OR DNC Reps See Lieberman Resolution Shelved

Posted from a DKos diary on the NYT's rather obvious labelling of Holy Joe Lieberman as the de facto Republican candidate in CT:

[Proposed] RESOLUTION CALLING ON SENATOR JOE LIEBERMAN TO WITHDRAW FROM U.S. SENATE RACE AND SUPPORT DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE NED LAMONT

WHEREAS: The Democrats of the State of Connecticut have voiced their choice through their vote by nominating Ned Lamont as their nominee for United States Senate; and

WHEREAS: The Democratic Party nominee, Ned Lamont, represents, among other things, the more than 60 percent of Americans (according to recent CNN and Gallup national polls) who are opposed to the war in Iraq, and the Democratic Party which has long stood steadfastly for a strong defense abroad and a secure homeland in both words and deeds; and

WHEREAS: Democrats must be united behind our nominee

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the DNC urges our friend, Senator Joe Lieberman, to withdraw from the U.S. Senate race in Connecticut and to do as all other unsuccessful Democratic Primary candidates have done before him, which is to support the Democratic nominee; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That a copy of this resolution shall be sent immediately to U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman for his thoughtful consideration.

Submitted by Senator Art Torres (Ret.), Chairman of the California Democratic Party; Rep. Maxine Waters; Garry Shay, Member of the DNC Rules Committee; Chris Stampolis, DNC Member from California; Wayne Kinney, DNC Member from Oregon; Jenny Greenleaf, DNC Member from Oregon. [emph LO]

Kick ass. It's great to see the Oregon reps to the national committee step up and take a leading role in a formal effort to convince Lieberman to quit the race. Unfortunately, Jenny sent me an email from Chicago with some bad news:

As I understand it, it got stopped at the committee level because it wasn't submitted in time for the normal process. It didn't come up in executive committee. It most probably won't come up in the general meeting today, either. The general sessions are fairly well choreographed. We generally get presented with a packet of resolutions and vote it up or down. As far as I can tell, most of the decisions actually get made elsewhere.

The DNC, like many organizations, such as Congress, is designed so things have to happen rather slowly.

I think the PR case has been made though. And I know Gov. Dean has asked him to drop out.

Ah well. Jenny has more from the DNC meeting at DKos, here. She also wanted me to point you in the direction of 100Actions, a new DNC site that gives you something useful to do for each of the 100 days before the election (today we're on 81, Greet New Neighbors).

While most people greatly respected Mary Botkin's long record of service to the national party, the election of Greenleaf late last year was seen as a shot in the arm and a needed change of the guard to more closely model the national party's shift. Eight months later the party is trying to cash in on a huge opportunity to regrasp political power, and the switch in organizing strategy seems to be the absolutely correct move.

A sizeable part of the strategy is getting rid of the defeatist, accomodationist mentality that it's OK to be the supercilious loser and political throw pillow that Lieberman is, and regaining pride in Democratic principles by not shrinking from them when attacked. It should be OK for Democrats to say that the caucus should stick together and work for each other, because the country is better off when Democrats run it. It's true, so why not believe it and say it, and repudiate those who can't support those goals?

Make no mistake, Lieberman's run to the right threatens to energize Republicans to the polls and protect vulnerable GOP House incumbents from strong Democratic challenges. How can you say you're a Democrat, and then work to bring voters to the polls to defeat other, good Democrats? The far left didn't leave Joe; Joe left them. And they (we) have a right to be pissed and seek redress for those grievances. They're called primaries, and they're called resolutions. Even though the Lieberman resolution won't be addressed at the meeting, as Jenny notes the point has probably been made anyway. Now go out and meet some neighbors!

Update, 645pm--
see the comments for a clarification by Oregon's other rep and another co-sponsor of the resolution, Wayne Kinney. The CT delegation thought it might be counterproductive to the job on the ground in the Nutmeg State, trying to build a united front. So it wasn't taken down by sloth, it was voluntarily withdrawn.