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Senators John McCain and Joe Lieberman

AP: Lieberman may campaign as independent

U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman, facing a stronger-than-expected Democratic primary challenge and sagging poll numbers because of his support of the Iraq war, said Monday he’ll collect signatures to run as an unaffiliated candidate if he loses next month’s primary.

“While I believe that I will win the Aug. 8 primary, I know there are no guarantees in elections,” Lieberman told reporters on the steps of Connecticut’s statehouse Monday. “No one really knows how many Democrats will come out to vote on what may be a hot day in August.”

Lieberman said if he loses the primary, he would run in November as a petitioning Democrat. He said he plans to remain part of the Democratic caucus in the Senate if re-elected.

“I want the opportunity to put my case before all the people of Connecticut in November,” Lieberman said.

The Lefties in Connecticut and the blogosphere continue to eat one of their own. Welcome to the GOP (well, sort of) Senator.

Former Connecticut State Democratic Party Chairman George Jepsen, left, gives his endorsement to Ned Lamont, right, at a news conference outside the state Capitol in Hartford, Conn., Monday, June 19, 2006. Lamont is challenging incumbent three-term Democratic U.S. Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman for the nomination to run for the U.S. Senate from Connecticut.

Lieberman will be re-elected Senator from Connecticut.

Wonder what the LEFT will do to Hillary who has similar views on the Iraq War? Don’t count Al Gore out.

Markos Moulitsas “Screw Them” Zuniga and Lamont in Hartford.  And the cursing at KOS (H/T Althouse)
Captain Ed has Lieberman Starts His Independent Bid

The Lamont Blog has a response one could not describe as measured or even accurate:

In addition, Joe has just created a world of shit for his supposed friends Harry Reid, Chuck Schumer, Chris Dodd, Diane Farrell, Joe Courtney, and Chris Murphy. I wonder what they all think of this.This is how he treats his friends. This is how he treats his party. On the slowest news day of the summer.

These are the actions of a very weak candidate, and a selfish and cowardly man.

What a sorry sight to see an 18-year incumbent senator running scared from a little primary challenge like this. No backbone. No courage. No integrity.

And not a Democrat anymore, either.

Lieberman remains a Democrat, even with the independent bid, especially since he’s committed to caucusing with the Democrats if elected. While one can understand why the Lamont campaign would want to make hay of both the announcement and its timing, the assignment of cowardice seems more than just a little ironic. Lieberman hasn’t pulled out of the primary, after all; he still plans on contesting it. More to the point, the entire reason for Lamont’s campaign and its surprisingly large following is that Lamont wants an immediate retreat from Iraq, cutting and running rather than fight the terrorists in the one place that even Osama understands as the center stage of the war on terror. Throwing around accusations of cowardice seems a bit odd under the circumstances.

I suspect that Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid will have some uncomfortable moments in the next few weeks. Undoubtedly they will hope that Lieberman will win the primary and let them off the hook. They may do more than just hope, which may result in a nasty split between the hard-Left and the DLC factions, just as the midterms approach. It looks like the Democrats may well wind up with the split that appeared imminent in the GOP until a couple of weeks ago
Captain Ed is RIGHT. There will be a dilemma that will cause a schism between the hard left netroot Kossaks on the one hand and the mainstream DNC operatives on the other. This intraparty split cannot be helpful to a party who seeks majority status. Fundraising would be especially hurt.
Moreover, a Lamont win in the primary will drive many maintream Democrats to the door and barring a few will vote for Lieberman anyway. How will this help the GOP? It will tie up resources that would otherwise go to other races e.g. Montana.
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Senator Joe Lieberman Watch: Independent Candidacy this Fall?

Senator Joe Lieberman Watch: MoveOn.org Endorses Challenger Ned Lamont

Presidential candidate Felipe Calderon from National Action raises his hand after saying independent exit polls showed him ahead and he had “no doubt” he won the race in Mexico City, July 2, 2006.

Reuters: Mexico conservative claims win as chaos fears ease

Mexico’s conservative presidential candidate Felipe Calderon declared victory on Monday in a bitterly contested election and official returns appeared to show his leftist rival could no longer catch him.

Calderon had a lead of almost 400,000 votes over Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador with returns in from 96.6 percent of polling stations and a senior election official said it was unlikely to change with a recount ordered for later this week.

A Calderon victory would ensure Mexico sticks to the free-market policies of outgoing President Vicente Fox and hold steady as a U.S. ally, bucking a trend of Latin American nations who have turned to the left and away from Washington in recent years.

“There is an irreversible result and it is in my favor,” a confident Calderon of the ruling National Action Party said in a television interview. “The result gives me a very clear victory that cannot be reversed.”

Good.

Now, let’s get busy in solving the illegal immigration problem that is plaguing the United States – unless the Lefties in Mexico claim THIS election was stolen from them.

The Americas don’t need another socialist MORON like Hugo Chavez in Argentina or Castro in Cuba.

Stay tuned……..

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Mexico Presidential Election Watch: Mark In Mexico is Live Bogging the Election

Dana Priest and Bill Bennett

Expose The Left: Post’s Dana Priest Attacks Bill Bennett In Response To NY Times’ SWIFT Story (VIDEO)

Dana Priest, who was obviously born without shame, personally attacked Bill Bennett this morning’s edition of Meet the Press. Priest compared the New York Times running the SWIFT story to casino gambling, a problem Bennett used to have.

