The Courant on the Presidency

With little important news going on in Connecticut, David Lightman of the Courant took some time to speculation on Chris Dodd's chances of becoming president. Lightman analyzed the situation rather thoroughly, but with a very conspicuous bias :

In this climate, analysts say, voters tend to be drawn to candidates with three core traits:

Toughness - Someone willing to stand up for what he believes, regardless of political consequences. Analysts say Dodd, former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., and John McCain, R-Ariz., fit that mold.

"People are really looking for authenticity," said Douglas Sosnik, former Clinton White House political director and Dodd chief of staff.

Commitment To Issues - Voters want candidates who share their passion for certain views. Wisconsin Sen. Russell Feingold, a Democrat, has drawn a following by championing the censure of Bush. Colorado Rep. Thomas G. Tancredo, a Republican, has attracted notice by insisting on crackdowns against illegal immigrants.
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Warmth - The early campaign will be fought largely in the living rooms, diners and VFW halls of Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and other small states where primaries and caucuses are held early in the nominating cycle.

That means the candidate who comes across as caring and interested will gain more traction than the polished stump speaker. Friends of Sens. George Allen, R-Va., Edwards and Dodd say their candidates will excel in more intimate settings.

"Sen. Dodd knows how to listen," said Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-3rd District, a longtime Dodd ally.

The article could almost pass as campaign literature for Sen. Dodd's campaign. I find it hard to believe that politicians like Hillary Clinton and Dodd could be considered 'tough.' Most voters can easily see through Clinton's veneer of toughness, and I have no doubt that voters would elect a genuinely tough politician like McCain over her. Dodd is a different story, if for no other reason that most voters know absolutely nothing about him. Sen. McCain is thought to be tough because of his military experience, and Giuliani because of his leadership after 9/11. Dodd, who has no military history aside from a very brief stint in the Army Reserve, lacks something that would signal to voters that he isn't just another senator, and that he determined and tough as his competition.

As for warmth, I don't believe that Sen. Dodd is aloof, but I have trouble agreeing with Lightman's portrayal of Dodd as warm. For one thing, his evidence consists of nameless friends and Rep. DeLauro, neither of which prove anything. One could just as easily make Dodd out to be the complete opposite- as an entrenched politician, he no longer connects with the American people, and the voters will be unable to identify with him.

Business on Memorial Day

After a quiet Memorial Day weekend in Connecticut politically, things will start to heat up in all campaigns as the summer approaches. The Yankee Institute picked up on a Business Week article listing the top 100 fastest growing companies. None of them are in Connecticut. While our economy is improving, their is still some work to be done.

News Roundup

The state has had a surplus of $791 million, attributing the increase to unexpectedly high tax returns. While Rell sees it as a sign that the Connecticut economy is rebounding, which it is, others will use it as a sign that taxes are too high.

The Courant reported that "Connecticut leads the United States in producing and researching fuel cells." Interesting.

The Journal Inquirer notes the pressure on Lieberman to engage in a debate with Lamont:

Speaking at a news conference at his campaign headquarters in Meriden, the wealthy cable company executive Lamont also said he and Lieberman should limit their television commercials and instead travel the state to engage in "some old-fashioned, Lincoln-Douglas debates."

The challenger's proposal drew a tepid response from Lieberman's campaign manager, Sean Smith, who said today that the senator "would consider some type of caps in this race."

Lamont is also interested in caps on fundraising and spending.

On Connecticut Senators...

The important senator this political season in Connecticut was thought to be Joe Lieberman. Running against Ned Lamont from the left and Alan Schlesinger from the right (Republican Paul Streitz has since dropped out of the race), his reelection appears to be in jeopardy and epitomizes the polarized views of Americans on Iraq. However, Chris Dodd has since come into the national limelight as well with the news that he plans on running for president.

The field is already crowded with Democratic candidates, with Hillary Clinton being the most prominent name out of the approximately dozen candidates. Personal political beliefs aside, I do not believe Dodd will be his party's nominee. The Courant notes one reason:

A Dodd White House run would faces numerous hurdles. He lacks the name recognition of candidates such as 2004 ticket-mates John Kerry and John Edwards, former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner, Delaware Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr., and others. And the $2 million Dodd has on hand for a race is dwarfed by New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's estimated $20 million and Kerry's estimated $17 million.

