Posted by Michael

Lieberman had 'establishment' DLC support in 2006, when running as an independent against a democratic candidate. If that counts as 'the party left me', then we should just change the name of our language from English to Newspeak.

The perception of the party has changed in the last few years. From groups like Code Pink, the Kossacks, Moveon.org, the party has gained a new identity. Whether or not these groups have actual influence is immaterial to the perception they do.

Only it isn't a new identity, those factions have existed within the Democratic party since well before the 2000 elections. The only difference is that the rest of the party isn't ignoring them anymore, and Joe Lieberman doesn't like that.

But not since MoveOn…

MoveOn isn't establishment, it's part of a progressive movement within the party demographic, but it is usually at odds with the party leadership.

but Lieberman had “establishment” support at that time

But not since MoveOn...

I'm not so sure about that. They like to talk about it though. Maybe they can fix it in the first hundred hours, days, or working days.

These groups are the new face of the Democratic party like it or not.

And going to great lengths to try and place them outside the Democrat mainstream. Ala Lieberman.

Kos went to great lengths, yes, but Lieberman had "establishment" support at that time, and much of that same establishment is still in the Democratic party. For Lieberman to come out now and say the party left him is ridiculous, because the party hasn't changed that much in 8 years.

Browse on over to DKos, he’s always pointing out the Dems who are on the other side of those issues.

And going to great lengths to try and place them outside the Democrat mainstream. Ala Lieberman.

Oh, and Charles, that's exactly the situation.

The wiretapping bills alone have spawned dozens of threads listing democrats who were trying to pass retroactive immunity.

But there are also factions who support the Iraq war, support things like warrant less wiretapping, extending the Bush tax cuts, etc.

Bloody WHERE?

He’s trying desperately to be the kind of “Maverick” the press thinks McCain is, but there is no “party line” he can take an ethical stand against, so he just succumbs to whining about them.

Which is, I think, why Lieberman hasn't jumped ship completely and become a Republican, because then his whining would be "Partisan", and not "Maverick".

It’s been effectively taken over by a small group on the left of the party that is protectionist, isolationist, and very, very hyperpartisan. So it pains me.

Nobody's "taken over" the democratic party. There are small groups within the party that are pushing a more partisan agenda than Lieberman likes, pushing for an end to the Iraq war, etc. But there are also factions who support the Iraq war, support things like warrant less wiretapping, extending the Bush tax cuts, etc.

The Democratic party has by no means a unified voice in this congress. Lieberman just can't let any opportunity to bad-mouth his former party go by. He's trying desperately to be the kind of "Maverick" the press thinks McCain is, but there is no "party line" he can take an ethical stand against, so he just succumbs to whining about them.

As to Lieberman’s charges themselves, they’re a little strained. Certainly, neither party has a monopoly on being hyperpartisan.

Perhaps, but then again, they like to insinuate they're 'open minded'... and the degree of hyper partisanship they've been displaying since 2000 or so, seems to fly in the face of that.

Ya know, I'd like to see a study at some point; How many, I wonder, of the supposed 'middle', which we have for a long time identified as actually being leftist, are in reality, Democrats who have been disaffected as Zell Miller and Joe Lieberman have been?

I dare to submit to you that with things as near to 50/50 as they are, the difference in this election is going to come down to such disaffected Democrats... people who have basicaly been run out of the Democrat party. People like Lieberman, and those who voted for him in the last cycle.

And I note with no small amusment, that this is a willing disaffection, on the aprt of Howard Dean and the national comittee, given their lean toward Obama. I mean, it pains me to suggest that Hillary Clinton of the two is the more centerist, but there it is.