White House, Republicans are Lieberman's main supporters

The Washington Times Magazine, Insight, reports that the White House has funnelled millions of dollars from Republican contributors to Joe Lieberman's failed primary race. In addition, most of Lieberman's other funds have come from outside the state of Connecticut.

"A senior GOP source said the money was part of Deputy White House Chief of Staff Karl Rove's strategy to maintain a Republican majority in the Senate in November. The source said Mr. Rove, together with Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman, directed leading pro-Bush contributors to donate millions of dollars to Mr. Lieberman's campaign for re-election in Connecticut in an attempt that he would be a "Republican-leaning" senator.

"Joe [Lieberman] took the money but said he would not play ball," the source said. "That doesn't mean that this was a wasted investment." [Snip]

The source said that under Mr. Rove's direction, the GOP has abandoned its Senate candidate in Connecticut, Alan Schlesinger, who has dropped to about five percent in the polls. Mr. Schlesinger has failed to win the support of any national Republican and has virtually no contact with the White House.

In contrast, Mr. Lieberman, who has called for the resignation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, was deemed a major component of the GOP strategy in November. Mr. Lieberman is expected to win the general election after losing the Democratic primary to anti-war challenger Ned Lamont. However, the race with Mr. Lamont has been tightening considerably.

"The more he [Lieberman] spits, the more that he [Bush] kisses," Mr. Schlesinger said. "I don't understand that. I guess a kiss is not just a kiss." [Snip]

The source said that under Mr. Rove's plan, Mr. Lieberman would vote with the GOP on national security issues and help provide the party with a 50-50 split on major legislation. The deciding vote would then be cast by Vice President Dick Cheney.

So the Republicans consider Joe a Republican, Joe's rhetoric for reelection has been the same as that of Dick Cheney and is Karl Rove approved, and the Republicans have effectively financed Lieberman's race while abandoning the official Republican candidate in Connecticut.

What's the old saying? If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and get nervous during duck season, it must be a duck. We Democrats must really hope that the Democrats and Independents in Connecticut recognize Joe for who he has become and vote against him.