Normally I wouldn't say a lack of name recognition along would keep Dodd from winning. But, he is far too similar to candidates with far more recognition. For example, if a voter wants a staunch liberal from New England with Senate experience, why ould they turn to Dodd over John Kerry or Hillary Clinton? For Dodd to even stand a glimmer of hope he needs to differentiate himself from his competition, perhaps even redefine himself, a nearly impossible task considering the 25 years of Senate votes that he has accrued. His resume, while not outstanding, could be the one thing working in his favor. He has served as both a senator and as general chairman of the Democratic Party, volunteered in the Peace Corps and served in the Army Reserve, but the fact that he graduated from Providence College and the law school at University of Louisville instead of more prominent schools could hurt him. At this point, it seems like he should be realistically hoping to be a running mate of a more prominent politician at best, but anything could still happen.

Unity is the Theme of the Connecticut Republican Convention

While Dannel Malloy won an extremely tight battle for the endorsement of the Democrats, the Republican convention was all about unity. If the Democrats continue to spend their time fighting within their party, it will open up opportunities for the Republicans. On of the best examples of this is Alan Schlesinger, the Republican candidate for the US Senate.

Schlesinger said Lieberman has been widely mischaracterized as a conservative Democrat.

"For 18 years, our Democrat senator has talked right and voted left - appearing to be all things to all people," Schlesinger declared. "We have to let our Republican brethren know that for 18 years our Democrat senator has received the lowest ratings from tax watchdog agencies and the highest grades from liberal Democrats."

Following the chants of his supporters, Schlesinger repeatedly returned to the same line in his speech: "Joe must go!"

After thanking the delegates and those who have helped him, Schlesinger said, "Thank you, Democrats, for splitting right down the middle!" Courant

Aside from Gov. Jodi Rell running with Michael Fedele, the Republicans have a very competitive underticket. Richard Abbate, Cheshire registrar of voters, is taking on Susan Bysiewicz, who has been in the office for eight years. Denise Nappier has held the title of state treasurer for eight years as well, and is being challenged by Linda Roberts, first selectwoman of East Windsor. Nancy Wyman, comptroller since 1994, is challenged by Catherine Cook, a 13-year veteran of the state senate. Finally, in what will probably be the most difficult office for Republicans to win, Robert Farr of the state legislature is running against Attorney General Richard Blumenthal. Farr is up against some incredibly tough competition, but, as he said during the convention, "Baaaaah! That's the last time you're going to hear me sounding like a sacrificial lamb!"

Lamont Shows Strong Following at Democratic Convention

Most people expected Ned Lamont to get the 15% of the votes at the Connecticut Democratic convention that he needed to enter a primary, but I don't think anyone anticipated that he would received 33.4% of the vote.

What does this mean for Lieberman? At this point, Lamont has become a credible threat, and the conventions showed that Democrats are willing to support candidates based on a single issue. Republicans don't really mind, and in fact many actually support Lamont because a three-way race between Lamont, Lieberman, and Alan Schlesinger, the Republican candidate, would give Republicans the first legitimate chance at a Senate seat in a long time.

This could very possibly make national news, given that Lieberman has run for president and was only several hundred votes away from being a vice-president, yet is now in one of the most difficult races he has been in for the Senate.

Fedele is Official

Gov. Rell has officially ended the guessing game and Michael Fedele, a former representative from Stamford, has been named as her running mate. She will have the official press conference tomorrow. So far, he has the response from the Connecticut GOP has been overwhelming positive.

"If the pick is Mike Fedele, he really brings a lot to the ticket," said George Gallo, the state GOP chairman to the Courant. "From a political perspective, it's a home run. He's got a great story. It's the story of the American Dream."

The Courant discusses his biography and how he should help Gov. Rell:

As a state legislator, he represented northern Stamford and a portion of New Canaan from 1993 until 2003. Serving in the minority during his entire tenure in Hartford, Fedele was not in the public spotlight and never became well-known statewide.

Fedele, 51, was chosen partly for his fundraising abilities and partly for his connections in the Republican strongholds of lower Fairfield County. Part of Rell's strategy, Republicans said, is that Fedele would be helpful regardless of whether Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy or New Haven Mayor John DeStefano becomes the eventual Democratic nominee. They are battling in a convention Saturday and expect to face off in a Democratic primary on Aug. 8.

"If Malloy is the candidate, [Fedele] gives you some downstate muscle," one Republican insider said. "If DeStefano is the candidate, [Fedele] gives you some Italian muscle."

