Guest Cerebus Report post Posted February 4, 2004 About time: Joe Lieberman Abandons Presidential Bid ARLINGTON, Va. - Sen. Joe Lieberman (news - web sites), unable to inspire Democratic voters who embraced his 2000 vice presidential campaign, ended his presidential bid Tuesday night after a string of disappointing defeats. He said he believed his "mainstream voice" was the right message for his party, but acknowledged that voters disagreed. "The judgment of the voters is now clear," Lieberman told about 150 longtime supporters who gathered in northern Virginia. "For me, it is now time to make a difficult but realistic decision. I have decided tonight to end my quest for the presidency of the United States of America. Am I disappointed? Naturally. But am I proud of what we stood for in this campaign? You bet I am." The Connecticut senator skipped Iowa, finished fifth in New Hampshire and had no chance of winning any of the seven contests Tuesday night. Lieberman never was able to overcome a campaign crippled by a slow start, tepid fund-raising and a moderate message aimed at a mostly left-of-center electorate. "I offered a mainstream voice and I still believe that is the right choice and the winning choice for our party and our country," Lieberman said. He said he may not have "shouted the loudest" but that he was proud to take "the toughest positions in support of what I believed was right for our great country." He said he would support the eventual Democratic nominee. Rep. Calvin Dooley, D-Calif, an early Lieberman supporter, said he thought the campaign was not able to get any traction because Lieberman was "perceived as being less of a contrast from President Bush (news - web sites) than other candidates." Lieberman planned an afternoon press conference Wednesday in Hartford, Conn., to thank all of his supporters in his home state. Using his vice presidential bid in 2000 as a springboard, Lieberman's high name recognition pushed him to the front of early national polls last year. But while former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean (news - web sites)'s candidacy caught fire last year and Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites), D-Mass., surged this year, Lieberman's bid languished near the bottom of the field. Lieberman had hoped for a strong, third-place finish in New Hampshire to propel him into Tuesday's primaries, but he ended up a distant fifth. Instead of dropping out, he forged ahead, hoping to pull out a win in Delaware with strong showings in Arizona and Oklahoma. Plagued with problems from the start, Lieberman's first problem was a pledge to not run for president if former running mate Al Gore (news - web sites) sought the nomination. The pledge, inspired by his gratitude to Gore for choosing him as running mate in 2000, put Lieberman months behind other candidates who were raising money and hiring top staff. Supporters said Lieberman's support for the war in Iraq (news - web sites) also cost him votes, as did a low-key style that never captured the attention of Democrats hungry for a fighter to take on Bush. A three-term senator, Lieberman, 62, rocketed to national fame on Aug. 7, 2000, when Gore made history and selected him as his vice presidential running mate. The dramatic choice made Lieberman the first Orthodox Jew to run on a major ticket. Just last month, Gore delivered a major blow to his former running mate's campaign by endorsing Dean. The slight briefly invigorated the campaign, but it was all too much for his stumbling campaign to overcome. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Styles 0 Report post Posted February 4, 2004 Already covered here: http://forums.thesmartmarks.com/index.php?showtopic=49498 And here: http://forums.thesmartmarks.com/index.php?showtopic=49552 Just saying because I don't feel like retyping my responses/defenses of Joe. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Cerebus Report post Posted February 4, 2004 Just saying because I don't feel like retyping my responses/defenses of Joe. I'm his constituent and I have no reason to support him and i must say, the Lieberman on the presidential trail is a much different one than I know as Senator from Connecticut Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Styles 0 Report post Posted February 4, 2004 Just saying because I don't feel like retyping my responses/defenses of Joe. I'm his constituent and I have no reason to support him and i must say, the Lieberman on the presidential trail is a much different one than I know as Senator from Connecticut Fair enough. It's tough to be a sitting senator and run for president at the same time since your priorities become divided and uneven. I still think he would have made a good president. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
