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Sen. Joseph Lieberman looks at a crowd of supporters before the opening of the Democratic State Convention in Hartford, Conn., on May 19. (AP Photo/Fred Beckham) |
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Sen. Joseph Lieberman might be a Democrat, but he could end up as an independent because of his close relations with President Bush.
Sources close to Mr. Lieberman said the senator has been concerned that his re-election race will be undermined by a Democratic Party establishment that is angry over his support for the U.S.-led war in Iraq. They said Mr. Lieberman, 64, could decide to run as an independent if he determines that he could no longer rely on the Democratic political machine in Connecticut.
"I'm not gonna rule out any other option for now," Mr. Lieberman said, "because I feel so strongly that I can do better for the state of Connecticut for the next six years in the United States Senate that I want to give all the voters a chance to make that decision on Election Day in November."
Over the last year, Mr. Lieberman, a three-term senator and the Democratic Party’s vice presidential candidate in 2000, has encountered increasing opposition from liberals, women's groups and union leaders in Connecticut. These Democrats have been angered by what they perceive as Mr. Lieberman's dalliance with the administration.
"Obviously, running as an independent is not his first choice," a source said. "But there's a lot of bad blood between Lieberman and influential Democrats. The concern is that many will sit this election out."
Mr. Lieberman is said to be dismayed by the failure of the Democratic leadership in Congress to campaign for him. The exceptions have been Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, who recently traveled to Connecticut, and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, who sent a letter of support.
Party activists said the image that caused many Democrats to turn against Mr. Lieberman was Mr. Bush's visit to Congress in February 2005. After his State of the Union address, Mr. Bush reached over, hugged Mr. Lieberman and kissed the senator on the right cheek.
"If anything galvanized the opposition against Joe, it was that kiss," a political ally of Mr. Lieberman said. "It's been a headache ever since."
Today, many Democrats drive around Connecticut with bumper stickers that read: "The Kiss: Too Close for Comfort." Another popular sticker has been "Anybody but Joe - I want a real Democrat in '06."
The sources said Mr. Lieberman's support for the war in Iraq has even dismayed Al Gore, who chose the Connecticut senator as his vice presidential running mate. They said Mr. Gore has been so angered by Mr. Lieberman's support of the administration's agenda that he has been considering running again for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008.
So far, Mr. Lieberman does not appear to face a strong challenge for the Democratic Party’s nomination. His leading challenger is businessman Ned Lamont who has deemed Mr. Lieberman "Republican-lite."
"One thing I hear wherever I go, to all audiences, is, 'Come on Democrats, be a constructive alternative, speak loudly and proudly for what you believe, no more mumbling,'" Mr. Lamont said.
The question of whether Mr. Lieberman will run as an independent could stem from the results of the Democratic state convention. Mr. Lamont has been hoping for 15 percent of the vote from the more than 1,600 delegates, which would enable a primary. Mr. Lamont could also gather enough signatures on a petition to enter the primary ballot on Aug. 8.
For his part, Mr. Lieberman, who according to the polls leads Mr. Lamont among Democrats by at least a 5-1 margin, does not plan to withdraw his support for many of the administration’s foreign policies. He said he would continue to support the U.S. military presence in Iraq.
"I already know that some of you feel passionately against my position in Iraq," Mr. Lieberman said in his first television ad in more than a decade.
"I respect your views, and while we probably won't change each others' minds, I hope we can still have a dialogue and find common ground on all the issues where we do agree." | 
