CTBob Presents: The Alan Schlesinger Interview
Below, I’ve transcribed one of the questions and answers from the video. For a long while, many of us in the progressive blogosphere (and the PPM in Connecticut) have been a case for why Democrats would be mistaken to support Joe Lieberman. Alan Schlesinger (thanks to CTBob) was able to make a case for why Republicans and conservatives would be mistaken to support Lieberman. Lieberman is truly only in this for himself and will say anything to get elected.
Q: “What would you say to Republicans who are thinking of voting for Joe Lieberman?”
A: “I’d say you’re just voting against everything you believe in. Simply as that. It’s ludicrous. Lamont and Lieberman, to me, are tweedledee and tweedledum if you’re a moderate conservative voter. Check his record. Check his record. It is absolutely absurd, if you’re a Republican or a moderate conservative voter to vote for someone who’s against the flag amendment. To vote for someone who wants amnesty on immigration. To vote for someone who voted against every single tax-cut that has spurred this economy. To vote for someone who never saw a spending bill he didn’t like. This is Joe Lieberman for the last 30-40 years in politics since he was right out of law school. To vote for a person who doesn’t have private sector experience who basically has been on the public dole his entire life working as a politician from day one. To vote for someone who is the antithesis of local government having power–and that’s why you brought out why people are Republicans–believes in national government, believes in Washington controlling the show, believes that there is no basic power at the local or state level, that it all should be centralized in Washington that they know what to do for the American people. This is his mantra, it has always been his mantra. He has every right to feel that way. And if you’re a liberal, bless you for voting for Joe Lieberman. But if you’re a moderate conservative who wants to bring government back to where it belongs, back to the people at the local level and believes that the federal role should be limited, who believes that there’s a better way to control spending, who believes that you shouldn’t be part of the Ostrich Club in D.C. (that’s what I call the Senate) sticking their heads in the sand. I mean, this is a guy who just recently in the Jewish Ledger said that you know, we have to start facing this unfunded nightmare that we have in social security, that the books are a little out of balance. That’s like saying the Titanic sprung a leak! Give me a break. He is the epitome of a liberal Democrat. For a Republican, or a conservative, to vote for Joe Lieberman is saying why don’t you just take a knife and stick it in your back. You don’t need someone to hurt you, just do it to yourself. It makes absolutely no sense.”