Title: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: Robespierre's Jaw on June 24, 2007, 04:22:17 PM I was wondering receintly, why did Al Gore select Joe Liberman of Connecticut to be his running mate? What did Liberman bring to the ticket? Was there any other conservative Democrats Al Gore could have chosen?
Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: J. J. on June 24, 2007, 06:09:06 PM The very real possibility of taking Florida.
Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: Lincoln Republican on June 24, 2007, 06:16:36 PM Simply put, Al Gore picked Joe Lieberman for VP in 2000 because Lieberman was the most significant Democrat to speak out against the deplorable behavior of the President, Bill Clinton, and believed the choice of Lieberman would distance himself as far as possible from the reprobate President.
Not a conservative Democrat, but Gore could have picked Senator Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia for VP, which would not have cost Gore any of the states he did win, and would have assured a Gore win in West Virginia, and therefore would have put Gore into the White House. Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: Fmr President & Senator Polnut on June 24, 2007, 07:06:10 PM It's a definite combination.
But Winfield's point highlights probably Gore's single biggest mistake, his distancing himself from Clinton. Ok, Clinton had some serious baggage, but for a VP to distance himself from a President with 60% approval ratings was a suicide move. Lieberman was meant to be Gore's masterstroke to a)appear more socially conservative (therefore try to minimise Bush's religosity - ha good move, try using a Jew to sway conservative christians) b) appeal to the Jewish bloc in South Florida c) to essentially covertly agree with Lieberman's assesment of Clinton. Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: Jaggerjack on June 24, 2007, 09:11:47 PM Not a conservative Democrat, but Gore could have picked Senator Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia for VP, which would not have cost Gore any of the states he did win, and would have assured a Gore win in West Virginia, and therefore would have put Gore into the White House. Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: AndrewTX on June 26, 2007, 08:16:12 AM The very real possibility of taking Florida. Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: Tutankhuman Bakari Sellers on June 26, 2007, 11:46:17 AM Bob Schrum is second guessing Joseph Lieberman as well, I think that Bob Schrum if he would of had to do it all over again would of picked Bob Graham in FL to be either of Gore's or Kerry's running mate. As far as Joseph Lieberman, him being more conservative on some issues could of blunted some of the tax and spend policies of the Clinton/Gore administration.
Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: 12th Doctor on June 27, 2007, 03:53:58 PM Florida... he didn't quite deliver, but they got closer than they would have otherwise.
Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: Tutankhuman Bakari Sellers on June 27, 2007, 06:48:16 PM He did good in FL but he didn't do that well in states like NH and OH where another candidate for VP might have done better otherwise. As a VP nominee you have to do well in several states not just one, and Lieberman didn't offer that. Because in these times, the margin of error is too small. And that is what Schrum was trying to say in his book with Joe Lieberman.
Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: memphis on August 06, 2007, 01:01:55 AM Joe Lieberman, like Dick Cheney, brought virtually nothing to his ticket. Al Gore completely over estimated anti-Bill Clinton tensions. Clinton had astronomically high approval ratings, but Al chose to distance himself from his party's most popular politician in decades and instead selected Bill's biggest critic in the party to be his runningmate.
Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: Small Business Owner of Any Repute on August 06, 2007, 09:12:15 AM Joe Lieberman, like Dick Cheney, brought virtually nothing to his ticket. Al Gore completely over estimated anti-Bill Clinton tensions. Clinton had astronomically high approval ratings, but Al chose to distance himself from his party's most popular politician in decades and instead selected Bill's biggest critic in the party to be his runningmate. Dick Cheney absolutely brought something to the ticket. Part of my rationale for voting for Bush in 2000 is that, while I thought Dubya to be dumb, his choice of Cheney was confirmation that he was smart enough, at least, to surround himself with smart people. [And indeed, he built a (mostly) solid cabinet for his first term.] He added gravity and foreign policy experience that Bush just didn't have. And he beat the snot out of Lieberman in the debate. Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: HardRCafé on August 06, 2007, 07:17:58 PM Clinton had astronomically high approval ratings, Can you use the word "hyperbole" in a sentence? Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: memphis on August 06, 2007, 09:59:17 PM Clinton had astronomically high approval ratings, Can you use the word "hyperbole" in a sentence? At the time of impeachment, Clinton's approval rating topped 70%. That's insanely good for a second term prez. Bush can't even manage to get half of that. Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: DownWithTheLeft on August 07, 2007, 08:30:45 AM Joe Lieberman brought a token Jew to the ticket, and we know based on the 2008 that Dems love token candidates
Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: Undisguised Sockpuppet on August 07, 2007, 03:25:48 PM Absolutely nothing of any value.
Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: True Democrat on August 08, 2007, 09:40:54 PM Joe Lieberman brought a token Jew to the ticket, and we know based on the 2008 that Dems love token candidates It couldn't also be his reputation as a Democrat who distanced himself from Clinton or that he was strong on defense? Of course not. It was just that he was a jew. Nice argument there. Is any non-Christian, non-white, or woman token in your opinion? Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: MasterJedi on August 09, 2007, 08:13:53 AM Is any non-Christian, non-white, or woman token in your opinion? He's a christian supremecist remember so he can only have white male candidates to vote for. Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: Rob on August 09, 2007, 10:41:01 AM Nothing at all. Republicans may have loved his conservative votes and his attacks on Democrats, but they didn't vote for his ticket.
Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: ○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└ on August 09, 2007, 02:27:47 PM The media took a very short break from their usual lying attacks on Gore to praise him for choosing such a wonderful person as Lieberman.
Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: they don't love you like i love you on August 10, 2007, 02:10:15 AM Absolutely nothing of any value. Kind of like your posts. Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: Jeff from NC on August 10, 2007, 01:50:10 PM I think Mr. Moderate was right on the money about Dick Cheney. At least, I thought the same thing: Bush was wise enough to know his main flaw, inexperience. Bringing on Dick Cheney appeared to be a sign that Bush was thinking ahead in a mature way. (In 2000, it was possible to think such a thing.)
I remember reading one article about how the Lieberman pick was similar. Bush and his advisors expected Gore to make a craven play for electoral votes by picking Bob Graham, John Edwards, or someone else from a Southern or Midwestern state. When he picked Lieberman, they thought it was an uncharacteristic display of maturity from Gore. Sigh. Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: DownWithTheLeft on August 10, 2007, 03:21:48 PM Joe Lieberman brought a token Jew to the ticket, and we know based on the 2008 that Dems love token candidates It couldn't also be his reputation as a Democrat who distanced himself from Clinton or that he was strong on defense? Of course not. It was just that he was a jew. Nice argument there. Is any non-Christian, non-white, or woman token in your opinion? Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: Undisguised Sockpuppet on August 20, 2007, 08:46:46 PM Lieberman brought failure.
Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: The Dowager Mod on August 22, 2007, 03:20:06 PM Nothing.
Gore got stupid and tried to distance himself from Clinton by picking his #1 democratic critic. Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: Eraserhead on September 26, 2007, 09:06:18 AM Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: © tweed on October 16, 2007, 05:46:18 PM Jews in Florida. sadly, they broke for Buchanan at the last second.
Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: ○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└ on October 16, 2007, 05:58:16 PM Obviously Senator Bob Graham of Florida would have been a much better choice.
Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: ○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└ on October 16, 2007, 06:00:10 PM Jews in Florida. sadly, they broke for Buchanan at the last second. Kerry did just as well as Gore with them, despite not doing as well in Florida overall. Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: pbrower2a on April 10, 2009, 02:04:04 AM Defeat.
