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12/20/2003 Archived Entry: "Lieberman - Now he's a Clinton fan?"
Lieberman - Now he's a Clinton fan?
In his zeal to find another thing to hammer Howard Dean with, Lieberman chose to hit him for 'criticizing' Bill Clinton the other day (thanks to Hoffmania! for this one):
Dean referred Thursday to a State of the Union address by the former president: "While Bill Clinton said that the era of big government is over, I think we have to enter a new era for the Democratic Party, not one where we join Republicans and aim simply to limit the damage they inflict on working families."Dean has denied that he intended the remark as criticism of the former president, and the campaign said Friday that Dean believes Clinton had a "great record of success" and wants to build on it.
But Lieberman said Friday, "If you look at the language, it sure looks like he's being critical of the Clinton idea that the era of big government is over."
Allow me to do my 'something slowly dawns on me' take here.
Heeeeeey........wait a minute......
Was Lieberman always such a staunch defender of Clinton? I think not.
But there is more to this than modern media intrusiveness. The President is not just the elected leader of our country, he is, as presidential scholar Clinton Rossiter observed, "the one-man distillation of the American people," and "the personal embodiment and representative of their dignity and majesty," as President Taft once said. So when his personal conduct is embarrassing, it is so not just for him and his family. It is embarrassing for us all as Americans.The President is also a role model, who, because of his prominence and the moral authority that emanates from his office, sets standards of behavior for the people he serves. His duty, as the Rev. Nathan Baxter of the National Cathedral here in Washington said in a recent sermon, is nothing less than the stewardship of our values. So no matter how much the President or others may wish to "compartmentalize" the different spheres of his life, the inescapable truth is that the President's private conduct can and often does have profound public consequences.
In this case, the President apparently had extramarital relations with an employee half his age, and did so in the workplace, in vicinity of the Oval Office. Such behavior is not just inappropriate. It is immoral. And it is harmful, for it sends a message of what is acceptable behavior to the larger American family, particularly to our children, which is as influential as the negative messages communicated by the entertainment culture. If you doubt that, just ask America's parents about the intimate and often unseemly sexual questions their young children have been asking and discussing since the President's relationship with Ms. Lewinsky became public seven months ago.
I have had many of those conversations in recent days, and from that I can conclude that many parents feel much as I do, that something very sad and sordid has happened in American life when I cannot watch the news on television with my ten-year-old daughter any more.
I still think that Lieberman is pissy that Al Gore endorsed Dean, and he's taking his pissiness out on the man who got what Lieberman feels should have been his endorsement. For all Lieberman's talk of dean being 'divisive,' it sure looks as though Lieberman's being the devisive one here.
Dean's alleged 'criticism' of Clinton will fade. Lieberman's criticism of Dean, however, is supplying Karl Rove with a line of attack he wouldn't have if Lieberman would keep his hurt feelings to himself.
Replies: 5 people speak up
Two things, I think the remark about joining the republicans is probobly geared more towards leiberman (although clinton was way towards the center).
The second thing that struck me is that people really need to teach their children about sex. If your daughter is 10, and she doesnt know about sex, at least from an academic standpoint, you should have your children taken away. Propogating that kind of ignorance is child abuse. I dont remember ever getting "the talk" because my parents explained it to me gradually as i was able to understand. I certainly knew about it by the time I was 5, and my little brother was on the way, but I knew before then, because I dont remember ever not knowing. You shouldnt be morally outraged when your children ask you questions about sex, you should be happy that your children trust you enough to ask, and you should answer them honestly and frankly.
For christ sake people, its just sex, its how we all got here (well mostly) and we all have it (well, mostly). Get over your stupid religious setbacks and join the modern world.
Posted by justin @ 12/20/2003 10:59 AM NY
A follow-up, courtesy of today's L.A. Times:
On Thursday, Howard Dean called attention to Clinton's declaration in 1996 of the end of "big government." Dean said his election would "represent the era of fairer government." On Friday, Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut pounced on Dean's remarks as an attack on Clinton's centrist policies.
By the end of the day, Dean and Clinton had spoken, as they have throughout the campaign — but this time amid swirling debate.
It was a "very friendly conversation," Dean spokesman Jay Carson said. He provided no details but said Dean and Clinton spoke for 10 to 15 minutes.
(Lieberman couldn't reach Clinton since Joe's on his "Don't Call" list. -H!)
Posted by Hoffmania! @ 12/20/2003 01:04 PM NY
Lieberman MUST be on the RNC payroll, he says such stupid crap!
He's a whiney, transparent, two-timing shill.
He's not even qualified to criticize the likes of Clark and Dean.
Posted by capnmike @ 12/20/2003 02:25 PM NY
This is the first Ive heard of this. What a character el joe is.
http://www.joseph2004.org/adoptajew.html
Liebermans ad for the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, a little outfit that specializes in blaming the lack of officially sanctioned religious exercises in public schools for drug use and juvenile crime. Plus, they run a great infomercial that encourages right-wing Christians to sponsor Russian Jews moving to Israel. Apocalypse, anyone?
http://www.ifcj.org/subpage.asp?id=117
another endorsee of IFCJ
"The Center for Jewish and Christian Values is a welcome ally in the effort to teach a new generation of Americans the moral values that made our nation great."
http://www.ifcj.org/subpage.asp?id=117
some more prominit folks joe worked with:
William Bennett
Attorney General John Ashcroft
Ronald Reagan
And the list goes on.
damn....
If joe starts getting to psychotic dean should use joes commercial in an ad.
Posted by da lurker @ 12/21/2003 12:37 AM NY
correction
seems my prooffreader quit on me.
"The Center for Jewish and Christian Values is a welcome ally in the effort to teach a new generation of Americans the moral values that made our nation great."
William Bennett
some more prominit folks joe worked with:
evil, cant remember, blah, blah, blah.
Posted by da lurker @ 12/21/2003 02:46 PM NY
