Ned Lamont on Lieberman's Political Allegiance

by: Scarce

Tue Nov 03, 2009 at 05:38:50 AM EST

h/t Heather at Video Cafe for the video and transcript.

Maddow: What do you think those consequences will be though? One of the things that we have to think about is what happens in Washington, whether or not the Democrats and the Senate allow him to keep his chairmanship of the Homeland Security Committee-there's also the question of whether he faces political consequences at home. He seems to be planning to run again.

Lamont: I believe-I probably wouldn't know-I'd be the last person in Connecticut to know whether he's going to run again but I can tell you this; there's an awful lot of folks here who are looking forward to the opportunity of challenging Sen. Lieberman. You know during our race a few years ago he said nobody wants to have a Democrat elected president as much as I do. He supported health care reform. Nobody wanted to get the troops home more than he did. Three years is a long time. I think there are a number of folks, independent, moderates, Republicans and Democrats who are disappointed where the words aren't matching the action and are looking for a change.

Maddow: Why do you think he doesn't just become a Republican?

Lamont: I think he's been a Democrat for an awful long time, but I think tactically he's probably looking at his options right now. I've got to believe when you walk away from health care reform, when you deny your fellow Senators the right to vote on health care reform, that seems to be somebody that knows he was elected in 2006 with overwhelming Republican support. I think that's his base.