All in all, Fedele seems like a solid choice for a running mate. He will appeal to several different groups in Connecticut and his support is sure to hurt the Democratic opponent, whoever that ends up being.

Rell's New Lieutenant Governor

Some think that Jodi Rell may have a new lieutenant governor in former state legislator Michael Fedele. The lieutenant governor doesn't really do anything, so the title often just goes to the person who will help the governor the most in the next election. But with Jodi Rell already so popular, the lieutenant governor will probably play a very minor factor in the coming election. However, aside from his experience, he has three attractive attributes:

One: He's from Stamford, just like Democratic candidate Dan Malloy, so if Malloy ends up being the nominee, Fedele "can drive him nuts," as one knowledgeable Republican put it. Two: Fedele is Italian-American, just like the other possible Democratic nominee, John DeStefano. Third: He's rich. New Haven Independent

The first two are legitimate reasons, but the third is rather unnecessary, as Rell has be able to raise quite enough money on her own. Granted, money always helps in politics, but I hardly think that should be a deciding factor.

Sunday News Roundup

The Waterbury Republican-American wraps up the state legislative session with some analysis from the Yankee Institute. It's an interesting read.

Connecticut's tax freedom day came this past week, on May 11th. Connecticut has the highest tax burden of any state.

As for our economy, we aren't doing as poorly as many Democrats would like to think.

The New England Economic Partnership said New Hampshire is expected to be the only New England state to post faster job and overall economic growth than the nation through 2010, while Connecticut is expected to lead the six-state region in gross state product growth. Courant

Is the ABA Really Impartial?

Many, especially Democrats, would like to believe that the American Bar Association's rating system of judge nominees is fair and unbiased. However, new information has come to light suggesting that the ABA is far more liberal than it would like to admit, which could possibly be a factor in the "unqualified" rating of the Connecticut Republican judge that was nominated for federal court.

Washington divorce lawyer Marna S. Tucker, a registered Democrat, conducted the most recent interview of Mr. Kavanaugh and delivered testimony on behalf of the ABA over the telephone yesterday for the Judiciary Committee hearing today. Ms. Tucker has donated more than $10,000 to Democratic candidates and causes, according to Federal Election Commission records at www.politicalmoneyline.com, a Web site that tracks campaign contributions. She has never given to Republicans, according to the site. The Washington Post described her as a "prominent liberal" in 1991 and the following year noted her friendship with Hillary Rodham Clinton, now a Democratic senator from New York.
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Republicans yesterday blamed bias for the American Bar Association's decision to downgrade a Bush judicial nominee's rating [not Judge Bryant from Connecticut] from "well-qualified" to "qualified," before a second hearing demanded by Democrats.
"It's telling that the only thing that lowered his rating was his service in the Bush White House," a Republican aide on the Senate Judiciary Committee said yesterday. "And the group that lowered it is more partisan than the ABA represents itself."
Washington Times

While lawmakers often take the ABA's rating at face-value, I think that they should be more cautious about making such an important decision based on a claim from a biased institution.

Rell Faces Criticism for Federal Judge Nominee

From the Courant:

Last week, the American Bar Association rated Vanessa L. Bryant , a Superior Court judge, as unqualified. The ABA rates every nomination to the federal bench.

Bryant, who has been nominated by President Bush, would be the first black woman named as a federal judge in New England. Rell, a Republican, recommended her to the president after U.S. District Judge Dominic J. Squatrito left his seat in November 2004 for a reduced caseload as a senior judge.

Such ratings are rare. Only six of nearly 200 nominees since 2003 received a "not qualified" rating. Four were confirmed and two withdrew their names from consideration.

The "not qualified" rating from the ABA is the lowest of three possible ratings, the others being "highly qualified" and "qualified." Nominees are judged on "professional competence, judicial temperament and integrity." It is unlikely that Judge Bryant will withdraw her name from consideration, and as it stands now, she will probably be confirmed.

News Roundup

A not-so-fond farewell for Lt. Gov. Sullivan from the editorials page of the Waterbury Republican-American. The paper is uncharacteristically harsh:

Were Lt. Gov. Kevin B. Sullivan any less noxious, it would be tempting to pity him. Mr. Sullivan made it clear at the end of the recent legislative session that, at least for the time being, he would be going on hiatus from public life.

