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Will Ken Salazar Stick to Support for Lieberman?

By Jeralyn, Section Elections 2006
Posted on Wed Aug 09, 2006 at 05:32:35 PM EST
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While most major Democrats today came out in support of Ned Lamont now that he has won the Connecticut primary, one Senator who has promised to support Joe Lieberman in the past is staying silent...Ken Salazar. According to the Denver Post:

Salazar said in July he'd back Lieberman as an independent candidate if he lost the Democratic primary to challenger Ted Lamont. Lamont did win, but Salazar by late this afternoon had not reaffirmed that support, instead issuing a statement saying that he was disappointed by the primary outcome....Salazar's spokesman, Drew Nannis, said Salazar needed to talk to Lieberman before saying what he'd do.

The Grand Junction Sentinel, however, reports that Salazar told the paper he plans to stick with supporting Lieberman.

Salazar did, however, express his thoughts as to why Lieberman lost:

At a press conference today in Colorado with 7th Congressional District Democratic primary winner Ed Perlmutter, Salazar said that "if there's a lesson to be taken out of the Connecticut primary, it's that people do want a change in direction.

"What happened with Senator Lieberman is that the people of Connecticut saw him as being too close to President Bush, and the message the people were sending to Senator Lieberman and others is that the country needs a new direction, that staying the course is no longer the right way to go," Salazar said.

Ken Salazar relishes his role as centrist and Independent. He joined with Joe Lieberman to be part of the "gang of 14" on blocking judicial filibusters.

Colorado blogger Take Back the House was at the Salazar-Perlmutter press conference. He provides more details in a post at Daily Kos.

Salazar praised Joe Lieberman and stated that their offices had been in contact in the past 24 hours. He did not specify the outcome of those discussions but said that, "We would see what is going to happen soon in Connecticut." Later he broadened that to, "We will see what they do, perhaps in the next days or weeks or perhaps months, we'll see."

I just shook the Senator's hand and said, "I hope that Connecticut plays out in a way so that you are able to support the Democratic nominee, however that might happen." He looked at me and said, "Well, we'll see."

Salazar is stalling for time. Colorado Democrats need to weigh in with Salazar now.

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    Will Ken Salazar Stick to Support for Lieberman? | 3 comments (3 topical)
    Re: Will Ken Salazar Stick to Support for Lieberma (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Aug 09, 2006 at 07:28:57 PM EST
    I hope Salazar does support Lieberman, so that we can kick his butt out of office too. We don't need another DINO in the sentate, which is what Salazar is.

    Re: Will Ken Salazar Stick to Support for Lieberma (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Aug 10, 2006 at 06:57:58 AM EST
    Exactly right. If you support Bush, if you voted to 'authorise' his illegal, immoral war; if you voted for the Bankruptcy bill you need to get thrown out so far and so hard that you bounce all the way down the Capitol steps. The time is now! Clean House!

    Re: Will Ken Salazar Stick to Support for Lieberma (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Aug 12, 2006 at 02:29:56 PM EST
    I talked to Richard Skorman, manager of Salazar's Southern Colorado office, before the primary, and told him that when Salazar announced before the primary he would support Lieberman in any event, he was in effect undermining the Conn. Democratic Party, which he had no right to do as a Coloradan. Skorman hemmed and hawed, saying I had to understand how close Salazar was to Lieberman. On Friday, Bill Richardson of New Mexico was dropping broad hints that Salazar is in danger of losing all national Dem funding if he continues to support Lieberman. But I agree with "recoveringcatholic," Salazar hasn't shown much reason for anyone of conscience to support him in the first place!

    Will Ken Salazar Stick to Support for Lieberman? | 3 comments (3 topical)