Text 23954, 77 rader
Skriven 2006-10-21 20:26:00 av Jeff Binkley (1:226/600)
Ärende: Lieberman
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It must suck to be a democrat...

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http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CONNECTICUT_SENATE?SITE=7219&SECT
ION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2006-10-20-08-23-38

Dean Campaigns for Lamont in Conn. 

By ANDREW MIGA 
Associated Press Writer

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- Democratic chairman Howard Dean praised Ned 
Lamont on Friday as the challenger dealt with a dose of bad news - a 
double-digit deficit in the latest poll.

"No one was going to stand up over the Iraq policy until Ned stood up 
and then the people stood up because Ned was a great leader," Dean said 
at a rally for Lamont and other Democratic candidates. "We need Ned 
Lamont."

The campaign event at a downtown Hartford sport bar came as a new poll 
showed three-term Sen. Joe Lieberman leading Lamont 52 percent to 35 
percent among likely voters. Lieberman is running as an independent 
after Lamont rode a wave of anti-war sentiment to an Aug. 8 Democratic 
primary victory.

In 2004, Dean was the Democratic candidate whose anti-war message and 
netroots appeal propelled him to the front of the presidential primary 
pack. It all fizzled in Iowa as Dean finished a distant third in the 
Iowa caucuses.

   
 
  
Lamont is trying to avoid the same fate.

"Your state has done something extraordinary," Dean said. "Your state 
had a courageous person step up when nobody thought he could win and 
take on folks who supported the Bush policy."

Dean and Lieberman were testy rivals in 2004, and the Democratic 
National Committee chairman's appearance for Lamont was widely expected. 
The Lamont campaign also unveiled a television ad Friday featuring 
popular Connecticut Sen. Christopher Dodd telling Lamont that he admires 
his decision to run.

Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, the party's 2004 presidential nominee, 
will campaign with Lamont next week.

Both Dodd and Kerry are 2008 White House hopefuls and appearances with 
Lamont would boost their standings with the party's liberal base.

Other Democrats, however, have been more muted in their support for 
Lamont. Should Lieberman, the party's 2000 vice presidential candidate, 
keep his seat, Democrats will likely need the three-term senator's vote 
in a closely divided Senate.

The poll released Friday was the first since Lieberman and Lamont faced 
off Monday in a debate. Among those who watched the debate or read or 
heard about it, only 3 percent said it changed their mind about whom 
they will vote for.

"We've never been driven by polls in the race," said Lamont campaign 
manager Tom Swan. "It is a much closer race than what the Quinnipiac 
Poll came up with. We are confident we will win on Nov. 7."

In the survey, Republican Alan Schlesinger trailed with 6 percent, and 7 
percent were undecided.

The poll of 881 likely Connecticut voters was conducted from Oct. 17-19. 
It has a sampling error margin of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

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Associated Press Writer Susan Haigh contributed to this report.
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