Kesher Talk

My 2 cents on Lieberman: Just my opinion, take it or leave it:

Lieberman should consider himself lucky that he has such a convenient excuse for why he can't win the Presidency. Of course he can say that he doesn't think the country is ready for a Jewish President and people will have to take him at his word.

In reality, though, he just doesn't have a chance to win the Democratic nomination, let alone a presidential election. If there was any lesson from the just concluded midterm election it is that Democrats need to clearly differentiate their candidates if they want a chance to beat a Republican that looks almost identical on the issues. Lieberman is about as conservative a Democrat as there is in the higher strata of the Democratic Party. That means he was an excellent choice in 2000 and a horrendous, miserable, guaranteed failure of a candidate for 2004. We saw it with the nomination of Nancy Pelosi. The Dems know that their only shot is to go hard left and hope that there are enough people dissatisfied with the current situation to go with the clear alternative. Putting a Repub-lite on the ballot cannot work and Lieberman knows it, ergo, the flip-flop. Apparently he decided that being known as wishy-washy on the issues is better than being known as conservative. I can't argue with his logic. He flip-flopped plenty in 2000 and came out no worse for wear. Why not try it again? But this time he flipped too far. By caving on Israel he appears both disingenous and self-effacing. If he can't be trusted on Israel, when can we trust him?

And so, when it will become increasingly apparent that his support base has dried up, he will sheepishly infer that his assessment of the voting public indicates a subtle intolerance for the idea of a Jewish President. And then he'll wait and run again when the climate is more suitable. A wonderfully effective political strategy.

As for my personal experience with Joe Lieberman, I met him on two occasions, one in a professional capacity the other casual (also at Kesher Israel). He was just as polite and engaging when I approached him after shul as he was when it was his job to be. He is the only high ranking politician I've talked to who actually asked questions
about me. The others engaged me in conversation, but only as far as it pertained to them. A true mentsch and a credit to his people.

posted by Rami @ 1/08/2003 11:02:24 PM