I know liberal when I see it. I’m a liberal myself, and proud to be one. So, when I see the right-leaning newspaper New York Newsday come out with the headline “Dodd carries Northeast liberal tag into 2008 race”, I have to giggle. Senator Christopher Dodd, who announced his candidacy for President of the United States today, is no liberal.
Test one for a liberal: Did you support the Iraq War in 2002, when doing so was the popular thing? If you opposed the war, you’re likely a liberal. If you supported the war, you are not a liberal.
Senator Dodd supported the war.
Test two for a liberal: Did you support Joseph Lieberman in the 2006 Connecticut Democratic primary for U.S. Senate? If you opposed Lieberman in that primary, you’re likely a liberal. If you supported Lieberman, you are not a liberal.
Senator Dodd supported Lieberman.
Test three for a liberal: Did you support the Republican amendment to the Constitution of the United States that would have forbidden giving equal marriage rights to same sex couples? If you opposed amendment, you’re likely a liberal. If you supported the amendment, you are not a liberal.
Senator Dodd supported the amendment.
Christopher Dodd is no liberal. In our survey of legislation before last session of the United States Senate, Christopher Dodd earned a progressive legislative score of only 47 percent. Oh, Dodd may vote in a way that liberals approve of some of the time, but much of the time he votes like a right wing Republican. Liberal Democrats are not going to rally behind the Dodd for President campaign without a lot of persuasion.
To paraphrase another good man:
“Senator, I know Liberals. Liberals are friends of mine. Senator, you’re no Liberal.”
Christopher Dodd…a Liberal…HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
I was thinking of that very speech, given by Lloyd Bentsen during a debate with Dan Quayle, when I wrote this article. Glad to see the feeling of that statement got through.