I think of some alternatives: John Kerry. weak as a campaigner as he was, was more effective than Joe Lieberman. He would have flipped New Hampshire and done just as well in winning the Jewish vote in Florida. Bare win, but enough -- in New Hampshire, if not Florida. John Edwards would have consolidated some possible support in the South that Clinton got -- but Gore couldn't. A fiery populist from the South excites the South as a d@mnyankee semi-liberal... doesn't. Edwards might have flipped Ohio. Edwards would have been perfect for the beat-the-cheat strategy that Gore needed because he needed the entire South. Jay Rockefeller (said above) would have picked up West Virginia; that would have been enough. David Pryor would have surely picked up Arkansas; that would have been enough. .. I think that Al Gore believed that the Bush campaign would operate on the level -- a gross misjudgment. The "black baby" canard against a fellow Republican opponent should have disabused Gore of any impression that Karl Rove would run anything other than a vicious and corrupt campaign and wouldn't stop at electoral fraud if given the chance. Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: nclib on April 10, 2009, 03:44:41 PM Joe Lieberman brought a token Jew to the ticket, and we know based on the 2008 that Dems love token candidates It couldn't also be his reputation as a Democrat who distanced himself from Clinton or that he was strong on defense? Of course not. It was just that he was a jew. Nice argument there. Is any non-Christian, non-white, or woman token in your opinion? The GOP has their own tokens too, Clarence Thomas, Michael Steele, Lynn Swann, etc. Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: Nym90 on April 10, 2009, 07:53:08 PM Nothing at all. Republicans may have loved his conservative votes and his attacks on Democrats, but they didn't vote for his ticket. Actually at the time they didn't. Rush Limbaugh and his ilk ripped into him as being an elitist Northeastern liberal. Of course, he was a lot more liberal pre 9/11 than he is now. Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: pogo stick on June 13, 2009, 09:11:24 AM I think he was a good choice. Good man. Honest man. A Jew. lol
Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: Bo on January 10, 2010, 10:16:07 PM He might have added slightly more Jewish voters to the ticket, but Jews are such a small percentage of the population that it would not have made a difference (except maybe in Florida). However, this was compensated since his religion unfortunately caused a lot of Muslims and anti-Semites to vote for Bush (and in Florida, a very small amount of votes matters) and also might have caused many liberal Democrats (who were disappointed that there was no liberal on the ticker) to vote for Nader or stay home due to his (and Gore's) centrist views.
Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: phk on January 10, 2010, 10:32:49 PM He might have added slightly more Jewish voters to the ticket, but Jews are such a small percentage of the population that it would not have made a difference (except maybe in Florida). However, this was compensated since his religion unfortunately caused a lot of Muslims and anti-Semites to vote for Bush (and in Florida, a very small amount of votes matters) and also might have caused many liberal Democrats (who were disappointed that there was no liberal on the ticker) to vote for Nader or stay home due to his (and Gore's) centrist views. Pretty much. Muslim anti-Semitism caused a lot of potential Gore voters to switch to Nader and bush. Title: Re: What did Joe Liberman bring to the Democratic ticket in 2000? Post by: Bo on January 10, 2010, 10:55:14 PM He might have added slightly more Jewish voters to the ticket, but Jews are such a small percentage of the population that it would not have made a difference (except maybe in Florida). However, this was compensated since his religion unfortunately caused a lot of Muslims and anti-Semites to vote for Bush (and in Florida, a very small amount of votes matters) and also might have caused many liberal Democrats (who were disappointed that there was no liberal on the ticker) to vote for Nader or stay home due to his (and Gore's) centrist views. Pretty much. Muslim anti-Semitism caused a lot of potential Gore voters to switch to Nader and bush. If Gore picked Lieberman because he wanted to energize the Jewish vote, then he made a mistake. If energizing the Jewish vote was Gore's goal, then he should have picked Dianne Feinstein, since that would have also energized the women's vote in addition to energizing the Jewish vote. Even Russ Feingold, who would have energized the Democratic base in addition to the Jewish vote, would have been a better pick. Feinstein was probably the best choice for Gore if he wanted a Jewish VP, though. |