Decision ‘08

Lieberman In Pajamas

Roger Simon of Pajamas Media landed an interview with Joe Lieberman, so I get a chance to plug my affiliation with Pajamas and highlight one of my favorite Senators. You can read the transcript, download the video, or get the podcast here. Two highlights:

LIEBERMAN: …The fastest growing political party in America is no party, which is to say, that the fastest growing group of voters are unaffiliated with either party. And, to me, that’s a market statement, if you will, on the two major parties. People are getting disenchanted with the parties. I think, mostly, for two reasons. One is that each party seems certainly in the primaries to be dominated by the extremes ideologically. And then when they get to Washington, each of the parties seems to basically feel that they’re in some kind of duel in which it’s Democratic against Republican. But then they forget something that’s even more important, which is the national interest, or the interest of their constituents back home.

…SIMON: Apropos of all things you’ve been saying, I have to say that when I was standing in your office lobby waiting for this interview, I was very taken by the photographs on the wall that showed you with colleagues of yours that I know over the years have been very close to you. I’m talking specifically about Chris Dodd, Al Gore, Ted Kennedy, people like that, none of whom are supporting your campaign.

LIEBERMAN: Yeah.

SIMON: How do you feel about that? And will you be able to forgive them?

LIEBERMAN: Oh, I’ll forgive them. I probably won’t forget, to tell you the truth. And, you know, this is politics. And it’s been disappointing. But, you know, you go on and, I got to tell you, that as disappointing as the primary results were and the fact that a lot of friends went immediately by the rules of the partisan political game to support the guy who won the primary, even though we’ve had longtime friendships and working relationships — that was disappointing. But it has been in the natural order of things — usually this happens. It’s been more than made up for by others who have said to me, good for you for staying in there. You know, we’re tired of the partisanship. Stick with it, we’re going to support you. And right now, as we speak, that’s given me some confidence as we go forward to November.