Before criticizing Joe Lieberman, let me first admit that I like him and that for a long time, he was one of my favorite politicians because even when I didn't agree with his position, I couldn't doubt his sincerity and his desire to do what was best for the United States. Abel Koppelman had a article in Salon, which said that Joe Lieberman was a Fox democrat, but I don't think that is what will be the cause of his loss tomorrow (if he loses). The problem with Joe Lieberman is that along the way, he forgot that the role of a politician is not to stubbornly stand firm, but always to talk with the voters to make sure that they know that you respect their point of view even when you don't agree with them. If Joe Lieberman loses tomorrow, it won't be because he didn't explain his position on Iraq, but rather because he didn't respect the position of most of his constituents enough to acknowledge that it was not based on hatred for the President, naïveté, or on a misunderstanding of the world. Joe Lieberman should apologize not for his position on the war in Iraq or other issues, but rather for forgetting that he is a public servant and that as such the burden to convince was on his shoulders. Joe Lieberman reminds me of Moses (I am not using this metaphor to make a religious point) toward the end of his life. If he has to let Ned Lamont run as Democrat for the Senate as Moses had to give up his place to Joshua, it would be because like Moses, he started to believe in his own press and lost the ability to listen to voices other than the ones, which appealed to his ego. I will not be happy if Lieberman loses tomorrow, because as I said at the beginning I like and respect him. My hope is that no matter what happens, Joe Lieberman finds a way to erase the gap that he created between him and his constituents.
Comments