The video is here: VIDEO – .WMV

Flap is positive that Bennett never admitted to having a “gambling” problem nor that his gambling (mainly high stakes video poker) ever place his family in financial peril.  The Washington Monthly, a lefty journal, outed Bennett for supposed hypocrisy on writing The Book of Virtues and not being virtuous himself.

Flap enjoys casino gambling and as a Catholic, like Bennett, games of chance are not sinful in a religious sense.

It was shameful what Dana Priest did.  Playing video poker with your own money is not the same as “outing” classified secret government counterterrorism information and,in turn, winning a Pulitzer Prize for it.

Flap’s suggestion to Priest is to confine herself to the issues and lay off the disgraceful personal ad hominem attacks.

Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrives at the venue of the African Union Summit AU in Banjul, Gambia Saturday, July 1 2006.

AP: West sets new deadline for Iran: July 12

Western powers have set July 12 as a deadline for Iran to suspend uranium enrichment and agree to talks on its nuclear program or face the threat of U.N. Security Council sanctions, diplomats said Monday.

The diplomats also said that Russia and China were closer than ever before to supporting the West in seeking to pressure Iran by the threat of U.N. Security Council action, including sanctions, if Tehran refused a six-power package of incentives meant to wean it off enrichment.

The envoys — some of them senior U.N. diplomats and all familiar with details of the six nations’ drive to persuade Iran to compromise on its nuclear activities — spoke just two days before a key Iran-
European Union meeting meant to make clear to the Iranians that their time is running out.

Tick Tick Tick

Will Iran attempt to STALL?

You betcha

Stay tuned for the Iranian moaning……

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Iran Nuclear Watch: The Military’s Problem with the President’s Iran Policy

Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran AGAIN Rejects Deadline for Response to P-5-plus-1 Proposal

Iran Nuclear Watch: United States Rejects Iran’s STALL in Response to P-5-plus-1 Proposal 

Cox & Forkum: Unrequited War

Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Brushes Aside G-8 Deadline on P-5-plus-1 Proposal

Iran Nuclear Watch: G- 8 Tells Iran To Reply Next Week to P-5-plus-1 Proposal

The Natanz uranium enrichment complex in Natanz is pictured in this January 2, 2006 satellite image.

Michelle Malkin: DISSENT IS PATRIOTIC

Reminder that the all-American protest outside the NYTimes offices in Washington, D.C., is on today:

Noon at 1627 I St. N.W.
Washington, D.C.

More details here.

If you are in the D.C. area head out there and send Flap some photos……

Michelle and Bryan will be carrying this over at Hot Air, so stay tuned…….

South Korean protesters with defaced a poster of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il and flag stage an anti-North Korea rally against explains of Kim Young Nam who is believed forcibly taken to the North in 1978, near the presidential house in Seoul, Friday, June 30, 2006.

AP: N. Korea Warns of Nuclear War if Attacked

North Korea is ready to answer a pre-emptive U.S. military attack with an “annihilating strike and a nuclear war,” the state-run media said Monday. The Korean Central News Agency, citing an unidentified Rodong Sinmun newspaper “analyst,” accused the United States of increasing military pressure on the isolated communist state.

The North Korean threat of retaliation, which is often voiced by its state-controlled media, comes amid U.S. official reports that Pyongyang has shown signs of preparing for a test of a long-range missile.

Does this mean the United States and Japan may assume that the Taepodong-2

misslile North Korea presumably has fueled and ready to fly is an offensive threat and not a SLV or a test flight?

Once North Korea achieved nuclear weapons status we knew they would use them. So, is there a surprise?

The three options of the United States:

Preemption

Interception

Negotiation

remain viable with the third being increasing doubtful.

The Cheyenne Mountain Air Station, which houses NORAD – charged with monitoring the North Korea situation – is now at “Bravo-Plus.”

Other air bases in Colorado, California and Florida are also on heightened alert status.

There are five levels of alert: normal, Alpha (low), Bravo (medium), Charlie (high) and Delta (critical). “Bravo-Plus” is slightly higher than a medium threat level.

The Cheyenne Mountain Air Station And Buckley Air Force Base are among four installations in the country at the higher alert level ordered last week by then- Acting-Commander of Air Force Space Command, General Fred Klotz.

Space Command would not comment on the reason for the security increase.

The order also affects Vandenberg Air Force Base in California and Patrick air force base in Florida.

Missile Defense Agency interceptors are based at Vandenberg Air Force Base and Fort Greely, Alaska as well as at sea.

Picture released on June 16 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il. North Korea has offered the United States talks on its missile launch plans, indicating it might put off a flight test that has raised tension and drawn sharp international warnings.

Stay tuned……..

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North Korea Watch: Bush WARNS North Korea Not To Test Missile

North Korea Watch: United States Warns North Korea About Talks “BLUFF”

North Korea Watch: President Bush – North Korea Should Tell World of Their INTENT

North Korea Watch: Senators Hagel and Luger Call for Direct North Korea Talks – Rule Out Preemptive Strike

North Korea Watch: Director of the Missile Defense Agency Henry Obering Confident of North Korean Missile Interception