Mr. Sullivan's rise turned out to be his downfall. Specifically, when then-Gov. John G. Rowland resigned, Mr. Sullivan moved from the powerful position of president pro tem of the state Senate to the decorative role of lieutenant governor. And whatever else Mr. Sullivan may have been called during his long tenure on the state payroll, no one has ever accused him of being decorative.

Magnet and charter schools are on the rise.

Legislation recently passed that now allows for revaluation taxes to be phased in over five years.

The Importance of Oil

"This issue alone will determine the election this fall," said Sen. Christopher J. Dodd.

Is it really that important? Or are Democrats just trying to overstate its importance to undermine the President? Either way, Democrats and Republicans alike are considering legislation.

For now, Democrats are eagerly oil-dependent. Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, D-Conn., Thursday joined with colleagues to present a comprehensive package of reforms, including a requirement to cut in half by 2036 U.S. dependence on oil and to provide federal tax incentives for fuel efficiency. The plan, which has some GOP backing, is expected to be debated in the full Senate next week.

In the House, Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-3rd District, is pushing legislation requiring oil firms to open their books to government investigators, and Rep. John B. Larson, D-1st District, has three bills to help consumers.

But most notably, Democrats plan to keep talking about how much they care about consumers. "People want to know you get it," Dodd said. Courant

This won't be the deciding factor in the coming elections, with bigger issues like the Iraq War taking precedent. If nothing else, this should help Lieberman regain some support among his base.

Campaign Finance Reform, Lieberman, and A Special Session

In my last post, when speaking about the legislature's inaction on campaign finance reform, I spoke too soon. With only minutes to spare, the House and the Senate managed to pass a bill. Senate Majority Leader Martin Looney said, "It was like hitting a last-second shot to win the game." However, there still is unfinished business, and some, like Gov. Rell, are calling for a special session, saying, "We did not address the rising energy costs that are hurting family budgets and threatening businesses all across the state. And we must. We did not enact sanctions against those who use or manufacture meth. And we must. We did not address the eminent domain issue. And we must. We did not pass a bonding package."


In other news, a new poll from Rasmussen has Sen. Lieberman still ahead in the Senate race by a wide margin. Lamont must not be very happy.

2006 Legislative Session Ends

So, how much is getting done in Hartford? As the 2006 legislative session comes to a close today, lawmakers will be ignoring controversial bills which would bog down the legislature in its final day.

The main reason for the lack of action on many issues is a sharp division within the Democratic and Republican caucuses, which could result in debates that last hours as lawmakers run out of precious time. Under the legislature's rules, bills that are not acted upon by midnight will die on the calendar.

Few controversial measures were dealt with Tuesday as members of both chambers spent time in recess or discussing some minor matters. The Senate spent 70 minutes hailing the career of Sen. Biagio "Billy" Ciotto, a Wethersfield Democrat who will not seek re-election after 12 years in the Senate. Courant

In an unusual move, Jodi Rell came to the Senate to praise Sen. Ciotto as well. So this session comes to an end without an finality on issues like the Plan B pill, electricity/gasoline prices, and the campaign finance reform, which continues to have loopholes. Instead we have an encomium of Sen. Ciotto.

Farrell on Iraq

Diane Farrell is running against Chris Shays in the Forth District. She has made some incredibly foolish statements in the past, but a recent article posted on her website is hard to beat. Shays shouldn't have much to worry about- even liberals will have trouble swallowing Farrell's radically left ideology.

Farrell takes a much dimmer view of America's policy in Iraq.

"With the war, obviously we're teetering on the brink of civil war," she said. "We have aided and abetted Al Qaida and terrorists." She called Baghdad "a disaster area" And she expressed skepticism about Shays' multiple trips to Iraq.

"I've literally had people stop me and say, 'Why does he keep going back to Iraq?' " Farrell said. "One has only to look at the news reports to know that things are highly volatile."

Most liberals are against the Iraq War. However, Farrell may be the only one who has not only compared US troops to terrorists, ostensibly calling America terrorist cohorts. The inevitable retort, that Farrell was misquoted or taken out of context, has little validity here. While one can quibble about who she considers the 'we' to be, perhaps US troops or just American foreign policy in general, there is no question that she implicitly considers the architects of our current War on Terror to be terrorists themselves. Can we expect an apology? She probably doesn't even realize that her statement was egregious enough to merit an apology.