.O.P. nominee in the Connecticut Senate Race – and that he’d “make himself available” to do it. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-lieberman-really-gonna-do-it/368111/59 "2006-08-11T19:07:44Z")
I assume that Schlesinger won the Republican primary. If so, how can he be replaced, but the Texas Republicans haven’t been able to replace Tom DeLay, who resigned from the Congress? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-lieberman-really-gonna-do-it/368111/60 "2006-08-12T11:21:01Z")
[QUOTE=Dewey Finn] I assume that Schlesinger won the Republican primary. If so, how can he be replaced, but the Texas Republicans haven’t been able to replace Tom DeLay, who resigned from the Congress? [/QUOTE] The election laws in the U.S. vary greatly from state to state. There’s no reason to assume Connecticut’s laws are the same as Texas’. For instance, many states have ‘sore loser’ laws that prevent a primary loser from being on the general election ballot. Connecticut obviously doesn’t have such a law, hence their own Sore Loserman can run again. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-lieberman-really-gonna-do-it/368111.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-lieberman-really-gonna-do-it/368111.md?page=4)