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You cannot get 75-25 support on much of anything in politics, particularly in the current polarized environment. However, Joe Lieberman has done the impossible – he has that kind of a split in public perception of him in Connecticut.
Joe Lieberman’s actions on the health care bill antagonized constituents
both for and against it, and in the wake of that he finds his approval rating at just 25%
with 67% of voters in the state disapproving of him.Lieberman has hit a low point with Democrats usually reserved for Republican
politicians, with 81% of them disapproving of him to just 14% happy with his
performance. Republicans give him bad marks by a 48/39 margin and independents do
so by a 61/32 spread [...]“Joe Lieberman isn’t popular enough with the Democrats or the Republicans to receive
their nomination for the Senate in 2012,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy
Polling. “And since the independents don’t like him much these days either it’s hard to
see how he’ll be around for another term.”
Obviously 2012 is a ways off. But if anything, Lieberman’s standing with his new base, Republicans, will take more of a hit as he works with John Kerry on climate legislation.
As for the fear that Richard Blumenthal’s entry into the vacated Chris Dodd seat will rob Democrats of a legitimate challenger in 2012, Rep. Chris Murphy is already openly discussing his interest in the race.
Rep. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) sounds as though he may challenge Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) in 2012.
Connecticut Democrats are pretty set with state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal in 2010, now that Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) has stepped aside.
But Murphy is acknowledging an interest in the upper chamber, and some are talking him up as a Lieberman foe.
“As for my future plans, the Senate is something I’m certainly interested in down the road,” Murphy told a local paper. “But today my focus is on recognizing Chris Dodd’s lifelong record of delivering for his beloved state and continuing to do my job representing northwest Connecticut in the House.”
Murphy’s a pretty solid option. And by the time 2012 rolls around, the way Lieberman’s going, he won’t even have his own vote, let along a majority.
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He will get a position in ObamaCo as soon a he’s done carrying water for Obama in the senate. He’ll have a say in selecting his replacement, who will have a built in advantage going into 2012.
I’m betting on a major ambassadorship, Israel being the most likely. The thought of him speaking for me in another country is frankly embarassing, but if that’s what it takes to get him out of the senate, I’ll swallow my pride.
Boxturtle (I’ll wash it down with single malt and feel sorry for myself)
Lieberman flip flops more than a beached carp and he is still chairman of Home Land Security. No wonder that agency is so paranoid and messed up.
Lieberman is going to be sitting on a boat load of lobbyist contributions and his pick of plum jobs if he wants any of them when he leaves.
Connecticut voters had their chance to protect themselves from him but a majority didn’t think he meant what he said. He’s probably laughing his ass off that his numbers are only now sinking so low and wondering why it took them so long.